House Republicans, led by Rep. Mark Harris (R., N.C.) are continuing their work investigating fraud at all levels of the government by homing in on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA), as the latter selects a contractor to investigate fraud in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) retailers.
Harris, along with Reps. Diana Harshbarger (R., Tenn.), Mary Miller (R., Ill.), Keith Self (R., Texas), Pat Fallon (R., Texas), Wesley Hunt (R., Texas), Randy Fine (R., Fla.), Ralph Norman (R., S.C.), and Derrick Van Orden (R., Wis.), wrote to Shiela Corley, the Acting Administrator of FNA, in a letter obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter, outlining why they want USDA to prioritize a recipient that has “demonstrated experience, institutional knowledge, specialized personnel, and the advanced technological capabilities necessary to protect the integrity of the SNAP program.”
The GOP lawmakers are writing to Corley following a USDA request for proposal (RFP) that is seeking SNAP Retailer Investigations Services. “We feel strongly that SNAP benefits should go to Americans in need, not to bad actors exploiting a program intended to feed the most vulnerable among us,” they wrote to Corley. “This solicitation represents an important opportunity to shield SNAP from retailer fraud and protect the integrity of the program as millions of constituents continue to rely upon its services. We urge FNA to evaluate applicants in a manner that prioritizes experience, workforce quality, technological modernization, and proven results.”
While the Republicans note that “SNAP fraud is not a new problem, [] it remains a persistent and costly one. In 2025, USDA estimated that over $3 billion per year is being lost to waste, fraud, and abuse in SNAP. Misconduct in the SNAP program, including via retailer fraud, hinders critical benefits from reaching those who need them the most and constricts the federal budget. SNAP retailer fraud occurs when retailers exchange SNAP benefits for cash (i.e., trafficking), sell items that are not allowable in SNAP, or include fraudulent information on their application to become an authorized SNAP retailer.”
The lawmakers explained that they are supportive of SNAP, and the reforms they want will help strengthen the program. “SNAP is a vital lifeline for millions of Americans, and every dollar should help a family put food on the table, not benefit those who exploit the program,” Harris explained. “With SNAP retailers processing approximately $236 million in taxpayer-funded transactions every day, we have a responsibility to ensure those dollars reach the people who need them most.”
Harris added that the Trump administration, and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins in particular, are doing “aggressive work to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in SNAP. As the FNA and USDA move forward with this important contract, we are urging the agency to build on that work by selecting a contractor best equipped to hold bad actors accountable and protect taxpayer-funded benefits for the people they are intended to serve.”
Harshbarger made the stakes clear: “FNA cannot afford to get this contract wrong,” she said. “Hard-working taxpayers deserve to know their dollars are feeding families who truly need help, not lining the pockets of bad actors gaming the system. With USDA estimating over $3 billion lost to waste, fraud, and abuse in SNAP annually, I’m proud to join Congressman Mark Harris in calling on USDA to select a contractor with the expertise, technology, and accountability needed to root out fraud and protect the integrity of SNAP for the families who depend on it.”
In their letter to Corley, they added further suggestions to streamline government efficiency. “We also suggest centralizing this critical work under a singular contract rather than dividing SNAP retailer investigation duties between several unique entities to help reduce inefficiencies, maintain adequate oversight, and maximize the impact of the work being done.”
For lawmakers like Van Orden, the issue is personal — fraud in SNAP directly harms families like the one he grew up in. “I was raised by a single mother and grew up in abject rural poverty,” he noted. “My family relied on food stamps, so I know firsthand how important SNAP is for families who truly need it. Organized SNAP fraud steals resources from the people who truly need them and undermines confidence in a critical program. I’m proud to join this effort to hold bad actors accountable, and ensure these benefits reach the American families they’re intended to serve.”
Norman has also seen the issue play out close to home. “Just recently, a South Carolina woman was accused of stealing more than $76,500 in SNAP benefits from hardworking taxpayers,” he explained. “With our nation facing more than $39 trillion in debt and counting, we cannot continue allowing fraudsters to exploit federal programs. I commend the Trump administration’s ongoing nationwide efforts to crack down on these illegal activities, and I urge the Department of Agriculture to take a hard look at this critical program to strengthen oversight and ensure the integrity of SNAP remains protected.”
Hunt emphasized the need for oversight, saying that “for far too long, millions of taxpayer dollars have been lost to welfare fraud. Programs like SNAP were created to help our most vulnerable, not to be exploited by those gaming the system. President Trump and the American people have made it clear that rooting out fraud, waste, and abuse is a top priority. Every taxpayer dollar should be protected and used for its intended purpose, and I fully support every effort to ensure it is.”
Miller, whose home state of Illinois is frequently in Republican crosshairs for its corruption, noted that “more than $3 billion in taxpayer dollars is lost to SNAP waste, fraud, and abuse every year. We need aggressive oversight and zero tolerance for anyone exploiting this program. I have full confidence that the USDA under Secretary Rollins will put an end to the abuse.”
For lawmakers like Fine, the push by Rollins and her department is about “accountability.” Fine said that he is “proud to stand with Congressman Harris and our colleagues to protect the integrity of the SNAP program. We must crack down on retailer fraud and ensure taxpayer dollars go to feeding American families — not to bad actors gaming the system. This is about accountability, and I’m glad we’re fighting for it together.”
