Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) and Congressman Josh Riley (NY-19) have teamed up across party lines to introduce the Increasing Nutrition Access for Seniors Act of 2025, a bipartisan bill aimed at simplifying the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for seniors and individuals with disabilities.
The measure seeks to modernize SNAP by reducing burdensome paperwork and making it easier for older Americans and people with disabilities to access food assistance.
“Seniors in the Hudson Valley have spent their lives working hard, raising families, and contributing to their communities. They shouldn’t have to fight through mountains of paperwork just to put food on the table,” said Rep. Lawler. “This bill makes it simpler for older Americans and people with disabilities to get the support they’ve earned, and I’m proud to work across the aisle with Congressman Riley to make that happen.”
Congressman Riley echoed those remarks, stressing the need for practical reforms. “Folks who worked hard their whole lives shouldn’t have to haul around shoeboxes of receipts or fight through stacks of forms just to put food on the table,” Riley said. “This bill cuts the red tape, clears the hurdles, and makes it easier for seniors to get the groceries they need.”
The Increasing Nutrition Access for Seniors Act of 2025 proposes several key reforms:
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Extended certification periods: Seniors and individuals on fixed incomes would only need to recertify once every three years instead of annually, cutting down office visits and paperwork.
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Standard medical deduction: States could offer a $155 monthly deduction for medical expenses, eliminating the need for seniors to collect and submit extensive receipts.
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Streamlined verification: States could rely on existing data from other programs to verify income, reducing red tape and accelerating benefits.
If passed, the legislation would make the SNAP process more accessible for vulnerable populations nationwide while easing administrative hurdles for states.
