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3 NY Democrats vote against extending food stamp coverage to rotisserie chickens
By
Elizabeth Kim
and
Karen Yi
Published Apr 30, 2026
Modified Apr 30, 2026
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Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images
By
Elizabeth Kim
and
Karen Yi
Published Apr 30, 2026
Modified Apr 30, 2026
Share
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries joined two other local Democrats on Thursday to vote against a bipartisan bill to ensure rotisserie chickens are covered by the federal food stamp program.
The House voted 384-35 to pass the legislation. Jeffries was among those who argued the bill wasn’t broad enough and should have allowed all hot food.
"SNAP recipients should be able to use their benefits to buy any hot or prepared food at the supermarket," Jeffries spokesperson Andy Eichar said in a statement. "Leader Jeffries supports comprehensive legislation sponsored by Congresswoman Grace Meng that would modernize outdated policies to allow that to occur. We need full-scale reform, not simply a piecemeal exemption carved out to support a single industry."
The bill now heads to the Senate for a final vote as part of an amendment to a broader farm bill.
Hot prepared meals don’t qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, also known as SNAP. The rule is part of a policy designed to encourage families to prepare home-cooked meals.
Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, led a bipartisan group of lawmakers who this month introduced the bill dubbed the “Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act.”
In a statement, Fetterman cited Costco’s $4.99 rotisserie chicken as "America's best (and delicious) affordability play.”
Rep. Grace Meng, a Queens Democrat, agreed that SNAP rules are outdated but argued that Fetterman’s bill “singled out one industry, choosing only rotisserie chicken over a range of choices.”
Meng’s own bill, known as the Hot Foods Act, would have allowed SNAP to cover all hot, prepared meals.
The Trump administration has cut $187 billion from SNAP, affecting tens of thousands of New Yorkers who rely on the federal subsidy.
Greg Silverman, executive director of the West Side Campaign Against Hunger, said SNAP recipients should be able to buy the foods they need to feed their families and have choices.
“Whether that's a rotisserie chicken or cooked lasagna, a frozen meal, you name it, they should have the ability to buy those things," Silverman said. "Focusing on one item like chicken is ludicrous."
Recipients who don't meet new work requirements signed by President Donald Trump last summer will start losing their benefits entirely, starting Friday in New Jersey and in June in New York.
"The biggest issue on the table is we are gutting SNAP, the largest piece of the food safety net that exists in the United States," Silverman said.
This story has been updated with new information.
Tagged
Politics
new york city
Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Karen Yi
Karen Yi covers homelessness and poverty. She joined the WNYC and Gothamist newsroom in 2020. Before that, Karen covered Newark for the Star-Ledger and spent almost a decade working for newspapers in New Jersey and Florida. She grew up in Miami and has a dog named Cashew. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 917-589-1460.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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