Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) announced a state of emergency on Thursday as fears arise that SNAP benefit funding may be depleted by early November due to the ongoing government shutdown.
On X, Youngkin described the state of emergency as an “unusual step,” attributing it to the “shamelessness of Congressional Democrats” who have yet to approve a “clean continuing resolution” to reopen the federal government.
“The Democratic shutdown will cut SNAP benefits for over 850,000 Virginians in need starting November 1, 2025,” Youngkin stated. “I refuse to let hungry Virginians be used as ‘leverage’ by Congressional Democrats. This emergency declaration is necessary to protect our citizens facing hunger.”
He urged Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) to “stop this nonsense and vote to pass a clean CR.”
Youngkin emphasized that the state would continue to provide food benefits until Congressional Democrats prioritized the needs of Virginians over political agendas. He expressed gratitude for the backing of President Trump and his administration during this challenging time.
Reports of “huge lines” of federal workers and contractors seeking food assistance at northern Virginia food banks were noted by PBS NewsHour correspondent Lisa Desjardins when the emergency was declared.
According to Breitbart News’ Lowell Kafiel, around 42 million Americans who rely on food stamps could be impacted as the shutdown persists.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has alerted state agency leaders that those dependent on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) might face difficulties.
Pastor Eugene Cho, president and CEO of Bread for the World, a Christian advocacy organization, highlighted that maintaining SNAP benefits nationwide requires approximately $8 billion per month. He noted that without this funding, the impact would resonate far beyond just a few people—all across the country would feel the effects.
