States On The Hook For Billions Under U.S. House GOP Bill Making Them Help Pay For SNAP

By Maryland Matters
Posted on 05/19/25 | News Source: Maryland Matters

Washington, D.C. - May 19, 2025 - Close to 130,000 Marylanders could lose some amount of Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamp, benefits under the plan, according to one estimate, with 71,000 at risk of losing benefits entirely. Because it is one of the 24 states with error rates of over- and underpayments above 10%, the changes could mean Maryland would be on the hook for up to 25% of the cost of SNAP, which is currently !00% federally funded.

The U.S. House Agriculture Committee approved, 29-25, Wednesday evening its portion of Republicans’ major legislative package that includes a provision that would shift to states some of the responsibility to pay for a major nutrition assistance program.

The bill would require states, for the first time, to cover part of the cost of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits that provide $100 billion per year to help 42 million Americans afford groceries. The measure would also shift more of the administrative cost to states and increase work requirements for recipients.

Republicans are planning to combine the measure with legislation from 10 other committees in a budget reconciliation package that allows the Senate to avoid its usual 60-vote threshold.

House Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson said the panel’s bill and its estimated $290 billion deficit savings over a 10-year budget window were necessary for the larger legislative package to extend tax cuts and increase border security and defense spending.

The package would “prevent the largest tax increase in American history on our families, farmers and small businesses, and (would) deliver critical funding necessary for the Trump administration to continue their work keeping Americans safe,” the Pennsylvania Republican said in an opening statement.