The Trump administration has issued a warning that, without a Republican plan to end the government shutdown, millions of Americans might lose their federal food benefits very soon. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicated in a memo that it lacks the capacity to redirect funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly referred to as food stamps.
The memo notes, “Due to Congressional Democrats’ refusal to approve a clean continuing resolution (CR), about 42 million individuals are at risk of losing SNAP benefits by November 1.” This situation impacts all November SNAP recipients, including those who applied for benefits in late October and furloughed federal workers, who would miss combined benefits for both October and November.
Democrats have been urging the Trump administration to utilize the federal government’s nearly $5 billion emergency fund for SNAP to address at least some of the anticipated losses. Meeting the total SNAP benefits would require around $8 billion to $9 billion each month. However, the USDA contends that such emergency funds are not “legally available.” They explained that reserve funds can only supplement monthly benefits when they are insufficient, and right now, the regular benefit appropriation is nonexistent.
The memo emphasized that the emergency fund is intended for disaster scenarios, such as hurricanes and floods, rather than for ongoing assistance. Additionally, the USDA argued that reallocating existing funds would negatively affect Americans who rely on vital programs like school lunches and infant formula. “Transferring funds from other sources would jeopardize funding for school lunches and infant formula,” the memo stated.
USDA reiterated its stance in a morning announcement, citing multiple Senate votes aimed at defunding the SNAP program. They concluded that without intervention, benefits would cease on November 1. The department implied that Senate Democrats face a critical choice: continue funding specific programs or reopen the government to support those in need of nutritional assistance.
A letter from almost all House Democrats was sent to the USDA, insisting that SNAP emergency funds should indeed be utilized for November benefits. They urged the agency to provide clear guidance to states on issuing benefits, also noting that while the emergency reserve fund might not fully cover November activities, they asked for the use of other legal authority to supplement these funds.
Moreover, Democrats have indicated they will not agree to a federal funding bill unless it extends Obamacare subsidies that were elevated during the pandemic and are set to expire soon. The Republican proposal, known as the Continuing Resolution (CR), represents a temporary extension of federal funding for the fiscal year 2025—it successfully passed in the House but has stalled in the Senate.
