As the government shutdown grinds on, a new threat has emerged: The USDA says it will withhold billions of dollars in SNAP funding, which would shut down the food benefits program for more than 40 million low-income food stamp beneficiaries, including pregnant women, children and the elderly.
The USDA released guidance that says the contingency fund, designed for unforeseen events like natural disasters, cannot be used for SNAP benefits during the shutdown, as it was "manufactured" by Democrats. There is $5 billion in those contingency funds.
A highly partisan message is posted on the federal USDA site that blames Senate Democrats for the shutdown and says "the well has run dry." It adds that benefits will end Nov. 1. The shutdown is a standoff over healthcare subsidies in the Affordable Care Act, which the Democrats say have to be continued to keep healthcare costs manageable for millions of Americans. The Republican-endorsed budget slashes those funds, as they argue, because illegal aliens could use them. The reality is a complex mix that bars illegals from subsidies, but allows it for people whose legal status says they're seeking asylum in the United States.
Democrats and SNAP supporters have criticized the USDA for not releasing the contingency funds, accusing the administration of exacerbating the harmful impact of the shutdown on vulnerable families. Democratic lawmakers have written to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins requesting that the government override the White House's stance and use contingency funds to cover November’s benefits.
Still, states are bracing for the possibility of no SNAP benefits being distributed after October 31, with some considering tapping state funds to cover the shortfall temporarily.
The average monthly benefit is $187 per person, per month, for those with incomes at or below the poverty level.
California's Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered the National Guard to help sort food supplies at local food banks, while other governors have vowed to use state funds to feed the hungry. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham wrote, "The federal government’s refusal to pay for SNAP benefits in November is unconscionable — and the absurdity doesn’t end there. For New Mexico that’s 460,000 people in our state — 21 percent of our population, the highest participation rate in the nation. The federal government has abandoned its responsibility to feed families.
"My administration is immediately evaluating every available legal and administrative option under this guidance, working closely with our Health Care Authority, food banks, and community partners to protect vulnerable families — including children, seniors, and people with disabilities — and we are expediting the $8 million we allocated for food banks, though that’s only a fraction of the $80 to $90 million in monthly SNAP benefits New Mexicans rely on."