PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 21, 2025
Ending the Cycle of Dependency Act of 2025
This bill establishes work requirements for adults ages 19 to 59 under Medicaid. It also extends work requirements to additional individuals under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Specifically, the bill prohibits federal Medicaid payment for adults ages 19 to 59 unless these individuals (1) work at least 80 hours per month or have a monthly income that is at least equal to the federal minimum wage multiplied by 80 hours, (2) participate in a work program for at least 80 hours per month, (3) engage in community service for at least 80 hours per month, or (4) participate in a combination of the aforementioned activities for at least 80 hours per month. States may choose to disenroll individuals from Medicaid if they do not meet these requirements.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
The bill excludes certain individuals from these requirements, including those with disabilities, who care for children under the age of six, or who are enrolled in an educational program at least half-time.
The bill also modifies work requirements under SNAP so as to require individuals ages 56 to 60, those with children ages 6 and older, homeless individuals, and certain former foster youth to meet the work requirements for SNAP (these individuals are currently exempt from work requirements). Additionally, states may no longer request to waive work requirements for individuals in areas with high unemployment rates or that lack a sufficient number of available jobs.
People & committees
Rep. Burlison, Eric [R-MO-7] · R–MO
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 5, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-02-21 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
The bill would replace a food-assistance work-rule age clause with “over 60 years of age” and insert an under-six qualification after “child”; their full effects depend on existing law not supplied here. It would establish Medicaid work requirements for certain enrollees ages 19–59, subject to the exceptions described below. Monthly compliance would require at least 80 hours of work, community service, work-program participation, or combined qualifying activities, or monthly income at least equal to 80 hours at the federal minimum wage. Federal Medicaid funding for an applicable individual's care would become unavailable after at least three earlier months of noncompliance in the same calendar year, counted while the person was enrolled and subject to the rule. States could choose to disenroll that person for a month when this funding restriction applies. These are proposed changes in the supplied introduced bill, not evidence of enactment.
(1) in paragraph (3)— (A) in subparagraph (A) by striking clause (ii) and inserting the following: (ii) over 60 years of age; , (B) in subparagraph (C) by inserting under 6 years of age; a after child,
(A) The individual works 80 hours or more per month, or has a monthly income that is at least equal to the Federal minimum wage under section 6 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, multiplied by 80 hours. (B) The individual completes 80 hours or more of community service per month. (C) The individual participates in a work program for at least 80 hours per month. (D) The individual participates in a combination of work, including community service, and a work program for a total of at least 80 hours per month.
(A) Applicable individual The term applicable individual means any individual who is not— (i) under 19 years of age or age 60 or older; (ii) physically or mentally unfit for employment, as determined and verified by a physician or other medical professional; (iii) pregnant; (iv) the parent or caretaker of a dependent child under the age of 6; (v) the parent or caretaker of an incapacitated person; (vi) complying with work requirements under a different program under Federal law; (vii) participating in a drug or alcohol treatment and rehabilitation program (as defined in section 3(h) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008); or (viii) enrolled in an educational program at least half time.
(28) with respect to any amount expended for medical assistance for an applicable individual for a month in a calendar year if such individual did not meet the work requirement under section 1905(kk) for 3 or more preceding months during such calendar year while such individual was an applicable individual and was enrolled in a State plan (or waiver of such plan) under this title.
at the option of a State, such State may elect to disenroll an applicable individual for a month if, with respect to medical assistance furnished to such individual for such month, no Federal financial participation would be available, pursuant to section 1903(i)(28).
2025-02-21: Introduced in House
Section 1 would name the bill the Ending the Cycle of Dependency Act of 2025.
1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Ending the Cycle of Dependency Act of 2025.
Section 2 would replace an age clause in the food-assistance work rules with “over 60 years of age” and insert an under-six age qualification after “child” in another provision. The surrounding existing law is not reproduced, which limits assessment of the complete eligibility changes.
(1) in paragraph (3)— (A) in subparagraph (A) by striking clause (ii) and inserting the following: (ii) over 60 years of age; , (B) in subparagraph (C) by inserting under 6 years of age; a after child,
Section 2 would also delete subparagraphs (F) and (H) and the provision numbered (4) from the referenced food-assistance work rules, and relabel subparagraph (G) as (F). The supplied text does not reproduce the deleted provisions, so their substantive effects cannot be fully described.
