Amendment making rotisserie chicken SNAP-eligible doesn’t go far enough

U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern was the only Massachusetts Democrat in the House to vote against an amendment to expand SNAP benefits to include hot roasted chicken, which the House passed alongside the larger farm bill. Last week.

McGovern, who represents Worcester, was one of 35 votes in opposition — 12 of them Democrats — on the amendment, which was approved by 384 yes votes to add it. Hot grilled chicken As an eligible item it can be purchased using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits.

All members of the Massachusetts delegation in the House of Representatives voted to approve the amendment.

Currently, families cannot use SNAP benefits for purchases “Hot foods at the point of sale.”

“America’s best (and delicious) affordability play is Costco’s $4.99 rotisserie chicken,” said Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, a co-sponsor of the bill. Per AP. “It’s one of my family’s favorite things… Your SNAP money will be well spent feeding our country’s families who need it.”

In response to requests for comment, McGovern’s office referred to A statement About the vote posted on social media Tuesday in which he said Republicans “advanced a single-industry carveout, pushed by lobbyists, to benefit big grocery stores and billionaire food conglomerates.”

The Worcester Democrat said he voted against amending roast chicken to support the Hot Foods Instead Act, a proposal that would allow Americans on SNAP to buy any hot foods at grocery stores. McGovern said this amendment was blocked by Republicans.

“I voted against the Roast Chicken Amendment to preserve our ability to demand inclusion of the full Hot Foods Act as the farm bill heads to the Senate,” the statement said.

In the House and on social media, McGovern also spoke out against the GOP-led Agriculture, Food, and Homeland Security Act of 2026.

“This farm bill hurts rural communities, betrays farmers, and withholds $187 billion that Republicans stole from food aid to give tax breaks to billionaires,” McGovern said. Written on X. “This bill makes it harder for families to afford good, nutritious food.”

The agricultural bill, which was approved by the House of Representatives by a vote of 224 to 200, may face political disagreements in the Senate, according to the British newspaper “Daily Mail”. POLITICOwhich would hinder the modification of grilled chicken. The farm bill aims to ease costs for farmers and reauthorize USDA programs.

Molly Farrar is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on education, politics, crime and more.