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This bill — the College Student Hunger Act of 2019 — would address college student hunger by increasing low-income students’ ability to access the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), testing new ways SNAP can be administered on college campuses and increasing awareness about student eligibility for SNAP.

Specifically, this bill would:

Increase low-income college students' ability to receive SNAP: This bill would expand the list of criteria that permit low-income college students to apply for SNAP by allowing Pell Grant-eligible students, independent students (e.g., those who are in foster care, are veterans, or are homeless), and students with an expected family contribution (EFC) of $0 to apply for benefits. The bill would also lower SNAP's 20 hours per-week work requirement to 10 hours per week for college students.
Increases outreach to eligible students: This bill would require the Dept. of Education to notify low-income students who are eligible for a Pell Grant that they may be eligible for SNAP and to refer them to states' SNAP application websites.
Creates a SNAP student hunger pilot program: This bill would require the Depts. of Agriculture and Education to run demonstration pilot projects to test ways to make SNAP more useful to college students, such as allowing them to use SNAP to purchase prepared food from dining halls or allowing students to apply the cash value of their benefit to directly offset the cost of a student meal plan.
Increases awareness of student eligibility for SNAP: This bill would implement the recommendations of a January 2019 GAO report on food insecurity at college campuses. It would require the Dept. of Agriculture to increase awareness among states and colleges about student hunger, student eligibility for SNAP, and how states and colleges can help eligible students access and use their SNAP benefits. It would also require the Dept. of Agriculture's Inspector General to audit the agency's outreach practices for making colleges and universities more aware of student eligibility for SNAP.
Amend a current rule prohibiting students residing on campus who participate in campus meal plans from accessing SNAP: This bill would make students who are enrolled in college meal plans eligible for SNAP benefits when meal services aren’t in operation during the winter and summer months or when students are off campus.

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Should More College Students Be Eligible for SNAP Benefits?