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119-s-3949119th CongressWALLET

Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Senator Wyden, Ron [D-OR]

Introduced

Summary

Strong cybersecurity for SNAP electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards. This bill would set federal rules for card and online transaction security, push a switch to chip-enabled cards and terminals, and require fast replacement and public reporting to curb benefit theft.

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  • Families and households: States would have to deliver replacement EBT cards by mail or in person within 3 business days after a request. States could not charge replacement fees for card malfunctions, reported external fraud, expiration, or required security upgrades starting 60 days after enactment.
  • States and retailers: The Agriculture Secretary would issue cybersecurity and digital-access regulations within 2 years and review them every 5 years. SNAP-authorized retailers would need a chip-enabled payment terminal at each location within 180 days after those regulations are final. States must also follow federal PIN and password standards starting 60 days after enactment.
  • Funding and oversight: The bill would allow the Secretary to reimburse states and award grants to cover chip-enabled card upgrades, terminal upgrades, vendor fees, and delivery costs. It would also require public and committee reports on benefit theft, online-transaction security, and a focused report on EBT card cloning risks in Puerto Rico.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Easier EBT access and replacements

If enacted, you would get more ways to manage your EBT account. States would have to offer mobile-friendly web portals, apps, text messages, voice phone service, and a non-digital option, and interfaces would have to be available at least 99% of the time. You could opt in to electronic transaction notices and searchable 12-month transaction history, and you could let third-party software access your account through a free API. If your card is lost, stolen, damaged, or frozen for fraud, you would get a replacement within 3 business days after you ask, and starting 60 days after enactment states could not charge replacement fees for malfunctions, theft by an outsider, expiration, or required compliance reissues; states would also be barred from PIN/password rules that conflict with federal NIST standards starting 60 days after enactment.

New EBT chip rules and reporting

If enacted, the USDA would write cybersecurity and digital-service rules for EBT and mobile access within 2 years and review them at least every 5 years. States would have to move to chip-enabled EBT cards on a schedule: start issuing chip cards within 2 years after the rules are final, stop issuing new magnetic-stripe cards within 4 years, and reissue existing magnetic-stripe cards as chip-only within 5 years. The USDA would reimburse States for reasonable upgrade costs, including one-time vendor fees, extra annual vendor fees for chip cards, and postage or delivery costs to reissue cards. The USDA would also collect and publish annual data on system availability and cybersecurity measures and send repeated reports to Congress on benefit theft and online-transaction security (first public report within 1 year; first online-transaction report within 3 years, then biennially).

Chip terminal rules and store grants

If enacted, any retail food store or wholesale food concern seeking SNAP authorization or reauthorization would need a chip-enabled payment terminal at each location starting within 180 days after the USDA issues final cybersecurity rules. The USDA would run a grant program that gives funds to administering entities, which could make subgrants to eligible SNAP-authorized stores that lack chip terminals and are in areas with limited grocery access. Grants could help stores buy or upgrade terminals that support contact and contactless chip payments. The rule would help many small stores get equipment but also creates a new equipment requirement when applying or reauthorizing.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Wyden, Ron [D-OR]

OR • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 2/26/2026

  • Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]

    LA • R

    Sponsored 2/26/2026

  • Sen. Britt, Katie Boyd [R-AL]

    AL • R

    Sponsored 3/9/2026

  • Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 3/17/2026

  • Sen. McCormick, David [R-PA]

    PA • R

    Sponsored 3/18/2026

  • Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 3/18/2026

  • Sen. Justice, James C. [R-WV]

    WV • R

    Sponsored 4/14/2026

  • Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 4/14/2026

  • Sen. Scott, Tim [R-SC]

    SC • R

    Sponsored 4/27/2026

  • Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 6/24/2026

  • Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 7/13/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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