SNAP Fraud Reporting Act of 2026

Bill Number

H.R. 8028

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Agriculture and Food

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-03-19: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Last Updated

2026-06-24T08:08:41Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The SNAP Fraud Reporting Act of 2026 (H.R. 8028) aims to increase transparency on fraud in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) by mandating states to report detailed fraud data to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary, who then reports to Congress.

Key Provisions

• Initial Data Submission: Within 180 days of enactment, each state must submit SNAP fraud data for the most recent 5 fiscal years, covering:
• Number of open fraud investigations.
• Total fraud cases identified (e.g., card skimming or cloning) and total dollar amounts.
• Types and numbers of enforcement actions.
• Amount of funds recovered.
• (For fiscal years after enactment) Number of disqualified individuals who were deceased or used a deceased person's identity, plus benefits paid.
• (For fiscal years after enactment) Number of disqualified individuals with no Social Security number (SSN) or falsified/stolen SSNs, plus benefits paid.
• Annual Submissions: Starting 60 days after October 1, 2028, and annually thereafter, states submit data for the prior fiscal year.
• Penalty for Non-Compliance: USDA withholds SNAP administrative funds from non-compliant states until data is received.
• USDA Reports to Congress:
• Initial report within 180 days of receiving all state data, including findings, submitted to Congress and published online.
• Annual reports thereafter, following the same process.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Introduces new mandatory reporting requirements for states on SNAP fraud, including specific categories like deceased beneficiaries and SSN misuse, which were not previously required.
• Establishes penalties via funding withholding and mandatory public reporting by USDA, creating ongoing federal oversight absent in prior law (Food and Nutrition Act of 2008).

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: States face administrative burden to track and report data, with risk of lost funding; USDA gains data for analysis and must produce reports.
• Citizens: SNAP beneficiaries may benefit from improved fraud detection and prevention; taxpayers could see better accountability for program funds.
• No direct international relations impact.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• States: Responsible for data collection and submission.
• USDA (Secretary of Agriculture): Oversees submissions, compiles reports.
• SNAP Program Participants: Indirectly affected through potential fraud reductions.
• Congress and Public: Receive detailed fraud insights via reports.
• Law Enforcement: Involved in fraud investigations and actions.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Uses conditional funding withholding, a common federal tool to enforce state compliance (e.g., similar to highway funding conditions), likely upheld under spending power.
• Constitutional: No apparent challenges; aligns with Congress's authority over federal programs.
• Political: Promotes fraud accountability in a major welfare program (SNAP serves millions), potentially informing future reforms without mandating policy changes.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Taylor, David J. [R-OH-2]

Cosponsors (19)

Rep. Boebert, Lauren [R-CO-4], Rep. Moore, Barry [R-AL-1], Rep. Mace, Nancy [R-SC-1], Rep. Wied, Tony [R-WI-8], Rep. Hunt, Wesley [R-TX-38], Rep. Harris, Mark [R-NC-8], Rep. Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-9], Rep. Timmons, William R. [R-SC-4], Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7], Rep. Barrett, Tom [R-MI-7], Rep. Collins, Mike [R-GA-10], Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3], Rep. Johnson, Dusty [R-SD-At Large], Rep. Meuser, Daniel [R-PA-9], Rep. Rose, John W. [R-TN-6], Rep. Biggs, Sheri [R-SC-3], Rep. Loudermilk, Barry [R-GA-11], Rep. Fuller, Clay [R-GA-14], Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1]

Recent Actions

• 2026-03-19: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
• 2026-03-19: Introduced in House
• 2026-03-19: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• SNAP Fraud Reporting Act of 2026 — issued 2026-03-19 — PDF (4 pages)