The US Department of Agriculture announced on Saturday (October 25th) on the top banner of its Food and Nutrition Service official website that due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, there will be no more issuance of “food stamp” benefits next month. This is one of the largest social assistance programs in the United States.
Currently, the budget negotiations in the US Senate remain deadlocked. The announcement stated that Senate Democrats have voted 12 times to no longer provide funding for the “food stamp” program, currently known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). “Ultimately, the funds have run dry.” Starting from November 1st, the Agriculture Department will cease the distribution of any such welfare.
The US Department of Agriculture, in charge of the program, stated that if the government shutdown continues into next month, there will be a delay of $5 to $6 billion in emergency SNAP funding.
Earlier, more than 200 Democratic members of the US House of Representatives last Friday called on the US Department of Agriculture to use its emergency reserve funds to provide funding for November’s food assistance. In a memorandum reported by Axios, the Agriculture Department stated that emergency funds can only be used for unforeseen events such as natural disasters.
The announcement said that Senate Democrats are facing a crucial choice point, “They either continue to insist on providing healthcare for illegal immigrants and funding gender reassignment surgeries; or reopen the government so that mothers, infants, and the most vulnerable among us can receive essential nutrition assistance.”
Many states have warned residents that SNAP benefits for November are about to be depleted. The funding for this program is managed jointly by the federal government and the states, with each state operating its own programs.
The governors of Louisiana and Virginia declared a state of emergency this week to provide funds in case SNAP benefits are not issued by the federal government next month, in an effort to alleviate hunger that may arise.
Currently, the federal government shutdown has entered its 26th day, with the Republican and Democratic parties in Congress still deadlocked over how to fund the federal government and restart operations.
In the Senate, Democrats are attempting to make subsidies for the Affordable Care Act permanent.