Washington, D.C. — Legislation for hot-and-ready chicken being added to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was introduced yesterday, April 22.
U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) joined U.S. Senators Jim Justice (R-WV), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Michael Bennet (D-CO) in introducing the Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act to allow SNAP participants to purchase hot rotisserie chicken with their benefits.
“America’s best (and delicious) affordability play is Costco’s $4.99 rotisserie chicken 😜,” said Senator Fetterman. “It’s one of my family’s favorites and I’m proud to join this bill with Senator Justice for all to try. SNAP funds would be well spent to feed our nation’s families who need it.”
“Allowing folks on SNAP to buy hot rotisserie chickens is truly just commonsense. It’s as basic as you can get to help busy parents or grandparents put something as simple as this on the table to feed their families. We have to give people the option to put a healthy, protein-dense choice on the table that actually tastes good and doesn’t take an hour and a half to cook,” said Senator Justice.
“Allowing SNAP recipients to purchase hot rotisserie chicken is a simple, practical step to make the program work better for the people it serves. For seniors, working families, and those without reliable access to cooking equipment, this is about convenience and dignity. With multiple states—including West Virginia—already requesting flexibility in this area, this bill brings SNAP in line with real-world needs while making smart, efficient use of taxpayer dollars,” said Senator Capito.
“Congress should be making it easier, not harder, for families to put food on the table. This bill fixes an unnecessary barrier and helps Colorado families get a quick, nutritious meal when they need it,” said Senator Bennet.
“The HOT Rotisserie Chicken Act is a commonsense solution to an unnecessary problem. Right now, a SNAP family can buy a cold rotisserie chicken — but the moment it's hot, it's off limits. There is no nutritional difference. There is no logical difference. There is only an outdated technicality that forces grocery stores to heat chickens and cool them back down just to comply, wasting energy, degrading quality, and adding cost. Rotisserie chicken - a real food - is the most affordable complete protein in the grocery store. At around $7, it can feed an entire family. For the 42 million Americans on SNAP, that matters enormously. I want to thank Rep. Crawford, and Sens. Justice, Bennett, Fetterman, and Capito for their leadership on this no-cost, commonsense, and long overdue legislation. The National Chicken Council is proud to support it, and we urge Congress to pass it without delay,” said NCC President Harrison Kircher.
Background on the Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act:
House companion legislation is being led by Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) and was offered and withdrawn during House Farm Bill markup, which received support from both parties.
Current statute does not allow the purchase of hot prepared foods under SNAP but does allow the purchase of cooked rotisserie chicken that has been cooled down.
The Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to modify the definition of food by adding “hot rotisserie chicken”
Rotisserie chicken is unmatched in value – most costing around $5 at grocery stores – especially when factoring in how much time it saves.
This bill does not increase funding or participant eligibility for SNAP or allow all hot foods to be included for purchase
It also only applies to eligible retailers, maintaining that SNAP will not be expanded to restaurants.
As a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Senator Fetterman has consistently placed SNAP as a top priority, recognizing it’s a lifeline for many families. He has joined legislation like Senator Bennet’s Hot Foods Act to allow all hot foods to be eligible under SNAP, and the Cybersecurity for SNAP Act, which increases the security of EBT cards to prevent skimming. Senator Fetterman also introduced the Fairness for Victims of SNAP Skimming Act, which allows USDA to repay recipients who had EBT funds stolen from their cards. Last Congress, he chaired the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee hearing on SNAP benefits and the Farm Bill. Senator Fetterman will continue to fight for these benefits for all who need and rely on them.
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