Washington – States can become overwhelmed with the number of SNAP applications due to inflation, economic downturn, and natural disasters. When this happens, many states do not have enough employees to deal with the large increase in applications, which creates backlogs that delay people from getting the SNAP benefits they need. Last week, Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) and Rep. David Rouzer (NC-07) introduced the SNAP Staffing Flexibility Act of 2025 to give states the option to hire outside contractors to help process applications during these high-demand periods. This contract is terminated once the backlog is cleared. 

“When people apply for SNAP Benefits, it is because they are already struggling,” said Rep. Bacon. “I want to make sure states can process applications quickly so people can get the assistance they need. In economically challenging times, when state agencies are overwhelmed by applications, the use of outside contractors will speed up the delivery time of benefits.” 

 The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and other safety net programs successfully use contractors to address backlogs, and this bill would give SNAP the same flexibility. Modernizing SNAP will give states more control over the administrative process in a way that does not threaten the jobs of current employees. This bill will lead to faster processing times, which means that families will get the assistance they need sooner. 

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