Rep. Johnson offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 208.

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to expand the food assistance program to allow all recipients of the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card to use it in approved restaurants.

            Whereas, Current United States Department of Agriculture rules allow senior citizens, homeless and disabled recipients of the food assistance program to purchase prepared food in certain approved restaurants.  This flexibility has made obtaining meals easier for senior citizens and the disabled who are unable to prepare meals, and for the homeless who cannot store perishable grocery items. The use of EBT cards has further simplified transactions for food and other purchases and has opened the food assistance program to new options for recipients; and

            Whereas, This program can be beneficial to homeless and disabled families and individuals who are in other categories of the food assistance program.  In addition to opening a wide array of food choices, a more flexible program that includes approved restaurants that offer on-site meal preparation, discount prices, and healthy food choices would also provide a time- saving alternative for families when necessary; and

            Whereas, By expanding the food assistance program to include all categories of recipients, more families will have the option to make wider food selections; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to expand the use of EBT cards for all categories of food assistance recipients; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.