U.S. Rep. Ben Cline introduced an amendment to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, aimed at closing an alleged loophole in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility and improving consistency between states.
“A current loophole allows states to make participants categorically eligible for certain SNAP programs, allowing for taxpayer-funded benefits to go to households that are not actually eligible,” Cline wrote on X. “I introduced an amendment to the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 that would close this loophole and improve consistency between states.”
Cline announced his proposal as the House considered amendments to the bill, which was introduced in February 2026 by Rep. Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania and advanced through committee markup in March, with an amendment deadline of April 22, according to filings with the House Rules Committee.
The issue is significant due to the scale of SNAP participation both nationally and within Virginia. Virginia recorded an average of 817,500 monthly SNAP recipients in fiscal year 2025, representing approximately 9.2% of the state’s total population receiving program benefits. The state has experienced fluctuations in participation levels amid evolving federal guidelines and state-level administration of eligibility determinations, according to USAFacts.
Nationally, SNAP served an average of 41.7 million participants per month in fiscal year 2024, with federal spending reaching $99.8 billion that year and average monthly benefits at $187 per person. The program constitutes the largest share of U.S. Department of Agriculture nutrition assistance expenditures, according to the USDA Economic Research Service.
Cline has represented Virginia’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2019 after replacing previous member Bob Goodlatte, according to his official biography. He previously served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2002 to 2018.
