Take Action on Military Support

Take action now — urge Congress to amend the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) or pass legislation that would remove Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) from consideration when determining eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

The Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is specifically designed to cover housing costs for active-duty military personnel. It is considered a non-taxable compensation for a specific service and, therefore, should not be included as income when determining eligibility for SNAP (a program designed to assist low-income individuals and families in purchasing food).

BAH is Compensation, Not Income
SNAP is specifically targeted to address food insecurity among low-income populations.
Military service often involves significant financial burdens beyond housing, such as deployments, family separations, and high-cost areas of living. Excluding BAH from the formulas would provide the opportunity for additional financial relief to military families.

Several legislative vehicles could be used to exclude BAH from SNAP eligibility:

Standalone Legislation: A dedicated bill focused solely on this issue could be introduced in either the House or Senate.
Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA): Amending the NDAA, which authorizes annual defense spending, could be a suitable option.

Congress should consider these realities into account and address the issue of including BAH in SNAP eligibility while balancing the needs of military families and the overall goals of the SNAP program.

We urge Congress to support legislation that removes basic allowance for housing from SNAP eligibility or that they amend the NDAA when it comes up for reauthorization.

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I am writing to express my strong support for amending the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)  or passing legislation that would remove Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) from consideration when determining eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

Currently, military personnel are often disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits due to the inclusion of BAH in their income calculations. This policy creates an unnecessary hardship for service members and their families, particularly those stationed in high-cost areas where BAH may not fully cover housing expenses.

By removing BAH from SNAP eligibility calculations, we can ensure that our brave men and women in uniform have access to the same resources available to other low-income Americans. This change would provide much-needed support to military families struggling to make ends meet, and would demonstrate our commitment to those who serve our country.

I stand with Feeding Tampa Bay in asking that you work with your colleagues and take swift action to address the financial challenges faced by our military personnel.

Regards,

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Recommended talking points:

BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing), is Compensation, Not Income
Excluding BAH from the formulas would provide the opportunity for additional financial relief to military families
Please support legislation that removes BAH from SNAP eligibility or amend the NDAA when it comes up for reauthorization

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