Affordable Food and Energy Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 7069 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7069 To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to expand benefits to households eligible for Federal and State energy assistance programs, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 14, 2026 Ms. McDonald Rivet introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to expand benefits to households eligible for Federal and State energy assistance programs, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Affordable Food and Energy Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. HOUSEHOLD ASSISTANCE. Section 5 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014) is amended-- (1) by amending subsection (e)(6)(C)(iv)(I) to read as follows: ``(I) In general.--Subject to subclause (II), if a State agency elects to use a standard utility allowance that reflects heating and cooling costs, the standard utility allowance shall be made available to households that received a payment, or on behalf of which a payment was made, under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 8621 et seq.) or other similar energy assistance program, if in the current month or in the immediately preceding 12 months, the household either received such a payment, or such a payment was made on behalf of the household, that was greater than $20 annually, as determined by the Secretary.'', and (2) by amending subsection (k)(4) to read as follows: ``(4) Third party energy assistance payments.-- ``(A) Energy assistance payments.--For purposes of subsection (d)(1), a payment mad