Congresswoman Tenney Presses Hochul for Answers on New York's Soaring SNAP Error Rate

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today sent a letter to New York Governor Kathy Hochul urging her administration to cooperate with the federal government to reduce Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payment errors, combat waste, fraud, and abuse, and protect New York taxpayers from unnecessary costs.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Fiscal Year 2025 SNAP Payment Error Rate report, New York recorded a combined SNAP payment error rate of 13.18%, one of the highest in the nation and more than double the Congressionally mandated threshold of 6%. In her letter, Congresswoman Tenney notes that New York is issuing more than $2.8 million in SNAP benefits in error each day and warns that, beginning in 2027, states with excessive payment error rates will be required to assume a portion of their SNAP benefit costs under federal law. Tenney also calls on Governor Hochul to explain why New York has not joined 29 other states in sharing SNAP participant data with the federal government to help identify fraud and improper payments, and requests details on the state's corrective action plan to bring New York back into compliance with federal standards.

“New York cannot continue ignoring a problem that is costing taxpayers millions of dollars while putting the integrity of SNAP at risk,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “This program exists to help vulnerable families put food on the table, and every dollar lost to waste or improper payments is a dollar that cannot be used as intended. Governor Hochul should stop refusing commonsense cooperation with the federal government, take immediate steps to reduce New York's unacceptable error rate, and protect both taxpayers and the New Yorkers who depend on this critical program.”

Read the full letter here.

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