Congressmen Cohen and Rutherford Introduce Bipartisan RESTORE Act

WASHINGTON – Congressmen Steve Cohen (TN-9) and John Rutherford (FL-5) today introduced the bipartisan Re-Entry Support Through Opportunities for Resources and Essentials (RESTORE) Act to repeal the ban on SNAP benefits for drug offenders and allow them to apply to the program before their release dates. The bill would also codify the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) waiver that allows ex-offenders to apply for SNAP up to 30 days before they are released, ensuring that they will be able to meet their basic needs as soon as they reenter society.

Senators Cory Booker of New Jersey and Raphael Warnock of Georgia introduced a companion measure in the Senate.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“Thousands of people released from state and federal prisons each year re-enter society and find significant challenges, including lifetime bans on receiving food assistance. The RESTORE Act would repeal the 1996 ban on people with drug felony convictions receiving SNAP, and it would allow them to apply for the program before their release so that they can meet their basic needs on day one, reducing the likelihood of recidivism and increasing the quality of life for people hoping to reintegrate into their communities. I am pleased to be working with Congressman Rutherford and Senators Booker and Warnock on this needed reform.”

Congressman Rutherford made the following statement:

“As co-chair of the Second Chance Reentry Task Force, I am focused on reducing barriers for those reentering society trying to make a fresh start. I am proud to cosponsor the RESTORE Act, which will help reduce recidivism by opening up important nutrition and food resources to formerly incarcerated individuals.”

The measure is endorsed by many re-entry assistance and nutrition advocacy groups, including the Drug Policy Alliance. Its Deputy Director of the Office of Federal Affairs, Grant Smith, made the following statement:

“Many people face poverty and food insecurity following release from incarceration.  By denying help with food, the lifetime SNAP ban is counterproductive to successful reentry and efforts to reduce recidivism. It also disproportionately harms women and people of color, who are statistically more likely to be convicted of a felony drug violation. Congress has worked in recent years on a bipartisan basis to repeal counterproductive lifetime consequences of a conviction, such as this, that undermine successful reentry. We urge Congress to once again take action to repeal the lifetime SNAP drug felony ban by including the RESTORE Act in this year’s Farm Bill.”

See the text of the legislation here.

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