Bill Offers 100-Day SNAP Income Break for Transitioning Veterans' Households

The 'Setting the Table for Transition Act' aims to give newly separated veterans a smoother landing by temporarily adjusting how their household qualifies for food assistance. For a specific 100-day window right after a veteran leaves active service, this bill changes the math for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps.

A 100-Day Breather on SNAP Rules

Here’s the core change outlined in Section 2: during the 100 days immediately following a veteran receiving their official separation documents, only the veteran's personal income will be considered when determining if their household qualifies for SNAP benefits. Typically, SNAP looks at the income of everyone living together. This bill temporarily pauses that for veteran households, meaning income from a spouse or other family members won't disqualify the household during this critical adjustment period. To be eligible under this act, Section 3 defines a 'veteran' as someone who served on active duty in the military, naval, or air service and received an honorable discharge.

When Does This Kick In?

According to Section 4, these changes won't happen overnight. The Act specifies it will become effective 90 days after it is officially enacted into law. This lead time likely allows government agencies to update procedures and ensure the temporary income exclusion is applied correctly for veterans separating after that effective date.