Republican Calls for SNAP Benefits To Be ‘Reined In’

A Missouri lawmaker has said SNAP benefits need to be curbed as the program has “ballooned out of control.”

In an opinion piece penned for the The Kansas City Star, Missouri’s 4th District representative Mark Alford said the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is failing to provide nutritious groceries to families and is costing the federal government too much each year. SNAP benefits are paid to low- and no-income families who would otherwise struggle to afford basic groceries to feed themselves.

Alford said the ballooning of the program began more than 20 years ago when Republican George W. Bush was in the White House. “The 2002 farm bill’s eligibility expansions, the switch from paper food stamps to EBT cards, the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic all caused the program to balloon far beyond levels or ever envisioned—even going from costing $63.5 billion in 2019 to $145 billion in 2023,” he wrote. Newsweek has contacted the U.S. Department of Agriculture via email for clarification on these figures.

Alford claimed that since then, state governments have been allowed to “abuse their power” as well as “evade the reasonable requirements” put in place to ensure that “able-bodied adult SNAP recipients without dependents don’t take advantage of the current system.” While funds are provided by the federal government, the management and distribution of SNAP benefits are left to state and local authorities, meaning eligibility thresholds vary from state to state.

His comments come as lawmakers hash out the 2024 Farm Bill, which will reauthorize the program if passed later this year. Both Democrats and Republicans have put forward different measures on how to run and fund the nation’s largest food benefit.

Alford said that despite the expanding costs of the program “we have seen no evidence of SNAP helping to provide a healthier lifestyle” for its recipients, writing that the U.S. “adult obesity rate has risen from 15 percent in the late 1970s to 42 percent today.” He wrote: “SNAP recipients have even higher obesity rates than low-income nonrecipients.” Newsweek has contacted Alford’s office via email outside of normal working hours.

Alford argued in favor of the Republican’s “pro-WASH” measures included in its proposals for the Farm Bill—”pro-work, pro-accountability, pro-sustenance and pro-health.” Republican proposals include updating work training programs and changing income eligibility rules for young people.

The Republican advocated for the creation of an “office of program integrity” at the USDA to tackle SNAP overpayments, which Alford claimed is costing the federal government $34 million “every single day” and $13.15 billion each year.

“With these changes, we would not cut nor decrease SNAP benefits. Instead, we support SNAP access to families formerly disallowed to receive the benefits like those with past drug offenses,” Alford wrote, backing the Democratic proposal to change eligibility rules for those with past drug convictions.

While Alford believes too much is being spent on SNAP, recent findings from the Urban Institute show that food stamps are not covering the cost of modestly priced meals in 98 percent of U.S. counties.

Do you agree or disagree with Alford’s comments on SNAP benefits? Email a.higham@newsweek.com