Ken Paxton on Food Assistance: The Megabill's SNAP Cuts, Costs Shifted to Texas, and 709,000 Texans Off SNAP

Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general and Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas, endorsed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on July 1, 2025 and July 3, 2025, and Texas SNAP participation then fell by 709,435 people, including 367,118 children from July 2025 to September 2026 as the law's food assistance rules took effect, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

The law extends SNAP time limits to adults aged 55 through 64 and to parents of children 14 and older, and removes exemptions for veterans and people experiencing homelessness (CBPP). It also makes Texas pay part of SNAP benefit costs for the first time, which could have cost the state $716 million a year.

Ken Paxton's Actions and Statements on SNAP

• Paxton Urged the House to Pass the Law With the Largest SNAP Cut in History. Ken Paxton posted on July 1, 2025, "Now it's time for the House to pass the Big Beautiful Bill." The law applies SNAP's three-month time limit to adults aged 55 through 64 and parents of children 14 and older, and CBO estimates about 1.4 million people newly subject to it will be cut off SNAP in a typical month when fully in effect.
• Paxton Praised the Law That Shifts SNAP Costs Onto Texas. Ken Paxton called the bill "HISTORIC legislation" on July 3, 2025. It requires states to pay a share of SNAP benefits starting as soon as fiscal 2028, which for Texas could equal $716 million a year, and raises the state's share of administrative costs to 75 percent, about $89.5 million more a year.
• Paxton Said in 2026 That Cuts to Mandatory Spending Are Unavoidable. Ken Paxton said at a September 24, 2026 fundraiser, "There's no doubt we have to cut some of the mandatory spending." Beyond Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, the Texas Tribune noted that mandatory spending covers aid such as food benefits for lower-income families.

What the SNAP Cuts Ken Paxton Backed Mean for Texas Families

• 709,435 fewer Texans, including 367,118 children, received SNAP by September 2026. Texas SNAP participation fell by 20 percent as the law was implemented, according to CBPP, and children made up more than half of the decline. Each lost benefit is less money for groceries in a household.
• SNAP fell by 10 to 20 percent in more than two-thirds of Texas counties. The Texas Tribune reported that participation dropped between 10% and 20% in more than two-thirds of Texas counties, with the largest declines on the Gulf Coast and in North and South Texas, while Feeding Texas saw demand at food banks rise.
• 275,000 Texans were put at immediate risk of losing SNAP benefits. The Center for American Progress estimated the law put 275,000 people in Texas at immediate risk of losing some SNAP benefits, including veterans, parents of teenagers and youth aging out of foster care, and would take food assistance from about 25,000 lawfully present immigrants in Texas such as refugees.
• Remaining family members see their benefits cut too. When adults are cut off under the new time limits, benefits fall for the rest of the household, including children in school, and CBPP estimates about half a million more people nationally will see a benefit cut as a result.

Frequently Asked Questions Ken Paxton on Food Assistance

Last updated: 2026-10-28

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