Sioux City Times

U.S. Representative Randy Feenstra and Senator Joni Ernst have introduced the Snap Back Inaccurate SNAP Payments Act, aimed at enhancing the integrity of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by reducing overpayments. The proposed legislation seeks to amend the current payment error rate (PER) calculations by changing the tolerance level from $54 to $0. This adjustment means that any discrepancy, regardless of amount, would be considered an error.

The bill also proposes increased liability for states with high payment error rates, encouraging them to improve their processes for managing SNAP effectively. "The American people elected President Trump and Republican majorities in Congress to cut waste from government and get our budget under control," stated Rep. Feenstra. He emphasized the need for reform in SNAP, highlighting that taxpayers are paying approximately $1 billion monthly in overpayments.

Senator Ernst echoed these sentiments, pointing out bureaucratic inefficiencies as a contributing factor to financial waste amidst a growing national debt of $36 trillion. "SNAP plays an essential role in helping feed families," she said, stressing the importance of accountability and implementing a zero-tolerance policy on overpayments.

According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, SNAP benefits experienced a 9.84% overpayment rate and a 1.70% underpayment rate in Fiscal Year 2022, resulting in an overall error rate of 11.54%. Overpayments have risen by 3.66% since Fiscal Year 2019.

The full legislative text is available for review.