Congress
Tennessee advocates urge Congress to delay SNAP cost-shift deadline
PN Team • 2 months ago
Advocacy groups in Middle Tennessee, including the Tennessee Justice Center, are pressing Congress to pass a resolution delaying SNAP cost-sharing changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Without action, Tennessee must begin covering 75% of the program's administrative costs starting Oct. 1, with some states having received an extra two years to prepare that Tennessee did not get.
If Tennessee fails to bring its SNAP payment error rate below 6%, it could owe up to $243 million in fiscal year 2028, per The Sycamore Institute. That's a steep challenge given the state's 9.44% error rate in fiscal year 2025. The state budget for FY 2026-2027 does not account for these costs, saying the impact won't hit until the 2027-2028 budget cycle, though it does project $1.3 billion less in federal funding this fiscal year.
SNAP enrollment has already dropped by roughly 100,000 people, which advocates attribute to stricter eligibility rules rather than reduced need. Sen. Marsha Blackburn defended the law as strengthening program integrity and work requirements.
Sources:
Sentiment
- Tennessee Tennessee is portrayed as facing significant budget shortfalls, a high SNAP error rate, and potential penalties, reflecting negatively on state administration.
- United States Congress Congress is pressed by advocates to act on a deadline, portraying it as a body that needs to respond to a looming policy problem.