COLAs Don’t Count Act of 2023

HR 5086, the COLAs Don’t Count Act of 2023, amends the Food and Nutrition Act to exclude certain cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) from counting as income for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility. Specifically, it removes increases from Social Security (Title II), Supplemental Security Income (Title XVI), Railroad Retirement, and Veterans benefits (38 U.S.C. §5312) from SNAP income calculations when determining household eligibility. This change directly affects SNAP recipients whose benefits include these COLAs, potentially allowing more households to qualify for assistance. The amendment takes effect October 1, 2024.