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House Republicans are preparing to push forward with one of the most dramatic overhauls to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in decades, setting the stage for significant benefit reductions, new work requirements, and a first-ever state cost-sharing system — all part of a broader plan to cut $230 billion across agriculture programs.
The proposed changes come amid weeks of internal GOP debate and centrist resistance, delaying a previously scheduled markup. Lawmakers are now eyeing May 13 or 14 to advance the package, according to multiple sources familiar with the timeline.
At the center of the controversy is a plan to force states to shoulder a portion of SNAP costs — a departure from the federal government’s long-standing responsibility for funding the program, which currently helps feed more than 40 million Americans.
Initially, the proposal would have phased in a 25% cost-share by 2037. But after sharp objections from GOP moderates, including Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and David Valadao (R-Calif.), the plan has been adjusted. The revised version now ties state contribution levels to administrative error rates and delays implementation until 2028, potentially lowering the initial cost share to 10% for states with fewer penalties.
Still, the financial burden would fall heavily on red and battleground states, including Alaska, South Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee — a dynamic that has raised alarms inside the White House, though officials reportedly green-lit the proposal in recent days.
“There’s concern this creates more problems for our own states than it solves,” said one Republican strategist familiar with the talks.
Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) reportedly walked out of a GOP agriculture briefing in protest of the plan, later voicing opposition in a closed-door conference. Meanwhile, California Rep. Doug LaMalfa reinforced the party’s goal of reaching $230 billion in cuts, much of it from food aid programs.
Beyond cost-sharing, the bill includes provisions to raise the age of SNAP recipients required to meet work requirements — for the first time targeting able-bodied adults with children as young as seven. That change alone could slash $40 billion from the program, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates.
Other measures include limiting future benefit increases by tying the Thrifty Food Plan to a cost-neutral model with only cost-of-living adjustments, effectively rolling back a Biden-era update that increased benefits to record levels.
The bill would also end what Republicans label as “blue-state loopholes,” including utility deductions tied to internet service and energy assistance programs, and would crack down on waivers for existing work requirements.
Critics say the overhaul could strip food aid from millions of Americans. Advocacy groups and Democrats have already signaled fierce opposition, warning of increased hunger, particularly among children and working-class families.
Republicans argue the changes are necessary to rein in spending and encourage workforce participation. “It’s about sustainability and responsibility,” a senior GOP aide said. “We’re not eliminating SNAP — we’re modernizing it.”
In tandem with the food aid cuts, Republicans plan to fold in elements of the long-delayed farm bill, including rescinding billions in climate-related agricultural funds allocated under President Biden. Those savings would be redirected into farm programs, crop insurance, livestock protection, and rural development initiatives.
Yet internal GOP divisions persist. Some fiscal hawks remain skeptical of pairing sweeping SNAP cuts with new spending elsewhere in the package. “It’s still gotta math,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) said Tuesday. “Now they want to add more?”
The path forward remains uncertain, but the outcome could shape food policy and farm funding for years to come — with potentially massive implications for low-income families across the country.
