Senator Scott Introduces Bill Requiring States to Report SNAP Fraud Data
Sen. Rick Scott introduced the SNAP Fraud Reporting Act, which would require states to submit fraud data to the Department of Agriculture for compilation into a national report for Congress. The bill comes amid an ongoing dispute between the Trump administration and 21 states plus D.C. over data collection efforts, with states citing privacy and immigration enforcement concerns. The legislation aims to increase transparency and accountability in the federal food assistance program.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced legislation Wednesday that would mandate states to report fraud cases, dollar amounts, and enforcement actions related to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to the Department of Agriculture. The bill follows a contentious data collection effort by the Trump administration seeking personally identifiable information from SNAP recipients to combat fraud. While 28 states and Guam complied with USDA requests for names, Social Security numbers, and addresses, 21 states and D.C. filed lawsuits citing privacy concerns and fears the data could be used for immigration enforcement, ultimately securing a preliminary injunction from a federal judge. Initial data from cooperating states released last November identified roughly 700,000 cases of suspected SNAP fraud and misuse, with 200,000 instances linked to deceased individuals' Social Security numbers. Scott and co-sponsor Rep. Dave Taylor (R-OH) framed the legislation as necessary to ensure accountability and protect hardworking families from fraud.
What's missing
The article does not provide details on the specific privacy protections or safeguards included in the proposed bill itself, nor does it include statements from states opposing the data collection efforts or from advocates concerned about privacy implications.
What different sources said
- Washington TimesRight
New bill would require states to report food-stamp fraud
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