WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. John Fetterman has reintroduced federal legislation aimed at setting safety, privacy, and labor standards for grocery deliveries purchased through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
What This Means for You
- The proposed bill would require safety standards for food delivered through SNAP online orders.
- Delivery companies would be required to follow labor standards, including paying prevailing wages.
- New federal rules would aim to strengthen cybersecurity protections for SNAP users ordering groceries online.
Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, announced Tuesday that he is reintroducing the Food and Nutrition Delivery Safety Act alongside U.S. Sens. Adam Schiff of California, Michael Bennet of Colorado, and Ron Wyden of Oregon.
The proposal addresses the growing use of SNAP benefits — formerly known as food stamps — to purchase groceries online and have them delivered.
“SNAP is a lifeline for so many hard working families,” Fetterman said. “I’m proud to reintroduce the Food and Nutrition Delivery Safety Act with my colleagues to help protect consumers from cyber criminals and ensure safe delivery for all Pennsylvanians.”
What the Proposed Legislation Would Do
The bill would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service to establish national standards governing SNAP grocery deliveries.
Those standards would be developed in coordination with the Food and Drug Administration, the Food Safety and Inspection Service, and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
The proposal would require safeguards in several areas.
It would establish cybersecurity protections for SNAP users making online grocery purchases and set food safety standards for how groceries are handled during delivery.
The legislation would also establish labor standards intended to prevent companies from lowering wages or workplace protections for delivery drivers who transport SNAP groceries.
Supporters say the bill aims to address gaps created as SNAP increasingly expands into online grocery purchasing and delivery services.
More than 42 million Americans rely on SNAP benefits each month to help pay for food, according to information provided with the legislation.
Labor Union Support for the Proposal
The Food and Nutrition Delivery Safety Act is endorsed by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which represents grocery workers and other employees in the food industry.
UFCW International President Milton Jones said the legislation would provide protections for delivery workers involved in the SNAP delivery system.
“This crucial legislation would ensure that delivery workers within the SNAP delivery program are fairly compensated and have the tools and training necessary to do their jobs,” Jones said.
The union represents about 1.2 million workers nationwide, including roughly 31,000 members in Pennsylvania.
Next Steps in Congress
A companion version of the legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Shomari Figures of Alabama and Rep. John Mannion of New York.
If approved by Congress, the bill would amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to establish national standards governing SNAP online ordering and food delivery systems.
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