AUSTIN (KXAN) — The same whistleblowers who sparked Texas’ Democratic Congressional delegation to call for a federal investigation into food benefit delays told KXAN on Friday the agency is headed for “disaster.”
“With our current agency leadership, we are sailing the Titanic filled with our most vulnerable citizens into certain disaster!,” the anonymous “concerned staff” employees wrote.
A series of emails sent to Gov. Greg Abbott and others, spanning several months, claim to be from employees with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, which oversees the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program, or SNAP, in Texas. The federal program helps low-income families buy groceries. The employees allege wait times of six months or more for people relying on food assistance. The federal standard is 30 days.
The US Department of Agriculture is investigating HHSC and was in Austin recently to meet with staff, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, first told KXAN this week.
On Thanksgiving, the governor handed out food to seniors with Meals on Wheels Central Texas. Abbott told KXAN his office was working with HHSC “to make sure that they fix any problems that’s causing any delay whatsoever.”
“Because, we want to make sure that the people who are eligible for SNAP,” said Abbott, “are going to be getting the food that they deserve.”
Following KXAN’s report, the “concerned staff” emailed us to say they “appreciate Governor Abbott for finally acknowledging we have a serious issue”...
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