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NEED TO KNOW
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that approximately “42 million Americans” could lose their SNAP benefits from Nov. 1
- According to the USDA, there will not be enough funding to pay SNAP benefits if the government shutdown continues
- The U.S. government shut down on Oct. 1 after Congress came to a standstill on passing a spending bill that would finance the government beyond Tuesday, Sept. 30
Millions of Americans are at risk of losing their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in November if the government shutdown continues.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) informed states in a letter that approximately “42 million Americans” could lose their SNAP benefits as they project there will not be enough funding to cover the entirety of November.
The program “provides food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford the nutritious food essential to health and well-being,” according to the USDA.
“If the current lapse in appropriations continues, there will be insufficient funds to pay full November SNAP benefits for approximately 42 million individuals across the Nation,” said the USDA in their letter signed by SNAP development director Sasha Gersten-Paal, per USA Today.
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Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins also echoed the sentiments in a post on X, writing that due to the shutdown, “there are not enough funds to provide SNAP for 40 million Americans come Nov 1.”
She also informed reporters of the predicament at the White House on Thursday, Oct. 16, per CNN, saying, “so you’re talking about millions and millions of vulnerable families, of hungry families that are not going to have access to these programs because of this shutdown.”
The concerns come several weeks after the U.S. government shut down, when Congress came to a standstill on passing a spending bill that would finance the government beyond Tuesday, Sept. 30, amid disagreements on how federal funding should be allocated.
President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans were unable to change the minds of Democrats, who held the line on their demands for Obamacare tax credits. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said at the time, “Our position has been very clear: cancel the cuts, lower the costs, save healthcare.”
However, the GOP has repeatedly dismissed those concerns, saying the matter can wait. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said, “We can have that conversation, but before we do: release the hostage, set the American people free, keep the government open and then let’s have a conversation about those premium tax credits.”
“I’m certainly open to that. I think we all are,” he added.
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Republican lawmakers and Rollins blamed the Democrats for putting “their political agenda ahead of food security for American families.”
However, Democrats argue that Republicans are to blame for being unwilling to negotiate a spending deal that includes Obamacare tax credits, per CNN.
The shutdown began at 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 1, and as a result of it, nonessential federal agencies that rely on congressional funding have been put on hold. Government employees who are deemed essential — like TSA agents and air traffic controllers — have continued to work, though they won’t get paid until the government reopens.