politics
SNAP participation falls 10 percent after work requirement changes
SNAP enrollment dropped by about 4 million people after Congress expanded work and documentation rules last year. States will assume a larger share of administrative and benefit costs starting this fall.
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SNAP participation fell 10 percent after Congress expanded work and documentation requirements in legislation signed July 4, 2025. The Agriculture Department reported that enrollment declined from more than 42 million people to roughly 38 million by February.
The changes raised the age limit for work requirements from 55 to 64 and narrowed exemptions for parents of children older than 14. States can no longer waive the rules for homeless recipients or those in high-unemployment areas.
Documentation and state costs Recipients must now provide additional proof of work, training, or volunteer hours. In Kansas, applicants complete a 30-page form with 200 questions for roughly $150 in monthly benefits. Beginning Oct. 1, states will cover 75 percent of administrative costs, up from 50 percent.
By Oct. 1, 2027, most states will also pay up to 15 percent of benefit costs tied to payment errors.
Congressional debate At a June 4 House Agriculture Committee hearing, Rep.
Scott DesJarlais, R-Tennessee, cited 450,000 cases of false Social Security numbers and nearly 200,000 cases of benefits paid to deceased recipients. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Massachusetts, said the average $2-per-meal benefit is insufficient and that recipients have been removed rather than moved to employment.
The White House stated on June 10 that dependency is "plummeting" and credited fraud enforcement and eligibility restrictions, including the end of benefits for legal refugees and asylum seekers. Federal authorities reported 900 arrests and $132 million recovered in the past year.
