Food Stamp Act of 1964

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;

The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, formerly known as the Food Stamp Act of 1964 and Food Stamp Act of 1977, provides permanent legislative authority to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program. On August 31, 1964 it was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

It was later amended by the food stamp provisions of the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977, 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, more recently by Title IV of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (2002 farm bill). The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 farm bill) renamed the act to the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 and the Food Stamp Program to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.