An executive order signed by President Joe Biden is intended to address food insecurity caused by the pandemic by extending a benefit to a federal nutrition program and focusing resources on children who have missed meals due to closed schools over the last several months. The executive order, signed by Biden on Friday, directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to consider issuing new guidance to allow states to increase emergency benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (commonly called SNAP) that Congress has approved but have not been made available to those in need due to the pandemic. In addition, the executive order asks the USDA to issue guidance increasing Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) payments by 15 percent in order to “increase access to nutritious food for millions of children missing meals due to school closures,” according to a fact sheet about the executive order. The administration estimates that this would provide an additional benefit of $100 to a family of three every two months. Pandemic EBT was established by a coronavirus relief bill enacted last March. In addition, Biden is calling on Congress to extend a 15 percent increase to SNAP benefits.

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Source: Education Week, January 22, 2021. (Subscription may be required.)