Sen. Ron Wyden rolled into Portland on Tuesday with a fix in mind for a growing problem that hits people right at the grocery checkout: SNAP card skimming. His new bill targets the wave of thieves cloning Oregon Trail Cards, wiping out food benefits, and leaving families scrambling.
The proposal would require states to swap out old magnetic-stripe EBT cards for chip-enabled versions, fast-track no-fee replacements for victims, and help pay for upgraded card readers at small grocers and farmers markets. Supporters argue it is past time to close a security gap that lets criminals copy cards and drain accounts from hundreds or thousands of miles away.
According to Oregon Department of Human Services data reviewed by KGW, residents reported nearly $500,000 in stolen cash and food benefits between July and November 2025, and 98% of the fraudulent Oregon Trail Card transactions were processed out of state. KGW’s investigation has also tracked multiple local skimming cases in recent years, which lawmakers cited Tuesday as fuel for pushing a federal fix.
What the bill would require
Wyden’s Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act would direct USDA to set new, regularly updated cybersecurity rules for EBT cards, according to Wyden's office. Once those rules are finalized, states would have two years to start issuing chip-enabled cards, four years before they must stop issuing magnetic-stripe-only cards, and five years to replace all existing mag-stripe cards with chip-only versions.
The bill would also create a federal grant program to help small retailers buy chip-capable terminals. States would have to offer accessible ways for cardholders to manage their accounts and provide no-fee replacement cards within three days when an account is compromised.
Why supporters say the change is urgent
Federal watchdogs and local reports suggest the stakes are huge. KGW notes the USDA Office of Inspector General projected roughly $555,000,000 in SNAP benefits could be vulnerable in coming years, and investigators say thieves have already siphoned tens of millions from EBT accounts across the country.
“There’s no excuse for this two-tier system, where families in need are stuck with outdated, easily hackable technology,” Wyden said in a statement, arguing that SNAP recipients should have card security on par with standard debit and credit cards.
Where the House stands
The Senate bill has a partner measure in the House, led by Rep. Andy Kim and backed by lawmakers including Rep. Dan Goldman and Rep. Mike Lawler, according to a statement from Rep. Lawler’s office. Lawler’s release pointed to earlier bipartisan work that secured short-term reimbursements for skimmed SNAP benefits and pitched this new legislation as the longer-term fix that aims to stop the theft in the first place.
Legislative history and next steps
Wyden first introduced an identical Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act in March 2024 (S.3893), where it was read twice and sent to the Senate Agriculture Committee, according to Congress.gov. This latest push gives lawmakers another shot at pressing USDA and the Agriculture Committee for a concrete rulemaking timeline and federal dollars to help states and retailers handle the upgrades.
How to protect your SNAP account
In the meantime, state and federal officials are telling SNAP recipients to treat their EBT cards like any other bank card: check account activity regularly, report anything suspicious right away, and request a replacement card if theft is suspected. The USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service maintains guidance and reporting tools for SNAP fraud, including tips on freezing a card, reviewing transaction history, and using official state EBT portals.
What happens next
Wyden said he plans to push the bill through the Senate, while Oregon anti-hunger advocates watch for signs of movement in committee in the coming weeks. Hoodline previously reported that Wyden and Sen. Jeff Merkley had urged USDA to act after earlier skimming outbreaks; this legislation serves as the follow-up attempt to lock those protections into federal law.
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