H.R. 3117: Fairness for Victims of SNAP Skimming Act of 2025
Sponsor
Grace Meng
Democrat · NY-6
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Apr 30, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Stolen food benefits should be repaid in full
Why it matters
When a skimmer drains a family's EBT card, the federal program that paid the money back capped reimbursement at two months of benefits — and it expired in December 2024. H.R. 3117 would bring that protection back permanently and require states to replace the exact amount stolen, dollar for dollar.
H.R. 3117, the Fairness for Victims of SNAP Skimming Act of 2025, fixes how stolen food benefits get replaced after a card is skimmed or cloned.
Here is the problem it targets. The federal rule that let states repay skimming victims had two big catches. First, it only covered theft that happened between October 1, 2022 and December 20, 2024 — so the protection has already lapsed. Second, even while it was active, it capped the payout at the lesser of the amount stolen or two months of a household's benefits.
The bill strips out both catches. It makes replacement permanent, and it requires states to repay an amount equal to what was stolen from the household. If a thief takes $80, the family gets $80 back. If a thief takes $600, the family gets $600 back.
The mechanics stay simple. States run the replacement process and confirm the theft, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture provides the funds. The bill does not rewrite SNAP — it changes one rule about what happens after benefits are stolen.
Introduced on April 30, 2025 by Representative Grace Meng with 11 cosponsors from both parties, the bill sits in the House Agriculture Committee. The open question is whether it moves, and how quickly, given that the prior protection has already expired.
H.R. 3117 Bill Summary
What H.R. 3117 actually does.
Stolen benefits get replaced dollar for dollar
States would have to replace SNAP benefits in an amount equal to what was stolen from the household. This removes the prior cap, which limited repayment to the lesser of the amount stolen or two months of the household's benefits.
The protection becomes permanent
Current law only covered benefits stolen between October 1, 2022 and December 20, 2024. The bill removes that end date, so replacement would apply to skimming theft going forward rather than expiring.
States process claims, USDA pays for it
A state agency confirms the theft and issues the replacement, using funds provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The household has to meet the program's existing requirements to qualify for replacement.
Narrow scope — one rule, not a SNAP overhaul
The bill amends a single provision of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 governing replacement of stolen EBT benefits. It does not change eligibility, benefit levels, or how SNAP otherwise operates.
Who benefits from H.R. 3117?
SNAP households hit by card skimming
Families whose benefits are stolen through skimming, cloning, or similar fraud would be repaid the full amount taken, instead of a capped portion. SNAP serves roughly 42 million people, and skimming has drained benefits from households across the country.
Larger households with bigger monthly allotments
The old two-month cap hit families hardest when thieves struck more than once or drained a large balance. Under the bill, a household repaid in full does not lose the slice that exceeded the cap.
State SNAP agencies
Agencies would work from one clear standard — replace the amount stolen — rather than calculating a capped figure for each claim. The bill ties USDA funding to that replacement.
Grocers and neighborhood food retailers
When stolen benefits are fully restored, that money returns to the grocery checkout instead of disappearing from a household's monthly food spending.
Who is affected by H.R. 3117?
Current and future skimming victims
Any SNAP household whose benefits are stolen would fall under the new full-replacement rule, rather than the expired, capped version of the law.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA funds the replacements and would need to issue guidance reflecting that states repay the full amount stolen and that the authority no longer expires.
State human services agencies
Agencies that administer EBT cards and process theft claims would update their procedures, forms, and calculations to match the full-replacement standard.
Federal budget writers
Because full replacement can cost more than the capped version, and because the authority would no longer sunset, appropriators and scorekeepers would account for ongoing replacement costs. The bill itself does not specify a dollar amount.
HR3117 Legislative Journey
House: Committee Action
Apr 30, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
About the Sponsor
Grace Meng
Democrat, New York's 6th congressional district · 13 years in Congress
Committees: Appropriations
View full profile →
Cosponsors (11)
This bill has 11 cosponsors: 8 Democrats, 3 Republicans, reflecting bipartisan support. Cosponsors represent 6 states: Delaware, Indiana, Kansas, and 3 more.
Committee Sponsors
Agriculture Committee
2 of 53 committee members cosponsored
23 Democrats across this committee haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.R. 3117 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Agriculture
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Agriculture and Food
- Introduced
- Apr 30, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Apr 30, 2025
Official Sources
Official congressional page for the Fairness for Victims of SNAP Skimming Act of 2025 with bill text, status, and sponsors.
Official USDA resource page about SNAP benefit theft and skimming provides background on the policy area addressed by H.R. 3117.
Official U.S. Code page for 7 U.S.C. 2016a, the statute H.R. 3117 amends.
Official USDA overview of SNAP helps explain the federal program affected by the bill.
Official GovInfo text of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 contains the provision H.R. 3117 amends.
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service administers SNAP and would be central to implementation if H.R. 3117 becomes law.
H.R. 3117 Common Questions
If my SNAP benefits get skimmed, would H.R. 3117 pay back the full amount?
Yes. The bill requires states to replace benefits equal to the amount stolen from your household. If a thief takes $80, you get $80 back; if they take $600, you get $600 back.
Is the federal SNAP theft replacement program still active in 2026?
The earlier authority only covered theft between October 1, 2022 and December 20, 2024, so that window has lapsed. H.R. 3117 would revive replacement and make it permanent.
What was the old cap on replacing stolen SNAP benefits?
Under the prior rule, replacement was limited to the lesser of the amount stolen or two months of your household's benefits. H.R. 3117 removes that cap and ties repayment to the full amount taken.
Who pays for the replacement benefits under H.R. 3117?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides the funds, and your state SNAP agency processes the claim and issues the replacement once it confirms the theft.
Does H.R. 3117 change who qualifies for SNAP or how much they receive?
No. It is a targeted fix to one rule about replacing stolen EBT benefits. It does not touch SNAP eligibility, benefit levels, or how the program otherwise works.
What kinds of SNAP theft does the replacement rule cover?
It covers benefits stolen through card skimming, card cloning, or similar fraudulent methods, as long as your state agency determines the theft occurred and the program's requirements are met.
Who introduced H.R. 3117 and where does it stand?
Representative Grace Meng of New York introduced the Fairness for Victims of SNAP Skimming Act of 2025 on April 30, 2025. It has 11 bipartisan cosponsors and sits in the House Agriculture Committee.
Based on H.R. 3117 bill text
H.R. 3117 Bill Text
“To amend the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, to expand the replacement of stolen EBT benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance program.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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