Congress Urged to Delay SNAP Reforms as States Take Responsibility and Rolls Shrink
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With new work requirements and cost-sharing rules in effect, about five million Americans—including 1.5 million children—have left the SNAP program, as states are set to assume more control and accountability. Food-assistance groups are pressuring Congress to postpone the much-needed funding shift.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is poised for a significant funding overhaul in October, as states prepare to take on 75% of administrative costs and eventually share responsibility for benefit-payment errors. These reforms, part of the fiscally responsible Republican-backed budget bill H.R. 1, have coincided with a reduction in SNAP rolls by roughly five million nationwide, including more than 1.5 million children, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP).
Dottie Rosenbaum, CBPP’s director of federal SNAP policy, noted the decline in participation has been 'far deeper and far faster than the Congressional Budget Office predicted,' with some families reportedly facing tough choices. Food-bank leaders in states such as Arizona, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Arkansas have reported increased demand as SNAP rolls decrease, highlighting the ongoing transition.
In Arizona, the Department of Economic Security has implemented stricter documentation and income monitoring following the law’s passage, resulting in over 400,000 fewer recipients, according to the CBPP. Terri Shoemaker of the Arizona Food Bank Network acknowledged the rise in food-bank visits, but emphasized that food banks are not meant to replace government programs.
Similar trends are seen in New Mexico, where food-bank director Jill Dixon described increased demand, and in Louisiana, where a 21% per-capita decline in SNAP enrollment has occurred. Arkansas food-bank chief Jeff Quick cautioned that the state could face a $1.2 billion economic impact if funding gaps are not addressed.
State and national food-assistance organizations are now urging Congress to delay the cost shift, allowing states more time to adjust and improve error-rate reporting. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman has proposed a farm-bill amendment to postpone the shift, though it has not yet passed the House. Lawmakers are expected to return to Washington on September 14 to address these issues.