A month into the second longest government shutdown in U.S. history, we have seen thousands of people furloughed or forced to work without pay, and now in the next wave of hardships, we will see millions of Americans who rely on food assistance (SNAP) go hungry right before the holiday season.
The U.S. Agriculture Department, which runs the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is funded by mandatory spending. This means benefits aren’t capped, but the money still depends on congressional approval for annual budgeting. Without a budget, the funds are expected to run out. The USDA announced that no additional program funding will be available beginning Nov. 1. This leaves the 42 million Americans who rely on food assistance uncertain about how they will feed their families.
Since the announcement, 25 states have filed lawsuits against the USDA for suspending SNAP funds. On Oct. 31, two federal judges ruled the Trump administration must use contingency funding to support but as of Nov. 3, Patrick Penn, a USDA official who over sees SNAP, reportedly stated that the administration intends to deplete SNAP contingency funds completely and provide reduced SNAP benefits for the month of November. The administration still has not made it clear when they will be authorized to begin disbursements.
On average, a SNAP participant only receives about $188 a month. That is barely enough for groceries in a normal economy without a shutdown. This shutdown isn’t just a problem for SNAP recipients. When benefits stop, there is a ripple effect. This affects grocery stores, farmers, and food distributors who will lose their business. The local economy will slow down.
Food banks are already stretching thin without a government shutdown, and now they’re facing an even more overwhelming demand for assistance. According to the USDA, every dollar in SNAP benefits generates $1.50 in economic activity. When spending disappears, everyone will feel it. From those working on the registers to those delivering the produce to the stores.
SNAP not only keeps our families from going hungry, it also contributes to our communities and our economy. If the shutdown continues to drag on, we must hold our lawmakers accountable. They work for us and should not work against us. Ending food assistance, even temporarily, hurts us all. The government should never use food as a political bargaining tool.