Guest Editorial

Among all the sections in the so-called Big Beautiful Bill that will drive up the federal deficit, pour billions into defense and border security and cut federal spending on Medicaid is one item that shows Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski was thinking ahead.

The senator said she successfully negotiated to add a provision that delays until at least 2028 new federal penalties on Alaska for its shamefully high error rate in processing SNAP benefits (food stamps) for needy people.

The penalties — if the state cannot solve its problems and reduce its error rate from the highest in the nation — could cost...