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ADVERSE ACTION--Determination by the Office of Public Assistance to terminate, suspend or reduce benefits. ALLOTMENT--Total value of SNAP benefits a household is authorized to receive each month. The benefit amount is deposited onto the Montana Access EBT account. ALIEN--A documented alien is a person lawfully residing in the United States of America who is not a citizen. A documented alien may not necessarily have permanent residence status. An undocumented alien is a person present in the United States of America in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act. ALIEN SPONSOR--A person or any public or private agency or organization who executed an Affidavit of Support (INS Form I-864 or I-864A) or similar agreement so an alien could enter the United States. APPLICANT--A person who submits a written application or verbally requests participation in a Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) federally assisted program at the service delivery point. APPLICATION DATE--The day the Office of Public Assistance receives and date stamps an application containing the applicant’s name, address, and signature. ASSISTANCE UNIT--Those members of the filing unit who are eligible to receive benefits. AUTHORIZATION--The system-initiated approval which generates a benefit. AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE--A responsible person knowledgeable about the household’s circumstances. This person must be authorized in writing by the household to make application, receive the SNAP benefits and/or purchase food with the SNAP benefits for the household. B BIA--Bureau of Indian Affairs BEGINNING MONTH--The first month of eligibility. BENDEX--SSA’s Beneficiary Data Exchange System, which provides the amount of RSDI and Title II benefits paid to people entered on the system. BENDEX also provides data on pensions and wages. BENEFICIARY/PARTICIPANT--Those persons to whom assistance, services, or benefits are ultimately provided by Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) programs. (For example, a person receiving SNAP benefits, WIC vouchers, and/orFDPIR) BENEFIT--The resulting assistance value approved for a program household. BENEFIT MONTH–The month SNAP benefits are issued.