Food Stamp Program Loses $1 Billion Every Month to Alleged Fraud, Errors: Sen. Ernst

New legislation would slash spending by nearly $1 billion a month by ensuring all errors—regardless of the amount—be counted.

A sign alerting customers about SNAP food stamps benefits at a Brooklyn grocery store in New York on Dec. 5, 2019. Scott Heins/Getty Images

The U.S. food stamp program is losing about $1 billion a month because of alleged fraud and errors, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) has said.

The lawmaker made the claim in a Sept. 26 statement that announced new legislation aimed at combating the alleged billions of dollars in monthly losses from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which allows low-income families with benefit cards to buy basic food items at approved grocery stores.