U.S. Senator Rick Scott has introduced new legislation aimed at forcing states to report exactly how much fraud is happening within the federal food assistance program. The bill, titled the SNAP Fraud Reporting Act of 2026, comes in the wake of federal data showing that nearly 200,000 people were receiving food stamps connected to the Social Security numbers of deceased individuals.
The proposed Senate bill serves as a companion to legislation previously introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Ohio Representative Dave Taylor. Both lawmakers are seeking to amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 by creating a strict national reporting system managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Under the new legislation, states would have exactly 180 days to hand over their last five years of fraud data for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP. Moving forward, states would have to submit this data annually.
The required information must detail the number of open fraud investigations, the total dollar amount lost, and substantiated cases of specific crimes like card skimming and card cloning. The bill also specifically demands numbers on individuals who secured benefits by using a deceased person’s identity, or by submitting missing, fake, stolen, or purchased Social Security numbers.
If a state fails to meet the reporting deadlines, the federal government would withhold its administrative funding until the data is provided. Once the information is collected, the USDA would be required to compile the findings and present a public report to Congress every year.
This legislative push follows an ongoing standoff over transparency between the federal government and several state governments. In February of 2025, USDA Secretary Rollins ordered states to share their SNAP data to verify the program’s integrity. While 29 states cooperated—which led to the November 2025 discovery of the benefits linked to deceased individuals—21 states refused the directive and filed lawsuits to block the data sharing.
Supporters of the bill argue that the mandate is necessary to protect public funds and ensure the program serves its intended purpose.
“We cannot tolerate fraud because it steals from the Americans who need these programs the most,” Senator Scott said. “As elected officials, we have a responsibility to taxpayers to make sure every dollar is spent wisely, fairly, and in compliance with federal law. That’s both a constitutional and a moral responsibility we have to the American people. By passing this legislation, we will create a pathway to identify and crack down on fraud so taxpayers don’t get ripped off.”
Representative Taylor echoed the need for tighter security measures across federal programs, noting that vulnerable populations rely on these benefits.
“Hardworking American families deserve access to the benefits they’ve earned during times of need, not having them siphoned away by fraudsters chasing a quick payday,” Taylor said. “With the fraud we’ve seen running rampant across federal programs, there’s never been a more critical time for accountability. I’m pleased to see Senator Rick Scott lead the effort in the Senate to advance greater transparency, protect SNAP benefits for vulnerable Buckeyes who rely on them, and ensure USDA has the tools to hold states accountable for the proper use of taxpayer dollars.”
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