What Federal Policy Is Actually Doing to Steuben County

Why This Matters for NY-23

This summary connects the dots between federal policy votes in Washington and what’s actually happening on the ground in Steuben County — where 1 in 8 residents depends on SNAP, flood maps haven’t been updated since 1991, and the Bath VA serves 33,000 veterans. The dollar figures in Langworthy’s press releases are often accurate; what’s missing is the broader context of policy choices that simultaneously threaten the same systems those announcements celebrate.

What keeps rural systems running

In Steuben County, federal programs are not abstractions. They are the water system in Prattsburgh, the flood maps in Woodhull, the detox beds at Bath VA, the food assistance that stabilizes one in eight residents between harvests, and the preschool classrooms that let parents work.

This summary draws on a detailed review of ten federal funding claims made by Rep. Langworthy in Steuben County. The dollar figures in those announcements are largely accurate. What matters more is what’s actually happening to the systems behind them.

Where policy choices now threaten food, water, and care

Food assistance is being cut — and the county knows it

• 11,459 Steuben County residents — 1 in 8 — receive SNAP benefits
• County Manager Jack Wheeler confirmed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act “will result in Steuben County getting less money coming in from the federal SNAP program”
• The county projects a loss of up to $5 million in SNAP administration funds between 2026 and 2027
• New work requirements extend to ages 18-64 in a county where seasonal agriculture and limited year-round employment make compliance difficult
• The federal share of SNAP administrative costs drops from 50% to 25% — meaning the county must either raise local taxes or reduce its capacity to process applications
• Langworthy voted Yes on this legislation (H.R. 1, 218-214, July 3, 2025)

Legislature Chair Kelly Fitzpatrick wrote directly to Langworthy: “SNAP and HEAP are lifelines for families, seniors, and individuals meeting their most basic needs — food and heat.”

Veterans are losing access to care close to home

• Bath VA Medical Center serves 33,000+ veterans across 7 counties
• The VA dismissed probationary staff at Bath in February 2025 under a DOGE initiative Langworthy actively supports as a founding caucus member
• Monroe County Veteran Services Director Nick Stefanovic warned the cuts targeted critical positions: “It’s the primary facility that veterans use when they need detox… I fear veterans could lose their lives because of it”
• The VA OIG found staffing shortages worsened by 50% in one year across all 139 VA facilities
• Langworthy has not publicly opposed any VA workforce reduction

Flood protection is decades behind

• FEMA flood maps for Woodhull have not been updated since 1991 — 35 years old, despite being meant to be reassessed every five years
• The county has 37 miles of levees in 17 systems — and asked FEMA to delay new mapping until levees are certified, meaning updates are years away
• Director of Public Safety Tim Marshall confirmed few, if any, households have flood insurance — because outdated maps told them they weren’t in a floodplain
• The same families flood repeatedly, face uninsured losses, and wait for FEMA reimbursement that is mandatory by law regardless of who represents the district

What is still missing for Steuben County

What the announcements don’t tell you

Langworthy has announced over $30 million in federal funding for Steuben County. Most of it is real money doing real work. But:

• The $16M rail grant came through a competitive program created before Langworthy took office. Sen. Schumer wrote the advocacy letter. No evidence Langworthy played a role.
• The $9.5M FEMA funding is mandatory reimbursement under the Stafford Act. 69% of it relates to a 2021 disaster — before Langworthy entered Congress. The school superintendent thanked Schumer, not Langworthy.
• The $2.5M Head Start grant renews automatically through HHS for programs that meet standards. Langworthy said he “delivered” it. Congress members have no role in the process.
• The $4.9M water loan must be repaid by Prattsburgh residents through their water bills. USDA evaluates these applications — Congress members have no formal role.

One item stands apart: the CAREERS Act is genuine bipartisan legislation Langworthy authored to fund rural workforce training. It has been stalled in committee for over two years.

The bottom line

Federal funding announcements and federal policy choices are two different things. Steuben County is receiving federal dollars through programs that operate regardless of who represents the district. At the same time, the representative’s policy votes and caucus memberships are projected to reduce food assistance, cut veteran care staffing, and leave flood-prone communities without updated protection — according to the county’s own government officials.

Rural residents don’t need to be told what to think. They need the full picture to decide for themselves.

For the complete, sourced analysis behind each finding, see: Steuben County: Ten Federal Funding Claims Examined

Sources

• Steuben County Legislature: Chair Fitzpatrick letter (October 30, 2025); Risk MAP resolution (April 28, 2025)
• Steuben County HHS Committee: Jack Wheeler statement (August 7, 2025)
• WSKG: SNAP administration funding impact; flood map reporting (September 2021)
• FEMA: Public Assistance obligations DR-4625-NY and DR-4825-NY
• VA OIG: FY2025 staffing shortage report
• Spectrum News: Nick Stefanovic on Bath VA detox impact
• CBO: H.R. 1 budgetary effects analysis (May 2025)
• FRA: CRISI Program competitive awards (October 29, 2024)
• HHS: Head Start Designation Renewal System
• FRED/Census: Steuben County SNAP recipient data (2022)

Note: This summary draws entirely from the sourced analysis in the full ten-claim review. All findings are based on public records, county government proceedings, and federal agency data.

Last updated: February 8, 2026