Making Essentials Available and Lawful (MEAL) Act of 2021
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vs 5,357 other S bills in the 117th — cohort avg 38d
Making Essentials Available and Lawful (MEAL) Act of 2021 This bill repeals a lifetime ban that prohibits individuals convicted of certain offenses related to the possession, use, or distribution of a controlled substance from receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or assistance under programs funded by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grants. Any state law that imposes conditions on eligibility for SNAP benefits or TANF assistance based on an individual's conviction of such an offense shall have no force or effect. In addition, individuals who are incarcerated and scheduled to be released within 30 days shall qualify as individual households for purposes of SNAP eligibility. Under current law, unless specifically excepted, individuals residing in institutions do not constitute a household.
These links require the bill number to appear in the filing's source-reported specific issue text. Client expenses and lobbying-firm income are separate disclosure fields.
Filing registrants (3)
2022 · third_quarter · Law Enforcement/Crime/Criminal Justice
S. 79, the EQUAL Act, to equalize the sentencing for offenses involving crack vs powder cocaine. S. 431, the Democracy Restoration Act, to restore eligibility to vote in federal elections following the completion of ones sentence. H.R. 2837/S. 2667, the Making Essentials Accessible and Legal (MEAL) Act, to repeal the lifetime ban on SNAP benefits for those with a prior drug conviction. H.R. 546, S. 3524, the Effective Assistance of Counsel in the Digital Era Act, which would ensure that the attorney-client privilege applies to digital messages sent between federal prisoners and their lawyers. Activity in support of a health approach to combating criminal activity involving fentanyl analogs in lieu of increased criminalization and harsh mandatory minimum sentences for even nonviolent offenses. Support for full funding of programs authorized under the Violence Against Women Act. Draft legislation clarifying that attorneys engaged in litigation should be regulated and disciplined solely by courts, federal agencies have no authority to regulate attorneys litigation activities, and parties in litigation have no federal private right of action against their opponents attorney for alleged litigation misconduct. Proposed changes to Customs and Border Protection Directive No. 3340-049 (Border Search of Electronic Devices Containing Information, dated August 20, 2009), Customs and Border Protection Directive No. 3340-049A (Border Search of Electronic Devices, dated January 4, 2018), and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Directive No. 7-6.1 (Border Searches of Electronic Devices, dated August 18, 2009) to prevent border officials from reading, duplicating, seizing, or sharing attorney-client privileged or confidential client documents or information contained on attorneys laptop computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices at U.S. border crossings unless the officials first obtain a subpoena based on reasonable suspicion or a warrant supported by probable cause.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Introduced in Senate
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Sources: Congress.gov
Client expense: $180,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Justice, Dept of (DOJ), SENATE, White House Office
2022 · second_quarter · Welfare
Making Essentials Available and Lawful (MEAL) Act of 2021 (S.2667/HR 283, Actively lobbied in support of removing SNAP/TANF Drug Felony ban).
Client expense: $20,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE
2021 · third_quarter · Budget/Appropriations
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Reauthorization HR 487 Revitalize and Expand SNAP Education and Training for Americas Future Act HR 2837/S 2667 Making Essentials Available and Lawful (MEAL) Act of 2021
Client expense: $20,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Labor, Dept of (DOL), SENATE
| Democratic |
| NY |
| Martin Heinrich | Democratic | NM |
| Richard J. Durbin | Democratic | IL |
| Tammy Baldwin | Democratic | WI |
| Tina Smith | Democratic | MN |