By Bill Lucia | Editor
Washington’s error rate paying food stamp benefits was 6.98% during the last federal fiscal year. If that doesn’t change, the state will be on the hook for penalties under Republicans’ “big, beautiful bill.” The legislation calls for states with error rates between 6% and 8% to pay 5% of benefits, totaling more than $90 million in Washington, according to the state Department of Social and Health Services.
Also in today’s edition…
The chief of the U.S. Forest Service defends the agency’s restructuring.
Seattle’s final World Cup match.
And, the nation’s labor market showed signs of cooling last month.
News tips, feedback, questions? Email us: [email protected]
(Stock photo by hapabapa/Getty Images)
By Jake Goldstein-Street
The error rate with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, includes both overpayments and underpayments of $57 or more. Washington’s doing OK compared to other states. Nationwide, the average error rate is around 10.6%. The Department of Social and Health Services says it’s working to drive down the rate, which was 6.06% in the previous fiscal year. The state will also need to implement new food stamp work requirements. It’s picking up the tab for more administrative costs — around $45 million extra in the most recent budget. And it is spending about $44 million to cover refugees, asylees, and other lawfully present immigrants who lost benefits.
Seattle in the World Cup spotlight
The U.S. will play Belgium tonight in the sixth and final World Cup game scheduled in Seattle. The round of 16 match will kick off at 5 p.m. at Lumen Field, with the winner advancing to the tournament’s quarterfinals. The U.S. team last made it to the quarterfinals in 2002. A last-minute reversal of U.S. striker Folarin Balogun’s red card suspension, following President Donald Trump’s call to Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, is stoking some drama heading into the game.
USDA Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz meets with employees of the Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana on April 2, 2025. (Photo by Preston Keres/courtesy of USDA)
By Mike Koshmrl
Earlier this year, the Trump administration announced a major restructuring at the U.S. Forest Service. This will involve closing more than 50 research stations across 31 states, including two in Washington. U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz is sounding upbeat about the transformation and the hiring process for 15 new state director jobs.
“What we’re trying to do is basically bring the Forest Service closer to the people that we serve,” said Schultz, who was a logging company executive in Idaho before taking the federal job. “The change from regional offices to a state director role is to really empower folks closest to the ground — district rangers and others who make decisions.”
The agency has seen its headcount fall sharply since President Trump took office. Schultz said the Forest Service now has roughly 30,000 employees. It lost nearly 7,000 staff last year, according to the Office of Personnel Management.
Some current and former employees are unconvinced that the Trump administration’s plans are well thought out. “This is turning over 100 years of organization,” said retired White River National Forest supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams. “It’s chaotic.”
By Tim Henderson
U.S. Job growth slowed in June to an increase of 57,000 after three straight months of gaining more than 100,000, according to a report released late last week by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. At the same time, the unemployment rate ticked down to 4.2% — the lowest since June 2025, when it was 4.1%. The industries adding the most jobs in June were business and professional services (36,000 jobs), social assistance (up 25,000 jobs) and healthcare (22,000 jobs).
ICYMI
Thanks for reading The Daily Standard. Did you know our weekend digest is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.