A sign that people are not being "lifted" off SNAP: they're showing up to wait in the hours-long line at the overwhelmed local food pantry.

Last year's reconciliation law will shift huge new SNAP costs to states based on their SNAP "error rate." In response, some states passed laws that will make it even harder for eligible families to access SNAP — and in some cases, could *increase* errors.

Staff turnover & eligibility system issues are driving up ND's SNAP error rate. Thanks to H.R. 1, that puts the state on the hook for a % of SNAP benefit costs. Also thanks to H.R. 1, the federal match for staff, technology & other error reduction efforts was just cut in half.

Now, states are out of time. The window to minimize these costs by reducing errors has closed. If a state can't fully cover the required costs by raising taxes or cutting elsewhere in its budget, it will be forced to further restrict access to SNAP or end the program entirely.

This is already causing eligible families to lose SNAP. The amount a state will need to pay is determined by its error rate, the extent to which the state mistakenly over or underpaid SNAP households. But delaying or denying SNAP to an eligible family doesn't count as an "error."

Today, we're also one year away from an even larger SNAP cut taking effect. Starting October 1, 2027, most states will be required to pay a portion of SNAP benefit costs for the first time. These costs are so great that they could drive some states to end SNAP altogether.

Some states didn't increase state funding to make up for this federal funding cut, which could lead to staff shortages, backlogs & low-income families waiting months for help. Other states & counties are weighing property tax increases or cuts to other services to fill the gap.

SNAP update: Another cut from the Republican reconciliation law takes effect today, cutting the federal match for SNAP administrative costs from 50% to 25%. Every state now gets half as many federal dollars to ensure SNAP gets to eligible families on time & in the right amount.

Congress directed USDA to issue regulations to strengthen the security of EBT cards, but the Trump administration pushed back the expected timeline from March 2025 to January 2026, then to "by September 30, 2026." (They did not issue those regulations by September 30, 2026.)

"HR 1 doesn’t change who’s hungry in Swain County,” said Swain County Manager Tommy Dills. “It doesn’t change any of that. It just changes who pays for it."

Starting October 1, the Republican reconciliation law slashes federal $ for SNAP administration, leaving states & counties with huge gaps to fill: "We understand the implications of property tax increases—we’re trying to keep them low without cutting services and that is becoming nearly impossible."

Evergreen tweet

Unless Congress intervenes, the number of families & kids losing SNAP will only continue to grow. Congress must urgently address this unfolding hunger crisis by meaningfully delaying this cost shift for all states.

Why? The 2025 Republican reconciliation law created a system where states face enormous costs if they over or underpay SNAP households — but not if they delay or deny benefits to eligible low-income families who need SNAP to afford groceries.