WASHINGTON (WHP) — Sen. John Fetterman helped introduce the “Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act” to the U.S. Senate Tuesday, a piece of legislation that would allow SNAP recipients to use their benefits to buy hot rotisserie chickens.
Currently, people who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits can not use those funds to purchase hot prepared foods. They can, however, use their benefits to purchase a cooked rotisserie chicken that has been cooled down.
The Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act would amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to include “hot rotisserie chicken” in the definition of “food,” according to a news release from Fetterman’s team. The legislation would not apply to any other hot food items.
A bipartisan effort, Fetterman introduced the legislation alongside Sen. Jim Justice (R-WV), Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO).
“America’s best (and delicious) affordability play is Costco’s $4.99 rotisserie chicken,” Fetterman said. “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.”
In a statement, Justice said the legislation would help busy parents and grandparents 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,” Justice said.
Capito said the act would also help seniors, working families and anyone else who might not have reliable access to cooking equipment.
“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,” Capito said.
National Chicken Council President Harrison Kircher also spoke out in support of the legislation, slamming the current rules against purchasing hot rotisserie chickens as “an outdated technicality.”
His statement reads:
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 There is only an outdated technicality that forces grocery stores to heat chickens and cool them back down just to comply, wasting energy, degrading quality, and adding cost.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.
The legislation now heads to committee for further consideration.