U.S. Senator Katie Britt Joins Bipartisan Bill to Crack Down on SNAP Skimming

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) recently joined the bipartisan Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act, legislation aimed at strengthening security protections for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) EBT cards.

The bill would modernize SNAP card technology by requiring fraud-resistant chips and phasing out outdated magnetic stripes, which are vulnerable to "skimming", a form of fraud in which thieves steal card information to create duplicates. These duplicate cards are then used to drain victims' benefits, depriving families of critical food assistance. The bill would also require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to revisit cybersecurity safeguards every five years thereafter to account for new fraud threats to SNAP cards.

"Families across our nation rely on SNAP benefits to put food on the table, but bad actors are able to duplicate cards and steal benefits from the most vulnerable," said Senator Britt. "The Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act would update SNAP card technology and protect against cybersecurity threats that undermine the true purpose of this program."

The legislation would also allow states to issue replacement SNAP cards within three days for recipients whose cards are stolen, cloned, or malfunctioning. In addition, it would provide support to eligible vendors and merchants to update their payment processing systems to accept chip-enabled cards.

The bill is also cosponsored by Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), and Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.).

The bill is endorsed by a broad coalition of organizations, including the National Grocers Association, the Food Industry Association, the National Association of Convenience Stores, SNAC International, the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), Hunger Free America, the R Street Institute, the American Heart Association, and Bread for the World.

Senator Britt is a strong advocate for rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse within the SNAP program and ensuring that it serves the needs of the most vulnerable among us. She previously cosponsored the Keep SNAP Funded Act, which would keep SNAP funded through a government shutdown, and the Healthy SNAP Act to exclude soft drinks, candy, ice cream, and prepared desserts from being purchased with SNAP benefits.

You can read the full text of the bill here.

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