A food program that supports millions of low-income Americans could soon be affected by the shutdown as lawmakers blame one another for the Washington gridlock that is putting benefits at risk.
Millions of Americans’ benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are set to lapse on Nov. 1, with at least 25 states having announced they will cut off the program due to the government shutdown. It is one of several aid programs facing the consequences of Congress’s inability to pass a short-term spending deal to fund the government.
The blame game for the impending lapse of SNAP benefits is falling along party lines, as most funding has since the beginning of the shutdown on Oct. 1. Republicans argue that it is the fault of Senate Democrats, who have voted against the Nov. 21 continuing resolution 12 times.
The Department of Agriculture had warned in early October that if the government shutdown continued, “there will be insufficient funds to pay full November SNAP benefits for approximately 42 million individuals across the Nation,” leaving many members uncomfortable with the pain expected to be inflicted on their constituents.
“Millions of American families are about to lose access to food assistance because Democrats are openly admitting to being afraid of their far-left base and refuse to reopen the government,” House Agriculture Committee Glenn Thompson (R-PA) said in a statement to the Washington Examiner.
“The idea that Democrats would use hungry families as ‘leverage’ is shameful,” Thompson continued. “We need to reopen the government, so we can put Americans first by making sure families can put food on the table and our farmers are supported.”
Republicans in the Senate are discussing options to vote on a bill from Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), which would fund SNAP benefits during the shutdown.
For weeks, a lapse in SNAP benefits has been viewed as a critical tipping point that could hurt millions of Americans if the shutdown dragged on. The outcome is likely to put pressure on lawmakers to reopen the government. Congress passed a similar milestone on Oct. 15, the day military servicemembers would miss their first paycheck.
But the White House intervened, finding unused funds already appropriated through the Defense bill for research and development to pay troops, sparing Democrats and Republicans from having to fight over the shutdown while military men and women were going without pay.
Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY) told reporters Thursday that it “absolutely will affect Kentucky if the Senate doesn’t pass the bill,” referring to the CR.
When the Washington Examiner asked Guthrie if he expects the White House to make a similar move as they did with military pay, he said he had “not heard anything on SNAP specifically,” but he knows “that they did everything they could to make sure our soldiers were paid.”
Rep. Robert Anderhold (R-AL) shared a similar sentiment, telling the Washington Examiner that he is sure “if there’s money that is available, I’m sure the President would try to move some money around.”
Democrats are arguing it is the fault of Republicans for not coming to the table, therefore prolonging the government shutdown.
“As if Republicans’ $186 billion cut to SNAP wasn’t enough – their shutdown makes it harder for Minnesotans to keep food on the table,” House Agriculture Committee ranking member Angie Craig (D-MN) said in a post last week, featuring the news her home state of Minnesota would stop processing SNAP.
“The saddest part is that my Republican colleagues from MN won’t even show up to work to fix it. That should tell you all you need to know,” Craig added.
Senate Democrats are imploring the White House to do something similar for SNAP benefits. In a letter sent to the USDA on Thursday, 46 Democratic and Independent senators asked Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to either use contingency funding or transfer funds from other nutrition programs to pay for SNAP.
“Americans are already struggling with the rising cost of groceries, and they cannot afford a sudden lapse in grocery assistance,” the senators wrote. “We urge you to immediately communicate to states and committees of jurisdiction the USDA’s plans to disburse the contingency funding to state agencies and utilize all available legal authorities so that American families can get benefits without interruption. Democrats remain at the table and ready to negotiate reopening the government.”
SNAP benefits lapsing puts Democrats at a crossroads: Will this be the straw that breaks Democrats’ will to stand firm on reversing cuts to healthcare in the “big, beautiful bill” and extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits? Or will they cave in November and vote for the CR?
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) told reporters that Democrats are “standing strong” and firm for healthcare while “working at the same time for SNAP benefits.” When asked if the Nov. 1 lapse date is calculated based on Democrats’ approach to the shutdown, Blumenthal said they have a position that’s “consistent.”
“Obviously, we’ll do everything possible to use other sources of funds, whether state or federal, to fill the gap on SNAP benefits,” Blumenthal said.
Democratic senators are brushing off the idea that their demands become moot when Nov. 1 first hits. Not only are SNAP benefits lapsing, but Nov. 1 marks the beginning of open enrollment for Obamacare premiums.
“Maybe Republicans think that they can just hold out and not negotiate until November 1, and this issue will go away,” Murphy said. “It’s going to get hotter on November 1. Maybe they think that this is all a moot point. It’s the exact opposite. It becomes more of an urgent issue for the people that are going to be faced with the decision of whether to keep or drop their coverage on November 1.”
Members of Congress are not the only people concerned about this lapse in funding of the crucial program. Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) announced Thursday that he was declaring a state of emergency, beginning Nov. 1, amid SNAP benefits running out due to the government shutdown.
“The Democrat Shutdown will cause SNAP benefits to run out for over 850,000 Virginians in need starting November 1, 2025. I refuse to let hungry Virginians be used as ‘leverage’ by congressional Democrats. I am declaring a State of Emergency due to the Democrat Shutdown to protect hungry Virginians in need,” Youngkin wrote in a press release.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also addressed the issue in a press conference on Thursday.
“Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, which provides food benefits to low-income families, is beginning to lapse this week in some states,” Leavitt said. “If Democrats continue to hold Americans hostage, there will not be enough funds to provide SNAP benefits for more than 40 million Americans on November 1st, that is next week.”
She added that the administration would “absolutely” support Hawley’s legislation to fund the program if Congress were to pass it.
STATES SCRAMBLE TO ADDRESS LAPSE IN SNAP FUNDING DURING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) told reporters Thursday that if the Senate passes a stand-alone bill to fund SNAP benefits, “then the House will address that,” as he has kept the lower chamber home throughout the entire shutdown. He added he’s spoken to his home state Gov. Jeff Landry (R-VA) about the issue, but Democrats “own this shutdown and all these horrible consequences.”
“We hope that it would come over the finish line, but the bill that will get everyone paid and put everyone back to work is the clean continuing resolution,” Leavitt said. “That’s what the President and Republicans want to see.”
Ramsey Touchberry and Mabinty Quarshie contributed to this article.
