H.R. 7658, the Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act of 2026, strengthens protections for the nation's food assistance program by requiring the Department of Agriculture to establish comprehensive cybersecurity standards for Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards and digital access systems within two years. States must upgrade to chip-enabled EBT cards within five years to prevent fraud and cloning, while simultaneously offering beneficiaries multiple ways to access their benefits through apps, web portals, text messages, and non-digital options. The bill also establishes a federal grant program to help states upgrade payment terminals to accept chip-based and contactless payments, and requires the federal government to fully reimburse states for all upgrade costs. Additionally, the Department must collect and publicly report data on system outages, fraud trends, and security effectiveness in biennial reports to Congress. This legislation affects approximately 40 million SNAP recipients and state agencies administering the program, with implementation beginning within two years and full compliance required within five years.
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