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🧵1/ The GOP’s latest scheme would force states to pay for a share of SNAP food benefits based on “payment error rates.” This would be catastrophic for states, including Maine. Here’s what you need to know. 👇

2/ First: “payment error rates” don’t mean fraud. They’re bureaucratic mistakes—like paperwork errors or miscalculations—not people gaming the system. But Republicans want to punish states for them anyway.

3/ Under their plan, if a state’s error rate is: ⬇️ Under 6% > no penalty 🔸 6–8% > 5% cost-share 🔸 8–10% > 10% cost-share 🔺 Over 10% > 15% cost-share And guess what? Maine’s error rate for FY24 came in at 10.26%—*just* over the line.

5/ And it’s not just Maine. Even the national average error rate is over 10%. This isn’t a “Maine problem”—it’s a systemic issue. Yet Republicans want states to foot the bill anyway.

6/ And while the Senate-passed bill allows states with the highest error rates to receive a 1 to 2 year delay, others—including Maine—would not receive any sort of relief.

7/ Things like new tech or additional staff would help lower these error rates, but this requires money and time that states won’t have now.