Tensions are rising in both parties as more than 40 million low-income Americans are poised to go without grocery assistance starting this weekend when the government shutdown hits the one-month mark.
Families who receive financial support through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would normally receive benefits on Saturday for November, but those funds aren’t expected to be provided because of the shutdown.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has billions in reserve funds that can be used in special cases, but the department has argued that providing those funds in the case of a shutdown would be illegal. It said in a memo that it can only provide those funds during other events like natural disasters.
Democrats have rejected that explanation, and Democratic officials in 25 states have sued the Trump administration to force the USDA to spend the contingency fund, which has been estimated to contain between $5 billion and $6 billion. That wouldn’t be enough to fully cover November benefits, which are estimated to cost $8 billion, but the states argued it could cover a “significant portion.”
A federal judge indicated on Thursday that she would likely order the administration to distribute the funds, but they would take a few days to get to the states and then the recipients.
Republicans and Democrats have introduced competing proposals to cover SNAP while the shutdown continues, but the Senate adjourned on Thursday afternoon and isn’t set to return until Monday. That means Nov. 1 will likely come and go without families receiving the funding.
▪ The Hill: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) votes ‘no’ on motion to adjourn to protest shutdown.
Still, if the judge rules for the administration to release the funds, it could provide some partial, if delayed, relief and give senators more time to enact a longer-term solution.