(D) by striking subparagraphs (F) and (H).; and (E) by redesignating subparagraph (G) as subparagraph (F), and (2) by striking subparagraph (4).
Section 2 would delete subsection (b) of section 311 of the specified part of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. The bill calls this a conforming amendment, but does not reproduce what would be deleted.
(b) Conforming amendment Section 311 of title II of division C of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (Public Law 118–5; 137 STAT. 36) is amended by striking subsection (b).
Section 3 would make federal Medicaid funding unavailable for a covered person's care in a month if the person failed the work requirement in at least three earlier months of that calendar year while enrolled and subject to the requirement. The text does not require those earlier months to be consecutive.
(28) with respect to any amount expended for medical assistance for an applicable individual for a month in a calendar year if such individual did not meet the work requirement under section 1905(kk) for 3 or more preceding months during such calendar year while such individual was an applicable individual and was enrolled in a State plan (or waiver of such plan) under this title.
no Federal financial participation would be available, pursuant to section 1903(i)(28).
A covered person could meet the monthly Medicaid requirement by working at least 80 hours or having monthly income at least equal to 80 hours at the federal minimum wage.
(A) The individual works 80 hours or more per month, or has a monthly income that is at least equal to the Federal minimum wage under section 6 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, multiplied by 80 hours.
Other ways to meet the Medicaid requirement would be completing at least 80 hours of community service per month; participating in a work program for at least 80 hours per month; or participating in a combination of work, including community service, and a work program for a total of at least 80 hours per month. The bill adopts the Food and Nutrition Act's definition of a work program without reproducing it.
(B) The individual completes 80 hours or more of community service per month. (C) The individual participates in a work program for at least 80 hours per month. (D) The individual participates in a combination of work, including community service, and a work program for a total of at least 80 hours per month.
(D) Work program The term work program has the meaning given such term in section 6(o)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008.
The proposed Medicaid requirement would exclude people under 19 or age 60 and older, pregnant people, and people whose physical or mental unfitness for employment is determined and verified by a physician or another medical professional.
(A) Applicable individual The term applicable individual means any individual who is not— (i) under 19 years of age or age 60 or older; (ii) physically or mentally unfit for employment, as determined and verified by a physician or other medical professional; (iii) pregnant;
The Medicaid requirement would also exclude parents or caretakers of dependent children under six, and parents or caretakers of incapacitated people.
The term applicable individual means any individual who is not—
(iv) the parent or caretaker of a dependent child under the age of 6; (v) the parent or caretaker of an incapacitated person;
Further Medicaid exceptions would cover people complying with another federal program's work requirements, participating in a qualifying drug or alcohol treatment and rehabilitation program, or enrolled at least half time in an educational program.
The term applicable individual means any individual who is not—
(vi) complying with work requirements under a different program under Federal law; (vii) participating in a drug or alcohol treatment and rehabilitation program (as defined in section 3(h) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008); or (viii) enrolled in an educational program at least half time.
For the education exception, qualifying education would include institutions of higher education and career and technical education programs under the cited federal definitions, plus other educational programs approved by the Secretary.
(B) Educational program The term educational program means— (i) an institution of higher education (as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965); (ii) a program of career and technical education (as defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006); or (iii) any other educational program approved by the Secretary.
States could choose to end a covered person's Medicaid enrollment for a month when federal funding would be unavailable under the new rule. The bill would permit this action rather than require it.
Notwithstanding any of the preceding provisions of this subsection, at the option of a State, such State may elect to disenroll an applicable individual for a month if, with respect to medical assistance furnished to such individual for such month, no Federal financial participation would be available, pursuant to section 1903(i)(28).
The supplied actions snapshot, updated August 5, 2025, records House introduction and referrals to the Energy and Commerce and Agriculture committees on February 21, 2025. It also records referral to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture on March 20, 2025.
Source snapshot updated 2025-08-05T21:29:38Z.
2025-02-21: Introduced in House
2025-02-21: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2025-03-20: Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-02-21. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy change attached to appropriations was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence or formal earmark status in other versions or accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No materially narrow carve-out, special exemption, or preferential treatment warranting a finding under the requested definition was identified after reviewing the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Aug 5, 2025. How PlainBill uses AI