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Leader says Bozeman's farm bill changes aim to curb states gaming payment programs
Summary
A reporter asked about proposed increases in penalties for states with payment-error rates; Leader Thune defended prior reforms and said states must come into compliance, warning that some states have been "gaming the program."
Reporters pressed whether Agriculture Committee Chair Bozeman's proposed increase in penalties for states with payment-error rates — from 15% to 20% — would jeopardize support from groups like the Farm Bureau.
Leader Thune said reforms enacted last year needed implementation and defended changes that would give states time to comply, but he warned "there are way too many states who are gaming the program" and said fraud and abuse must be addressed.
He noted work requirements included in last summer's legislation and compared them to past approaches, and said the goal is to ensure dollars are spent on the people the programs are designed to serve. Thune did not identify which states are out of compliance or provide a timetable for enforcement measures.
