HR3117-119

What This Bill Does

The Fairness for Victims of SNAP Skimming Act changes the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 rule for replacing SNAP benefits stolen through electronic benefit transfer skimming, cloning, or similar fraud. Instead of limiting a household's replacement to a capped amount, the replacement must equal the amount of benefits stolen from that household. The bill is therefore a targeted anti-fraud safety-net fix: it does not create a new SNAP benefit category, but it makes victims whole when their food assistance is stolen from an EBT account.

Who Benefits and How

SNAP households hit by EBT skimming benefit because they can recover the full stolen benefit amount rather than a capped replacement. Low-income parents and caregivers benefit because food purchasing power is restored after card fraud. State SNAP agencies benefit from a clearer federal replacement rule that no longer requires applying a partial cap. Food retailers benefit indirectly when stolen benefit dollars are replaced and households can resume grocery purchases.

Who Bears the Burden and How

USDA Food and Nutrition Service staff must administer a higher replacement obligation for qualifying theft claims. State SNAP agencies must verify theft claims, update replacement calculations, and issue full replacement benefits. Federal nutrition program accounts bear higher outlays when stolen benefits exceed the previous cap. EBT processors and anti-fraud contractors remain under pressure to reduce skimming losses.

Key Provisions

• Amends the 2023 EBT theft-replacement rule for SNAP households.
• Requires replacement benefits to equal the full amount stolen from the household.
• Repeals the capped subparagraph that limited replacement amounts.
• Protects food assistance purchasing power for households victimized by EBT skimming or similar theft.