H.R. 6986 — COLAs Don’t Count Act of 2026

This section revises exclusions from income for purposes of eligibility and benefit determinations under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by (1) replacing paragraph (12) to exclude, through September 30 of any fiscal year, any increase attributable to a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) made on or after January 1 of that fiscal year under title II (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) or XVI (Supplemental Security Income [SSI]) of the Social Security Act, Railroad Retirement benefits, or VA benefits if the household was certified as SNAP-eligible or received a SNAP allotment in the preceding month; and (2) adding paragraph (19) to exclude supplementary payments under section 1616 of the Social Security Act (i.e., optional state supplementation of SSI benefits, which states may have SSA administer on their behalf).