Thompson, Shapiro in conflict over SNAP error rate

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., has written Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat and potential 2028 presidential contender, that he needs to improve the error rate on payments under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in order to avoid paying more of the cost of the program under rules written in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

In the letter, Thompson said, “If your administration cannot make improvements in program administration that have been possible in the past, I suggest that you re-examine budget priorities and further invest in SNAP. Congress can no longer turn a blind eye to states diverting taxpayer funding from vulnerable families, and you have an opportunity to be a part of this solution.”

Asked by Politico for a comment, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services said the error rate “is not a measurement of fraud or intentional misuse” but can instead involve “minor paperwork errors.”

In a news release today, Thompson said, “Brushing off $450 million in misspent federal funds as nothing more than ‘minor paperwork errors’ is not only absurd but also dangerously out of touch with reality. Such excuses reveal a blatant disregard for responsible governance and a troubling indifference to safeguarding a program that millions of vulnerable families rely on, simply because Washington has been footing the bill.”