A shopper receiving SNAP benefits slides an EBT card at a checkout counter at a grocery store in Washington, DC, in December 2024. (Photo from US Department of Agriculture)
WASHINGTON — As the federal government shutdown continues into its 17th day, and with congressional leaders far from negotiatingare state officials Beginning to raise concerns about possible cuts to food assistance services that feed millions of people if the government does not reopen.
Minnesota has already done it stopped New enrollments in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). And officials inside Kansas, New Hampshire And New Mexico have warned their residents that they could miss their November food aid payments.
More than 42 million Americans rely on the program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The federal government funds almost all program services, while states administer the program.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins warned Thursday that SNAP will run out of funding in two weeks if Congress fails to reach a deal and end the government shutdown.
“You’re talking about millions and millions of vulnerable families of hungry families who won’t have access to these programs because of this closure,” she said at the White House on Thursday.
The USDA could not be reached for comment Friday.
Accordingly, the USDA has directed regional SNAP directors to stop work on November benefits an Oct. 10 letter obtained by Politico, written by the program’s acting deputy administrator, Ronald Ward.
“Given the operational issues and limitations that exist in automated systems, and in the interest of maintaining maximum flexibility, we are compelled to direct states to preserve their November issuance files and to postpone submission to state EBT providers until further notice,” Ward wrote. “This includes ongoing SNAP benefits and daily files.”
USDA has already done it over $300 million mixed through the remainder of the month, rate revenue will be contributed to the agency’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
The shutdown began on October 1 after Congress failed to find a bipartisan path forward on an emergency spending bill.
Senate Democrats have pushed for negotiations to extend expanded tax credits that are set to expire at the end of the year for people who buy health insurance on the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace.
Republicans have insisted on passing the House version of the emergency funding bill that does not address insurance premiums.
