House Agriculture Committee Takes Bold Steps Toward Strengthening Food Stamp Program Integrity, Accountability, and Fiscal Responsibility

FGA applauds House Agriculture Committee’s commitment to strengthening work requirements, protecting the truly needy

NAPLES, FL – Today, the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) applauds the House Agriculture Committee’s markup of their portion of the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which includes historic reforms to the food stamp program, aiming to restore integrity, reduce federal spending, and encourage workforce participation.

Key reforms included are: 

1. Stronger Work Requirements: The age range for work requirements will expand to 18 to 64 and include parents with children aged seven and up. States will no longer be able to easily excuse people from work requirements for food stamps using waivers. 

2. States Will Now Help Cover Food Stamp Costs: For the very first time, states will start paying their fair share of food stamp benefits. It will begin at five percent and rise to 25 percent, depending on the number of errors they make, giving states a reason to keep a close eye on how they manage their food stamp program. 

3. End Benefit Hikes by Unelected Bureaucrats: Any future Thrifty Food Plan evaluations must be budget neutral. This will help prevent future administrations from unilaterally increasing food stamp spending.

4. End Work Requirements Loopholes: States can only waive work requirements in areas where unemployment is more than 10 percent. This ends regulatory loopholes that have allowed waivers in areas with low unemployment, restoring waivers to the original purpose.

5. Cracking Down on Fraud: The National Accuracy Clearinghouse will help states detect and prevent people from simultaneously signing up for benefits in multiple states. 

This bill reflects popular support for reforms that would encourage able-bodied adults to get back to work, ensure that only eligible individuals receive benefits, and cut spending to prioritize the truly needy. In fact, the Center for Excellence in Polling found that more than 70 percent of likely voters support these reforms. 

“These reforms represent a long-overdue end to the waste, fraud, and abuse in food stamps. These desperately needed changes will rein in costs, keep states accountable, and ensure benefits are preserved for the truly needy,” said Tarren Bragdon, President and CEO at FGA. “We commend Chairman Thompson and the House Agriculture Committee for leading with courage and common sense to restoreintegrity to food stamps.”

“It’s simple: Work requirements work,” continued Bragdon. “By strengthening work requirements in the federal food stamp program, the House Agriculture Committee is preserving resources for those most in need, while empowering states to help more Americans reenter the workforce and reclaim the dignity that comes with work.”