Over 40 million low-income individuals receiving food stamps are likely to face reductions or no assistance at all for their grocery expenses in the near future.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has warned it may withhold billions in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) emergency funds that Congress has allocated for emergencies if the government shutdown continues into November.
Currently, the fund has around $5 billion to $6 billion, which won’t fully cover the anticipated $8 billion in SNAP benefits due next month. It could, however, provide partial assistance to help low-income Americans with food expenses.
On Friday, the USDA issued a directive stating these funds would not be utilized to supplement SNAP benefits if the government shutdown lasts beyond October 31. This seems to aim at pressuring Senate Democrats to agree to Republican spending plans to reopen the government.
In a memo reported by Axios, the USDA explained the current shutdown does not fit the criteria for accessing these funds, which were established to address unexpected events like natural disasters—essentially, those funds are designed for incidents that require immediate financial support. The USDA argues funding SNAP during a shutdown would be illegal.
The memo also opposed a previous USDA shutdown plan stating a legal obligation to distribute SNAP benefits during such events, which adds a layer of contradiction.
“Congress’s intent is straightforward: SNAP should continue functioning because it has multi-year reserve funding to assist states with operating costs amid a federal shutdown,” the earlier policy indicated.
Now, that plan has been discarded. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has suggested that Senate Democrats are responsible for resolving the issue by voting to end the shutdown, emphasizing the urgency of the situation for millions of families in need.
Democrats and advocates for SNAP have criticized the USDA’s change, asserting that the law clearly mandates the release of reserve funds. They also point fingers at the government for failing to act sooner to prevent benefit exhaustion.
“Preventative measures could have been taken weeks ago to prepare these funds,” remarked Sharon Parrott, director at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. “The choice seems geared towards leveraging political advantage.”
The handling of SNAP’s administrative costs is typically split between state and federal governments, but Washington State shoulders the entire benefit cost. Various states are bracing for bleak outcomes, with some warning of a halt in SNAP benefits by November, while others anticipate earlier cuts.
This funding issue is impacting both red and blue states, including Texas, Oklahoma, California, and New York, where officials had already flagged potential benefit suspensions even before the USDA memo was released.
Some states, like Virginia, have announced plans to temporarily cover shortfalls using state funds. However, the USDA has clarified that those costs won’t be reimbursed, posing challenges for many states lacking resources for such investments.
The looming threat to food assistance has sparked backlash from Democratic representatives, accusing the government of purposely worsening the fallout from the shutdown when they have the ability to mitigate it.
In a statement, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (R-Conn.) and Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) described it as “one of the most cruel acts by the Trump administration,” freezing legally allocated funding while maintaining other programs. They pointed out that the administration seems to have found temporary funds for other priorities, including WIC, but not for SNAP.
Reserve funds serve as a financial cushion, rolling over in three-year cycles. Heading into November, there’s approximately $6 billion available, backed by appropriations from fiscal years 2024 and 2025, but $3 billion from fiscal year 2026 is missing, largely due to congressional gridlock over the budget.
Inquiries made by The Hill before the USDA’s announcement went unanswered regarding why the emergency funds wouldn’t be accessed after November 1. Instead, USDA’s reply reinforced prior claims linking the fate of food assistance allocations to the actions of Congressional Democrats.
There’s significant political tension surrounding the SNAP debate, as President Trump and Budget Director Russell Vought seem inclined to use the shutdown as leverage to push their agenda, which includes cutting various federal programs, notably those supported by Democrats.
Amid this chaos, Trump’s administration has still managed to facilitate funds for programs favored by his opponents, like WIC, which supports around 6 million low-income individuals, including pregnant women and young children. Yet, advocates worry that the funding is on the brink of expiration without a plan for continuation.
Changes to SNAP—such as new work requirements and eligibility limits implemented by Republicans—have further complicated the situation. Republicans frame these adjustments as necessary routes for reducing waste within federal programs. They have recently been vocal about the importance of reopening the government to ensure food benefits reach people in need.
“Many in our state rely on SNAP; it’s unconscionable they might be shut out,” stated House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana).
Democrats counter that Republicans abandoned the moral high ground when they enacted significant cuts to SNAP, estimating a reduction of $186 billion during the recent budget discussions.
“Are we supposed to believe they’re now depriving families of food while giving tax breaks to the rich?” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) remarked. “The public sees through this.”
