House Bill would Force Disclosure of How Food Stamp Money is Spent

[The Straight Story]

The media and nutrition advocates have been fighting for years to get the federal government to release information on what groceries are purchased by people using food stamps. Now, a member of Congress wants to know too, and has introduced legislation to force the disclosure of the data.

Representative Tom Marino (R-Pennsylvania) has proposed the “SNAP Transparency Act,” which would require the secretary of agriculture to establish a reporting system so retailers could track “the complete range, identities, sizes, quantities, and costs of particular food items” bought with benefits from the $80-billion Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (aka food stamps).

Journalists and others have asked for this information, primarily to help address nutritional and health problems of low-income people. However, they have been told by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that it does not have the authority to collect the data. The bill would grant such power, and require the agency to post the information on a publicly searchable database.

The Tulsa World in Oklahoma reported that nearly half the state’s SNAP money went to Walmart stores. The newspaper was able to run the story only after state officials mistakenly turned over the data without knowing of the federal prohibition on releasing food-stamp purchases.

http://www.allgov.com/news/where-is-the-money-going/house-bill-would-force-disclosure-of-how-food-stamp-money-is-spent-130508?news=849962

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. Makes sense that Wal-Mart is getting a LOT of food stamp business

(Actually, JP Morgan is getting a LOT of the program business, around 5.5 million a year to make and track the EBT cards.)

but..back to Wal-Mart...at least in the South, Wal-Mart is everywhere, and often not only the cheapest prices but also one of a very few grocery stores in the mostly rural areas, such as where I live.

[fredamae]

2. After they Protected themselves

from transparency by gutting Disclosure from the STOCK Act? Hell NO!
Congress is a body of Sadistic Hypocrites Addicted to holding Us to a much higher standard than they hold themselves....fkrs

[Recursion]

3. I was involved with getting DC farmers markets EBT readers

But usage was depressingly low. I think that's gotten better as that went national and USDA started advertising it. Still, this sounds like a recipe for RW talking points.

[leftyohiolib]

4. cant have gun registry but the small-government people want to know how you spend your money

[sinkingfeeling]

5. And I want to know who are stockpiling guns and ammo. But of course, the NRA

bought and paid for lap dogs made sure the ATF can keep no data.

[EC]

6. This is a marketers dream come true.

This sort of info is usually paid for...so I wonder who is getting the payola?

[pediatricmedic]

7. Yes, somebody will make quite a bundle off this

I don't think this is right wing either, it's corporate. The RW doesn't care about what your buying, they just want to cut the program.