PENNSYLVANIA — This could become a national "Winner Winner Chicken Dinner" situation.
Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman and three other senators have announced they are introducing the Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act to permit Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program beneficiaries to buy hot rotisserie chicken with their SNAP cards.
The 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.
Why? Apparently no one knows.
Fetterman is being joined in pushing the bipartisan legislation by Republican senators Jim Justice and Shelley Moore Capito, both of West Virginia, and Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado.
Fetterman not only is a fan of hot rotisserie chicken, but also has a favorite place to get it.
“America’s best (and delicious) affordability play is Costco’s $4.99 rotisserie chicken ,” Fetterman said in a statement.
“It’s one of my family’s favorites and I’m proud to join this bill with Sen. Justice for all to try. SNAP funds would be well spent to feed our nation’s families who need it.”
Said Justice: “Allowing folks on SNAP to buy hot rotisserie chickens is truly just common sense. 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.”
"Rotisserie chicken – a real food – is the most affordable complete protein in the grocery store," said National Chicken Council President Harrison Kircher.
"At around $7, it can feed an entire family. For the 42 million Americans on SNAP, that matters enormously."
The bill does not increase funding or participant eligibility for SNAP or allow all hot foods to be included for purchase. It only applies to eligible retailers, meaning that SNAP benefits will not be expanded to restaurants.
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