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Feds Want Texas To Stop Fingerprinting Program

By KRWG News

Texas – Fingerprinting of Texas food stamp applicants is coming under fire from federal administrators who want the application process expedited.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst say fingerprinting is an important way to prevent people from collecting benefits under more than one name.

But William Ludwig, a regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service, says Texas needs to streamline its operations.

The 2008 fingerprint program led to the state investigating just four applicants for fraud.

The Austin American-Statesman reported Friday that Texas is failing to process more than a third of applications within the 30 days required by the federal government.

Ludwig in late September advised Texas officials that unless the state speeds up its application processing, its federal funds will be at risk.

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Information from: Austin American-Statesman, http://www.statesman.com

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.