State agencies and Indian Tribal organizations participating in the Summer EBT program — which provides around $120 in summer grocery benefits per child for low-income families when school meals aren't available — would be required to replace benefits stolen through card skimming, cloning, or similar fraudulent methods, under a bill from Reps. Bonamici and Goldman of New York. About 21 million children participated in Summer EBT in 2024. The bill also requires USDA to issue guidance on industry-standard anti-skimming security measures and to coordinate with Treasury, retailers, and EBT contractors to identify how thefts occur. Annual reporting on theft frequency and replacement outcomes would be required, plus a 2-year GAO study on benefit-payment-system security.
Average Household Impact
- Summer EBT benefit replacement — required for thefts via skimming or cloning, capped at the household's monthly allotment
Transparency & Accountability
- EBT theft data reporting — annual congressional reports on theft frequency, location, and prevention measures
- GAO study on benefit-payment security — required within 2 years
Congressional Summary
Mitigating Electronic Access Losses for Students Act of 2025 or the MEALS Act of 2025This bill requires the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to prescribe fraud prevention measures for the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (or Summer EBT) program and provide for the replacement of the full amount of a student's stolen benefits. Summer EBT provides electronic benefits that can be redeemed for groceries to households with eligible children over the summer months.Specifically, using funds provided by FNS, a participating state agency must provide a household with replacement Summer EBT benefits if the state agency determines that the benefits were stolen, and the agency meets certain requirements. The benefits must be equal to the amount of benefits stolen through card skimming, card cloning, or similar fraudulent methods.Further, for state agencies and Indian tribal organizations that administer the Summer EBT program, FNS mustissue guidance on security measures that are effective in detecting and preventing the theft of benefits (e.g., through card skimming or card cloning), andpromulgate regulations to require them to take the appropriate security measures and implement procedures for the replacement of benefits.In addition, FNS must coordinate with the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services to establish (1) measures to prevent Summer EBT benefits from being stolen, and (2) standard reporting methods.Finally, the Government Accountability Office must submit a report to Congress that examines the risks related to Summer EBT benefit payment system security.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-06-04
- Date Added
- 2026-05-08
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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