NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 30: A store displays a sign accepting Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) purchases for groceries on October 30, 2025 in New York City. Approximately 42 million Americans rely on food stamps that are deposited monthly onto their EBT cards. On November 1st, that assistance is set to end amid the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, potentially leaving households desperate to find ways to put food on the table. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
A proposed USDA rule would require states to upgrade SNAP payment cards and implement other security measures, but the Aspen Institute says new federal mandates risk competing…