Republican Bill Plans $267 Billion SNAP Cuts Shifting Costs to States

Congressional Republicans are advancing a major spending bill known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," which proposes significant federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), amounting to roughly $267 billion to over $300 billion over a decade. The bill would shift a substantial portion of SNAP benefit and administrative costs onto states, requiring them to cover between 5% and up to 25% of benefit costs depending on error rates, a move that could force states to reduce benefits or increase taxes. Additionally, the bill expands work requirements for SNAP recipients, extending them up to age 64 and imposing stricter conditions that critics say disproportionately harm vulnerable groups including children, veterans, seniors, and single parents. Lawmakers like Representative Angie Craig have condemned these changes as a moral failure that jeopardizes food security for millions and disproportionately impacts states such as South Carolina and Indiana, where hundreds of thousands could lose assistance. Food banks warn that these cuts would lead to millions fewer meals for families in need, exacerbating existing food insecurity as demand rises. Officials from the USDA acknowledge the importance of SNAP but support reforms aimed at reducing federal spending, which experts warn could leave low-income households unable to afford groceries if states cannot compensate for the funding shortfall.