U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) and U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) on Jan. 29 offered a bicameral bill that would amend federal law to improve the calculation and reduce the taxpayer cost of payment errors under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps.
“With over $36 trillion in debt and counting, we have no time to waste to pinpoint every possible area to save taxpayer dollars and hold bureaucrats accountable,” Rep. Feenstra said. “One sector that needs serious reform is the SNAP program,” which can be used like cash to buy eligible food items from authorized retailers.
Every month, added Rep. Feenstra, taxpayers shell out about $1 billion in SNAP overpayments, “which is absolutely ridiculous and must change.”
The congressman sponsored the Snap Back Inaccurate SNAP Payments Act, H.R. 762, with lead original cosponsor U.S. Rep. Bost (R-IL) “to strengthen the integrity of the SNAP program by establishing a zero-tolerance policy on benefit overpayments,” he said.
Sen. Ernst sponsored the same-named S. 302 in her chamber alongside two Republican original cosponsors to specifically increase the accuracy of SNAP payment error rate (PER) calculations by amending the tolerance level from $54 to $0. Currently, USDA counts overpayments or underpayments that are more than $54 as an error, according to a bill summary provided by the lawmakers.
If enacted, the measure also would increase the liability that states would face if they have a comparatively high payment error rate, the summary says, and each state agency would be required to recoup any overpayments of benefits made to SNAP recipients.
“Bureaucratic blunders are leaving billions of dollars on the table as Americans are starved to keep up with the ever-growing $36 trillion debt,” said Sen. Ernst. “SNAP plays an essential role in helping feed families, that’s why we need to strengthen its integrity by holding states accountable for growing error rates, implementing a zero-tolerance policy, and snapping back overpayments.