Eligible households

Participation in the supplemental nutrition assistance program shall be limited to those households whose incomes and other financial resources, held singly or in joint ownership, are determined to be a substantial limiting factor in permitting them to obtain a more nutritious diet. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter except subsections (b), (d)(2), (g), and (r) of section 2015 of this title and section 2012(m)(4) of this title , households in which each member receives benefits under a State program funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), supplemental security income benefits under title XVI of the Social Security Act [ 42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.], or aid to the aged, blind, or disabled under title I, X, XIV, or XVI of the Social Security Act [ 42 U.S.C. 301 et seq., 1201 et seq., 1351 et seq., or 1381 et seq.], shall be eligible to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program. Except for sections 2015, 2025(e)(1), and section 2012(m)(4) of this title , households in which each member receives benefits under a State or local general assistance program that complies with standards established by the Secretary for ensuring that the program is based on income criteria comparable to or more restrictive than those under subsection (c)(2), and not limited to one-time emergency payments that cannot be provided for more than one consecutive month, shall be eligible to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program. Assistance under this program shall be furnished to all eligible households who make application for such participation.

( Pub. L. 88–525, § 5 , Aug. 31, 1964 , 78 Stat. 704 ; Pub. L. 91–671, § 4 , Jan. 11, 1971 , 84 Stat. 2049 ; Pub. L. 93–86, § 3(d) , (e), (g), (h), Aug. 10, 1973 , 87 Stat. 246 , 247; Pub. L. 95–113, title XIII, § 1301 , Sept. 29, 1977 , 91 Stat. 962 ; Pub. L. 96–58, § 2 , Aug. 14, 1979 , 93 Stat. 390 ; Pub. L. 96–223, title III, § 313(c)(2) , Apr. 2, 1980 , 94 Stat. 299 ; Pub. L. 96–249, title I , §§ 102–108, 112, 136–138, May 26, 1980 , 94 Stat. 357–359 , 361, 369, 370; Pub. L. 97–35, title I , §§ 104(a), 105–107, 115, 116(a)(1), title XXVI, § 2611, Aug. 13, 1981 , 95 Stat. 358–361 , 364, 902; Pub. L. 97–98, title XIII , §§ 1305–1309, Dec. 22, 1981 , 95 Stat. 1283 , 1284; Pub. L. 97–253, title I , §§ 143(b), 145(c), (d), 146–152(a), 153, 189(a), Sept. 8, 1982 , 96 Stat. 773–776 , 787; Pub. L. 98–204, § 4 , Dec. 2, 1983 , 97 Stat. 1385 ; Pub. L. 99–198, title XV , §§ 1507(a)(1), 1508–1513(a), 1514, 1515, Dec. 23, 1985 , 99 Stat. 1567–1572 ; Pub. L. 99–500, § 101(a) [title VI, § 638(a)] , Oct. 18, 1986 , 100 Stat. 1783 , 1783–34, and Pub. L. 99–591, § 101(a) [title VI, § 638(a)] , Oct. 30, 1986 , 100 Stat. 3341 , 3341–34; Pub. L. 100–77, title VIII , §§ 803(a), 804(a), 805(a), 806(a), 807(a), July 22, 1987 , 101 Stat. 534 , 535; Pub. L. 100–232, § 2(a) , Jan. 5, 1988 , 101 Stat. 1566 ; Pub. L. 100–387, title V, § 501(a) , Aug. 11, 1988 , 102 Stat. 960 ; Pub. L. 100–435, title II , §§ 201, 202(a), title III, §§ 340–343, 351, title IV, §§ 402, 403, 404(f), Sept. 19, 1988 , 102 Stat. 1655 , 1656, 1663–1665, 1668; Pub. L. 100–707, title I, § 109(d) , Nov. 23, 1988 , 102 Stat. 4708 ; Pub. L. 101–624, title XVII , §§ 1714–1718(a), 1719–1722, 1726(b)(2), Nov. 28, 1990 , 104 Stat. 3783–3787 ; Pub. L. 102–40, title IV, § 402(d)(2) , May 7, 1991 , 105 Stat. 239 ; Pub. L. 102–237, title IX , §§ 902–906, 941(2), Dec. 13, 1991 , 105 Stat. 1884 , 1885, 1892; Pub. L. 102–265, § 1(a) , Mar. 26, 1992 , 106 Stat. 90 ; Pub. L. 102–367, title VII, § 702(b) , Sept. 7, 1992 , 106 Stat. 1113 ; Pub. L. 103–66, title XIII , §§ 13911–13915, 13921, 13922(a), 13923, 13924, Aug. 10, 1993 , 107 Stat. 673–675 ; Pub. L. 103–225, title I, § 101(b)(2) , Mar. 25, 1994 , 108 Stat. 107 ; Pub. L. 104–193, title I, § 109(a) , title VIII, §§ 806–809(a), 810–812, Aug. 22, 1996 , 110 Stat. 2169 , 2309, 2313, 2314; Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(f) [title VIII, § 405(d)(2)(A), (f)(2)(A)] , Oct. 21, 1998 , 112 Stat. 2681–337 , 2681–418, 2681–429; Pub. L. 106–387, § 1(a) [title VIII, §§ 846(a), 847(a)] , Oct. 28, 2000 , 114 Stat. 1549 , 1549A–65, 1549A–66; Pub. L. 107–171, title IV , §§ 4101–4108(a), 4112(b)(2), 4401(b)(2)(C), May 13, 2002 , 116 Stat. 305–309 , 313, 333; Pub. L. 110–234, title IV , §§ 4001(b), 4002(a)(2), 4101–4104, 4115(b)(3), May 22, 2008 , 122 Stat. 1092 , 1098–1100, 1106; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a) , title IV, §§ 4001(b), 4002(a)(2), 4101–4104, 4115(b)(3), June 18, 2008 , 122 Stat. 1664 , 1853, 1859–1861, 1867; Pub. L. 113–79, title IV , §§ 4005, 4006(a), 4008(b), 4022(b)(1), 4030(c), Feb. 7, 2014 , 128 Stat. 786–788 , 808, 814; Pub. L. 113–128, title V, § 512 ( l )(1), July 22, 2014 , 128 Stat. 1709 ; Pub. L. 115–334, title IV , §§ 4004, 4022(2), Dec. 20, 2018 , 132 Stat. 4627 , 4653; Pub. L. 119–21, title I , §§ 10103, 10104, July 4, 2025 , 139 Stat. 83 .)