A GOP-backed proposal that would shift some of the cost of food assistance to states for the first time is drawing renewed concern in the party, as critics argue the effort could lead to states cutting benefits on their own.

Republicans are pushing to pass the proposal — which could see states with higher payment error rates covering a greater share of benefit costs under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — as a part of the broader spending cuts and tax package in the coming days. But that doesn’t mean some Republicans aren’t concerned about the measure.

“Our big thing is the data to be used, the data to be used on the error rate,” Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska.) told The Hill on Friday. “So, that’s important to make sure that the data is as accurate and reflective of the year you're judging as possible.”

Numbers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed Alaska’s payment error rate — which factors in overpayment and underpayment error rates — reached above 60 percent in fiscal year 2023. The national average hit 11.68 percent.

Sullivan noted the state has seen much lower payment error rates prior to the pandemic and is........

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