SNAP

Experts say the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would venture into uncharted territory if a partial government shutdown continued through February. 

In today’s Federal Newscast, analysis shows the loss of salary from federal workers, and the loss of income substitution provided through USDA because of the government shutdown will have a significant effect on the nation’s economy.

In today’s Federal Newscast, a bill introduced by Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah) would authorize congressional payroll administrators to dock pay for members of Congress for as long as a government shutdown continues.

Faced with a partial government shutdown with no certain end in sight, the Agriculture Department has come up with a budgetary workaround to ensure Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits continue to be paid out through February. 

Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.) has offered legislation to give federal employees up to 12 weeks of paid leave for the birth, adoption or foster placement of a child.

In today’s Federal Newscast, 24 agencies plan to consolidate their office space in the coming years according to the Government Accountability Office.

Sometimes the federal government seems like a kaleidoscope of numbers when it comes to its budgeting.

In today’s Federal Newscast, Customs and Border Protection says it reviewed over 30 thousand electronic devices last year, while also announcing changes its making to the search process.

The Agriculture Department’s Food and Nutrition Service relies on state agencies to detect and stop fraud in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP). States don’t all have the people and money required to fully monitor their SNAP programs, and USDA doesn’t have what it takes to watch the states. Kay Brown, director of education, Workforce and Income Security issues at the Government Accountability Office, shares the details on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

Fraud has been a longstanding concern for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP. About a year ago, the Government Accountability Office took a look at the program and made recommendations that the Food and Nutrition Service reassess the detection tools that were being used. Today, FNS is cracking down on SNAP trafficking with predictive analysis. Jon Lemon is a systems engineer with SAS Federal. He joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive to further discuss the program and fraud detection efforts.