Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI)
Affordable Food and Energy Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the ``Affordable Food and Energy Act of 2026'', aims to amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008. The primary goal is to expand benefits to households that are eligible for Federal and State energy assistance programs. It modifies how utility allowances and energy assistance payments are treated. These changes specifically address households receiving payments under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 or similar programs. The act is set to take effect on July 4, 2025.
Yes· 3 of 24
- Scored +5
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The bill expands utility allowances and recognizes energy assistance as an out-of-pocket expense for those in need.
- Scored +3
Is this likely to lift people out of poverty?
The bill expands utility allowances and recognizes energy assistance as out-of-pocket expenses for eligible households.
- Scored +2
Would children be better off under this?
The expansion of energy assistance benefits can help lower-income households better manage essential costs.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Expanded access to utility allowances: Households that received an energy assistance payment greater than $20 in the current month or the previous 12 months may now be able to access a standard utility allowance that reflects heating and cooling costs. This is found in Section 2, subsection (1).
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Recognition of energy assistance as out-of-pocket expenses: Under this bill, an expense paid on behalf of a household under a State law to provide energy assistance will be considered an out-of-pocket expense incurred and paid by the household. This provides a benefit for the purposes of subsection (e)(6) as stated in Section 2, subsection (2)(B).
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Direct treatment of energy assistance payments: Payments made under a State law to provide energy assistance to a household will be considered money payable directly to the household. This is detailed in Section 2, subsection (2)(A).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts are explicitly stated in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill expands utility allowances and recognizes energy assistance as an out-of-pocket expense for those in need. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — The bill provides additional financial support through expanded energy assistance recognition. Would Asian Americans be better off under this? — The bill provides additional financial support through expanded energy assistance recognition. Would children be better off under this? — The expansion of energy assistance benefits can help lower-income households better manage essential costs. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The bill provides additional financial support through expanded energy assistance recognition. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill provides additional financial support through expanded energy assistance recognition. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill offers financial relief for essential heating and cooling costs. Would retired people be better off under this? — The bill provides expanded utility allowance options for households with energy assistance payments. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — The bill makes energy assistance payments easier to qualify for via standard utility allowances. Would white Americans be better off under this? — The bill provides additional financial support through expanded energy assistance recognition. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — The bill provides relief for households receiving energy assistance payments. Would farmers be better off under this? — The bill provides economic relief to households receiving energy assistance. Would immigrants be better off under this? — The bill provides economic relief to households receiving energy assistance. Would LGBTQ people be better off under this? — The bill provides economic relief to households receiving energy assistance. Would men be better off under this? — The bill provides economic relief to households receiving energy assistance. Would people in middle age be better off under this? — The bill increases utility allowance accessibility for qualifying households. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The bill may provide modest assistance to households just above traditional low-income thresholds who receive energy aid. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill provides economic relief to households receiving energy assistance. Would students be better off under this? — The bill provides economic relief to households receiving energy assistance. Would union members be better off under this? — The bill provides economic relief to households receiving energy assistance. Would people in cities be better off under this? — The bill provides economic relief to households receiving energy assistance. Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — The bill provides economic relief to households receiving energy assistance. Would women be better off under this? — The bill provides economic relief to households receiving energy assistance.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill expands utility allowances and recognizes energy assistance as out-of-pocket expenses for eligible households.
- 5/20/2026
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.
- 1/14/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- Introduced in House