(NEXSTAR) – As the government shutdown continues into a third week, states have begun issuing worrisome warnings: Food aid funding is about to run out.
“November SNAP benefits will not be provided if the federal government shutdown continues beyond October 27,” he warned Texas Department of Health and Human Services.
Officials come in Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Oregon, recent York, Pennsylvania And West Virginia All issued similar warnings, saying the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (or SNAP for miniature) would run out of money in a few days.
“We’re going to run out of money in two weeks,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Thursday.
SNAP, formerly called the Food Stamp Program, helps people living near or below the poverty line afford food. The program is federally funded but administered by state and local governments. The United States Department of Agriculture began informing states last week that it is looking for alternative sources of funding. In the meantime, however, states should suspend the provision of benefits approved after October 16.
The funding disruption could impact 42 million people, or one in eight Americans, who rely on SNAP for grocery shopping.
What happens to SNAP benefits in November?
The USDAs Emergency shutdown plan allows the agency to draw on reserve funds to maintain SNAP operations if the federal government remains closed for more than a month. But it would cost about $8 billion to maintain benefits for everyone in November, making fundraising challenging.
The size of the emergency fund is approximately $6 billion. according to CNN.
States could scrape together the money themselves to maintain benefits, but they are not expected to be reimbursed, said Peter Hadler, deputy commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Social Services.
Benefits could also be delayed or only granted to some families. The USDA has a plan that would allow it to prioritize distribution of November funds to recipients with the greatest need. This is reported by the New York Times.
It’s also not clear how solemn the USDA is about cutting benefits or whether last week’s warnings are intended to boost political pressure to reopen the government. Messages for USDA website The “Radical Left” Democrats are blaming the shutdown on the shutdown, while the leaders like it Pennsylvania And recent York blame the Republicans.
“We are looking into this,” New Mexico Budget and Accountability Office Director Charles Sallee told lawmakers at a hearing Wednesday, “to see if food stamps are truly out of money or if this is just a tactic the administration is using in overall negotiations.”
“We are in uncharted territory,” Carolyn Vega, deputy director of the nonprofit Share Our Strength, told the Times. She said benefits have continued to flow during the government shutdowns of the past two decades.
The funding threat comes at a turbulent time for SNAP programs across the country. The deadline to comply with the One Big Beautiful Bill is approaching in November a loss of performance is to be expected for certain types of SNAP recipients.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
