States are already discussing how the government shutdown will affect SNAP benefits. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides financial assistance to low-income individuals to help them purchase groceries each month. New Jersey, Maryland, New York, and Texas are among the states that have issued statements regarding this issue. Specifically, the government shutdown could leave 42 million people without SNAP.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a notice on Sunday stating that federal food assistance will not be distributed starting November
This is a major problem, as approximately 45 million Americans rely on this aid to feed their families. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a notice on Sunday stating that federal food assistance will not be distributed starting November 1st due to budget shortfalls. States are warning struggling Americans who depend on food stamps to pay for groceries that they may miss out on benefits coming November.
Although the party led by Donald Trump has a majority in the House of Representatives, it still needs Senate votes
Government shutdowns are due to disagreements between the two parties. In this case, it was the inability of the Republican and Democratic parties to reach an agreement on the approval of government services. Although the party led by Donald Trump has a majority in the House of Representatives, it still needs Senate votes to pass the spending bill, something that has not yet been possible.
Other government shutdowns in the united States
Historically, there have been other government shutdowns: during the presidency of George H.W. Bush, there was a brief total shutdown from October 6 to 8, 1990; during the presidency of Bill Clinton, there were two short total shutdowns, the first from November 14 to 18, 1995, and the second from December 16, 1995, to January 5, 1996, which lasted 21 days; during the second term of Barack Obama’s presidency, there was a shutdown from October 1 to 16, 2013. Finally, during the first term of Donald Trump, there were two shutdowns, the first from January 20 to 21, 2018, and the second from December 22, 2018, to January 25, 2019.
The notice: there will be “insufficient funds” to pay all SNAP benefits
Some organizations and food banks warn that the problem could escalate, as people unable to access this assistance will seek other forms of aid, potentially overwhelming the system. Furthermore, this wave of announcements comes after the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the federal food stamp program, sent a letter to state agencies on October 10th stating that if the lack of allocations continues, there will be “insufficient funds” to pay all SNAP benefits for November. Some organizations also mention an emergency fund the government has for such situations, but it appears it will not be activated.
Trump Administration has already confirmed that it will not use nearly $5 billion in contingency funds
For its part, the Trump Administration has already confirmed that it will not use nearly $5 billion in contingency funds to maintain this subsidy from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP. This news comes as a surprise and further increases concerns about aid next month, which also includes one of the most important holidays for families in the United States: Thanksgiving. A day on which the celebration revolves, precisely, around food.
It’s also worth noting that during this shutdown, medical assistance and Medicare checks continue to be sent, although with delays in many cases. This government shutdown, already the second longest in U.S. history, jeopardizes the social welfare system that benefits millions of citizens across the country. According to the USDA, 73% of SNAP recipients had a gross monthly income at or below 100% of the poverty level in fiscal year 2023. We must wait to see how events unfold in the coming days.
