A Thursday analysis by the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) highlights major concerns surrounding the Biden administration’s decision to significantly increase food stamp benefits.
The report suggests that Congress could save taxpayers billions if they repealed this “unlawful” decision.
According to the FGA, “In 2021, the Biden administration rushed through a 27 percent hike to food stamp benefits—the largest permanent increase in the program’s history.”
This drastic uptick has contributed to “monthly food stamp spending more than doubling between 2019 and 2022,” resulting in record highs.
One of the key findings of the analysis indicates that this surge in food stamp spending is a major factor behind inflationary pressures.
The report states unequivocally that “food stamp spending fuels inflation, driving up grocery prices for all Americans.”
As a consequence, “grocery prices have risen by at least 15 percent due to increases in food stamp spending.”
It’s worth noting that the method by which this expansion was implemented has come under scrutiny.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accused of having “violated internal control standards, canceled formal peer-review processes, and even ignored its chief economist to expedite the expansion.”
This approach, according to the FGA, effectively “bypassed Congress” and will, in the long run, “cost taxpayers $250 billion over the next decade.”
The analysis wraps up with a definitive stance, asserting, “Congress should repeal President Biden’s unlawful food stamp expansion and ensure this type of executive overreach cannot happen again.”
By taking such a step, the FGA believes, “Congress could save taxpayers more than $193 billion over the next decade.”
