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WASHINGTON — <\/span>A bipartisan group of U.S. senators wants government food assistance programs<\/a> to foot the bill for rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. <\/p>\n The senators this week introduced what they’re calling the Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act, which would make the supermarket staple an eligible purchase under the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. <\/p>\n \u201cAmerica\u2019s best (and delicious) affordability play is Costco\u2019s $4.99 rotisserie chicken,\u201d said Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who joined Republican Sen. Jim Justice of West Virginia and others in sponsoring the bill. \u201cIt\u2019s one of my family\u2019s favorites, and I\u2019m proud to join this bill with Sen. Justice for all to try. SNAP funds would be well spent to feed our nation\u2019s families who need it.\u201d<\/p>\n The SNAP program provides a monthly stipend for low-income families to buy groceries, but it doesn’t pay for hot prepared foods. The exclusion, which dates back decades, was meant to promote home cooking. But critics say it’s outdated and penalizes families that are already struggling to make ends meet, excluding convenient and nutritious options. <\/p>\n Lawmakers at the state and federal level have long debated which foods should be eligible for SNAP benefits. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pressed states to exclude junk food such as soda and candy. Twenty-two states<\/a>, mostly led by Republicans, have requested or been granted permission to ban certain foods. <\/p>\n SNAP is a major piece of the U.S. social safety net used by nearly 42 million, or about 1 in 8, Americans to help buy groceries. On average, the monthly benefit per household is about $350, and the average benefit per person is about $190.<\/p>\n Besides Fetterman and Justice, the senators introducing the bill are Republican Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Democrat Michael Bennet of Colorado. Republican Rep. Rick Crawford of Arkansas has pushed for similar legislation in the House. <\/p>\n \u201cWe have to give people the option to put a healthy, protein-dense choice on the table that actually tastes good and doesn\u2019t take an hour and a half to cook,\u201d Justice said in a statement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n