U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) joined Ron Wyden (D-OR), John Fetterman (D-PA), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA), to support the Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act, legislation aimed at strengthening security protections for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) EBT cards.
The bill would modernize SNAP card technology by requiring fraud-resistant chips and phasing out outdated magnetic stripes, which are vulnerable to “skimming”, a form of fraud in which thieves steal card information to create duplicates. These duplicate cards are then used to drain victims’ benefits, depriving families of critical food assistance. The bill would also require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to revisit cybersecurity safeguards every five years thereafter to account for new fraud threats to SNAP cards.
“In just two years, hardworking New Yorkers have lost at least $52 million in SNAP benefits to scammers,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I am proud to cosponsor the Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act to help protect families in New York and across the country from having their benefits stolen by fraudsters exploiting outdated card technology.”
The legislation would also allow states to issue replacement SNAP cards at no cost within three days for recipients whose cards are stolen, cloned, or malfunctioning. In addition, it would provide support to eligible vendors and merchants to update their payment processing systems to accept chip-enabled cards.
The bill is also cosponsored by Senators Katie Britt (R-AL), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and Dave McCormick (R-PA). Companion legislation in the House of Representatives is led by Reps. Dan Goldman, (D-NY), and Mike Lawler (R-NY).
The bill is endorsed by a broad coalition of organizations, including the National Grocers Association, the Food Industry Association, the National Association of Convenience Stores, SNAC International, the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), Hunger Free America, the R Street Institute, the American Heart Association, and Bread for the World.
The full text of the legislation can be found here.
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