by The National News Desk
Fri, November 7, 2025 at 9:31 AM
The U.S. Capitol is photographed on 37th day of the government shutdown, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
WASHINGTON (TNND) — The government shutdown‘s impact on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for millions of low-income Americans exposed clear opportunities for reform and accountability that could save taxpayers billions of dollars.
The National News Desk interviews Open the Books Deputy Public Policy Editor Rachel O’Brien on SNAP fraud.{ }
Rachel O’Brien, the Deputy Public Policy Editor for Open the Books, says that $100 billion is spent per year for 42 million Americans on SNAP. That translates to roughly one out of eight households.
“The government Accountability Office, they put out an audit last month, about SNAP recipients who report that their benefits were stolen,” O’Brien said. “They put that number at $320 million.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 30: An EBT sign is displayed on the window of a grocery store on October 30, 2025 in the Flatbush neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough in New York City. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and other assistance are set to stop on November 1st amid a federal government shutdown that has been going on for 29 days and is the second-longest shutdown in the nation’s history. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for extra emergency funds and personnel to be deployed, as SNAP payments will be suspended. About 42 million Americans are expected to lose access to their benefits. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
But she says that is a low-ball figure on the fraud that takes place in the program.
For more on SNAP’s fraud and abuse, watch the video player above or visit The National News Desk’s YouTube channel for O’Brien’s full interview.
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