Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., introduced new legislation on Thursday aimed at cracking down on fraud in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, proposing that Electronic Benefit Transfer cards include photo identification to help verify the person using the benefits.
Under Mace’s proposal, states would be required to issue EBT cards that display a recipient's photo, a change supporters say could help deter trafficking and misuse by making it harder for stolen or improperly transferred cards to be used at checkout.
Mace framed the bill as a safeguard for taxpayers and a tool to strengthen program integrity as states and federal officials continue to confront persistent SNAP losses tied to fraud, errors, and benefit theft.
SNAP, the nation’s largest food assistance program, serves tens of millions of Americans each month and is administered by states under federal oversight through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The debate over how best to prevent SNAP losses has intensified in recent years as states report rising “skimming” incidents, thefts in which criminals capture card and PIN data and drain benefits before families can use them.
"Taxpayers have had enough of watching their hard-earned dollars abused by people with no legal right to these benefits," Mace said in a statement.
"This isn't complicated, if you're eligible for SNAP, your photo goes on the card and you're the only one who uses it. Not fraudsters, not criminals, not someone borrowing a card they have no right to use."
"This is basic common sense, fairness, and protecting taxpayers and the American families who truly need food assistance," she added.
Critics of photo-ID EBT proposals have argued they could create new administrative costs and hurdles for recipients who need replacement cards or rely on authorized household members to shop on their behalf.
Mace’s bill now heads into the legislative process, where it will face scrutiny over cost, implementation timelines, and whether photo identification would meaningfully reduce the most common forms of SNAP theft, including electronic skimming and organized retailer fraud.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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