Food Stamp Act of 1964

The Food Stamp Act (P.L. 88-525) provided permanent legislative authority to the Food Stamp Program, which had been administratively implemented on a pilot basis in 1962. On August 31, 1964 it was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson.^[1] It was later replaced and completely rewritten and revised by the food stamp provisions of the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977 (P.L. 95-113, Title XIII; 7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), which eliminated the purchase requirement and simplified eligibility requirements. Amendments were made to this Act in 1981–82, 1984–85, 1988, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 2002 (most recently by Title IV of the 2002 farm bill (P.L. 107-171, Sec. 4101-4126).

Food Stamp Act of 1964

Long title	An Act to strengthen the agricultural economy to help to achieve a fuller and more effective use of food abundances to provide for improved levels of nutrition among economically needy households through a cooperative Federal-State program of food assistance to be operated through normal channels of trade; and for other purposes.
Acronyms (colloquial)	FSA
Enacted by	the 88th United States Congress
Effective	August 31, 1964
Citations
Public law	Pub. L. 88–525
Statutes at Large	78 Stat. 703
Codification
Titles amended	7 U.S.C.: Agriculture
U.S.C. sections created	7 U.S.C. ch. 51 § 2011 et seq.
Legislative history
Introduced in the House as H.R. 10222 by Leonor Sullivan (D-MO) on March 9, 1964 Committee consideration by House Agriculture, Senate Agriculture and Forestry Passed the House on April 8, 1964 (229-189) Passed the Senate on June 30, 1964 (Passed) with amendment House agreed to Senate amendment on August 11, 1964 (Agreed) Signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 31, 1964

U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signing the Food Stamp Act of 1964

As of 2005, the current Food Stamp Act (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) includes authority through FY2007 for the regular Food Stamp Program, for Nutrition Assistance Grants to Puerto Rico and American Samoa (in lieu of food stamps), for Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, and for commodity purchases for the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program.

Amendments

Date of Enactment	Public Law Number	U.S. Statute Citation	U.S. Legislative Bill	U.S. Presidential Administration
September 27, 1967	P.L. 90-91	81 Stat. 228	S. 953	Lyndon B. Johnson
October 8, 1968	P.L. 90-552	82 Stat. 958	S. 3068	Lyndon B. Johnson
January 11, 1971	P.L. 91-671	84 Stat. 2048	H.R. 18582	Richard M. Nixon
July 12, 1974	P.L. 93-347	88 Stat. 340	S. 3458	Richard M. Nixon
February 20, 1975	P.L. 94-4	89 Stat. 6	H.R. 1589	Gerald R. Ford
July 5, 1976	P.L. 94-339	90 Stat. 799	S. 2853	Gerald R. Ford
September 29, 1977	P.L. 95–113	91 Stat. 913	S. 275	Jimmy E. Carter

See also

• War on Poverty