Millions of Americans who rely on food stamp programs face the risk of having their benefits cut off next month as the government shutdown continues.
This current shutdown marks the first time in nearly two decades that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is experiencing a full disruption in benefit distribution, including its Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system. The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service, which operates SNAP, has instructed all 50 states to “hold their November issuance files” due to “insufficient funds.”
“We’re going to run out of money in two weeks,” Agriculture Secretary Brook L. Rollins told reporters at the White House on Thursday. “So, you’re talking about millions and millions of vulnerable families, of hungry families that are not going to have access to these programs because of this shutdown.”
Nearly 27 states have either stopped accepting new applicants or have already issued warnings to residents that the upcoming disbursements for November have been delayed or halted entirely.
“If the current lapse in appropriations continues, there will be insufficient funds to pay full November SNAP benefits for approximately 42 million individuals across the nation,” reads a letter from the USDA signed by SNAP development director Sasha Gersten-Paal.
On Friday, 3.5 million people in Texas were notified by state officials that their SNAP benefits would be cut off in November if the federal shutdown persists into next week. This would put a halt on more than $614 million in benefits. Among those impacted are 1.7 million children.
Similarly, 1.9 million residents in Illinois were informed they will lose their benefits in November if the shutdown continues. The state is unable to “backfill” approximately $350 million in federal funds, according to a statement from the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS).
“SNAP is a proven, time-tested program, one that protects children and families from going hungry,” said IDHS Secretary Dulce M. Quintero. “The federal government needs to ensure families receive their benefits on November 1, so their livelihoods are not disrupted.”
Other states that have already warned of an upcoming halt in SNAP benefits include Pennsylvania, Kansas, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Minnesota, where new SNAP enrollments have been suspended.
The USDA’s shutdown contingency plan includes a reserve fund to cover administrative costs and benefit payments, but the agency has not disclosed how much money remains available. As the shutdown continues, millions of vulnerable families face increasing uncertainty over access to essential nutrition support.
https://www.nysun.com/article/twenty-seven-states-preparing-to-cut-off-food-assistance-as-federal-funds-run-dry-due-to-government-shutdown
