'It's An Unfunded Mandate': Amy Klobuchar Blasts GOP For Shifting 'Billions Of Dollars Onto The States'

Forbes Breaking News

During debate on the Senate floor, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) spoke in opposition to the Big Beautiful Bill, and decried provisions shifting federal assistance programs onto states. Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) rose to respond for the Republicans.

Transcript

00:00Mr. President, I make a point of order that the pending measure contains an unfunded

00:10intergovernmental mandate, and thus it violates Section 425 of the Congressional Budget Act

00:16of 1974.

00:19In nutrition assistance alone, this bill shifts tens of billions of dollars onto the states,

00:26creating chaos for state budgets and hardship for families.

00:30CBO's score for this bill says this, the non-tax provisions of the substitute amendment would

00:35impose intergovernmental and private sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates

00:42Reform Act, and that the SNAP cost shift provisions would impose the largest intergovernmental mandate.

00:49Seriously, the largest shift in this whole bill, the largest unfunded mandate is on the

00:54backs of kids and veterans and seniors and people with disabilities, $64 billion over

01:01to the states, 44 of them have balanced budget amendments.

01:05You know they can't pay for this.

01:07It's hurting local grocery stores.

01:09It's hurting our farmers.

01:11And it's all done to pay for tax cuts to the wealthy.

01:14I say to our colleagues, vote for families over billionaires.

01:18Vote for fiscal sanity over this big beautiful betrayal and vote yes, this is an unfunded mandate.

01:27I recognize the senator from Arkansas.

01:30I rise to waive the point of order raised by my colleague from Minnesota.

01:35I urge my colleagues to vote to waive the point of order.

01:39In 2023, the SNAP payment error exceeded 11%, 11%, amounting to more than $10 billion in misspent

01:49taxpayer dollars.

01:51This underscores the need for stronger state accountability in administering this program.

01:58This title incentivizes states to be a better steward of taxpayer dollars, to use resources that

02:06are prioritized for those most in need.

02:10If a state's payment error is below 6%, that state is exempt from any share of the cost of

02:16SNAP benefits.

02:18This is a reasonable approach that will help preserve the integrity and long-term sustainability

02:24of the program.

02:26There is ample time for the states to adjust plan and budget for this to take effect in

02:342028.

02:35States can also work to lower their payment error rate over the next couple of years so that

02:40they would be exempt from the match altogether.

02:43I move to waive the point of order for the consideration of the pending legislation and

02:51ask for the a's and nays.

02:54Is there a sufficient second?

02:56There appears to be.

02:57The clerk will call the roll.

02:58Dr. Dean Van Crudde City.

03:04I

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