WASHINGTON — Republican Rep. Dave Taylor of Ohio introduced legislation Thursday that would force states to report detailed data on fraud in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and impose penalties for noncompliance.
The SNAP Fraud Reporting Act, sponsored by Taylor (OH-02) and cosponsored by 10 other Republicans including Reps. Lauren Boebert (CO-04), Barry Moore (AL-01), Nancy Mace (SC-01), Tony Wied (WI-08), Wesley Hunt (TX-38), Mark Harris (NC-08), Paul Gosar (AZ-09), William Timmons (SC-04), Russell Fry (SC-07) and Tom Barrett (MI-07), requires states to submit information on SNAP fraud over the past five fiscal years within 180 days of enactment. States would then provide annual reports going forward.
The bill targets issues such as benefits issued using deceased individuals’ Social Security numbers, falsified or stolen Social Security numbers, and benefits provided to ineligible noncitizens. It also calls for data on total fraud cases, dollar amounts involved, investigations opened and enforcement actions taken.
The USDA would compile the information and report it to Congress within 180 days, with annual updates required thereafter. Noncompliant states could face withholding of SNAP administrative funding.
Taylor cited concerns about fraud in the program, which is federally funded but administered by states and counties, giving states significant discretion with limited federal oversight.
“Hardworking Ohio families deserve to access the benefits they’ve earned during times of need, not have them siphoned away by fraudsters using deceased individuals’ social security numbers,” Taylor said in a statement. He blamed waste, fraud and abuse on the prior administration and said the bill would promote transparency to protect vulnerable recipients.
Moore (AL-01) said the measure would expose the “true scope of fraud” and hold bad actors accountable. Mace (SC-01) emphasized that states refusing to comply could lose funding, adding “no more excuses.”
Wied (WI-08) pointed to governors in more than 20 states, including Wisconsin’s Tony Evers, who he said have shielded SNAP data from the public.
The push follows a USDA directive in February 2025 from Secretary Brooke Rollins requiring states to share SNAP data to combat fraud. In November 2025, initial data from 29 cooperating states indicated about 200,000 benefits were linked to deceased individuals’ Social Security numbers. Twenty-one states have not fully disclosed information.
SNAP, one of the largest federal programs, assists millions with food purchases. Supporters of the bill argue greater transparency is needed to safeguard taxpayer dollars and ensure aid reaches eligible recipients. The legislation was introduced amid ongoing debates over program integrity and administration.
