ICYMI: Ernst Exposes Blue States Wasting Nearly Half a Billion Dollars of SNAP Funds on Fast Food

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) exposed that the Biden administration opened the floodgates to allow $524 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to be cashed in at restaurants, mostly for fast food, in nine Democrat-run states.

Ernst has been leading the charge to end the waste with her McSCUSE ME Act that will restore SNAP to its original mission of providing nutrition to hungry American families in need.

Watch Ernst discuss with Harris Faulkner here.

Watch Ernst discuss with Stuart Varney here.

Watch Ernst discuss with Shaun Kraisman here.

Ernst joined Charlie Stone at KSCJ. Listen here.

“Biden used the Restaurant Meals Program that exists within SNAP to let states opt-in to use their SNAP dollars for restaurants, and that was mostly fast food. And we know that we have a huge problem with people being overweight, and here we're using SNAP, and I'll remind everybody the N in SNAP stands for nutrition – not nuggets with a side of fries.”

Ernst joined Mike Peterson at KMALand. Listen here.

“The United States already has a problem with obesity, and we know that fast food contributes to that. So again, we want to make sure that if we have taxpayers that are contributing hard earned dollars into the SNAP program, that those that need the meals are actually receiving nutritious meals.”

Here is some of the additional coverage:

FOX NEWS | Blue states blasted for funneling millions in SNAP cash for fast-food meals

“U.S. taxpayers are footing nearly $250 million a year in SNAP benefits spent on fast-food meals across just nine states, most of which are blue states, according to Republican Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst.”

DAILY WIRE | ‘McSCUSE ME?’: 11 States Allow ‘Nutritional’ Food Stamps To Be Spent At Fast Food Restaurants

“Ernst has introduced the ‘McStopping Chains from Using SNAP EBT to Make Entrees Act,’ or the McSCUSE ME Act, that would allow the elderly or disabled to get hot, prepared meals from deli counters and hot bars of grocery stores, but not from fast food chains.”

NEWSMAX | Dem States Allow Wasting $500M SNAP Funds on Fast Food

“Ernst said the Biden administration ‘massively expanded’ the number of restaurants eligible to accept SNAP payments from anyone getting assistance through the program.”

FEDERALIST | Sen. Ernst Introduces Bill To End Blue States’ Fast-Food SNAP Abuse

“According to Ernst’s office, the issue at hand arose after Congress created an exception to SNAP’s ‘hot food’ restriction via RMP in 1977.”

DAILY MAIL | Millions of Americans to lose lucrative McDonald's perk under new plan: 'No more golden goose'

“But Iowa Senator Joni Ernst is looking to close a loophole that presently allows millions of dollars in taxpayer funds to be spent at fast-food chains via a component of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP.”

TOWNHALL | Ernst Unveils 'McSCUSE ME Act' to Stop $250M in SNAP Spending at Fast-Food Chains

“While the U.S. Department of Agriculture considers reform to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that helps feed 42 million people, one lawmaker is pushing legislation aimed at curbing the program’s use at fast-food restaurants nationwide.”

DAILY SIGNAL | How Tax Dollars Heavily Subsize Fast-Food Dining in California

“Of that, about 90%—or $475.2 million—was spent at fast-food restaurants in California from June 2023 through May 2025, according to Ernst’s office.”

WASHINGTON TIMES | $500 million in food stamps spent at fast-food restaurants

“Ms. Ernst highlighted ads from fast-food franchises encouraging the use of electronic benefit transfer cards, which are how food stamp benefits are now distributed.”

THE BLAZE | $500 million in SNAP funds is reportedly spent on fast food because of state program

“According to Republican U.S. Senator Joni Ernst from Iowa, $524 million was spent ‘almost exclusively on fast food, in nine states’ over two years.”

RED STATE | Blue States Busted for Blowing Nearly Half a Billion in SNAP Cash on Fast Food

“Well, that train derailed a long time ago, and, according to Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), taxpayers now foot the bill for hundreds of millions of dollars worth of fast food meals purchased with SNAP benefits. And most of this is happening, naturally, in blue states.”

North Iowa Today | Senator Joni Ernst aims to halt SNAP users from eating fast food courtesy of taxpayers

“To stop this abuse and restore the SNAP program to its original mission of providing nutrition to food insecure Americans, Ernst is introducing the McStopping Chains from Using SNAP EBT to Make Entrees (McSCUSE ME) Act.”

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