SNAP benefits amid the government shutdown

by Katie Dusza, Asst. News Editor

The government shutdown has brought forth much uncertainty to Americans. The shutdown started Oct. 1 and has continued for over 35 days. One of the most pressing issues is the uncertainty of SNAP benefits. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides funds to the grocery budgets of low-income households. 

New York Senator and US Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, both Democrats, called on the Trump administration in a virtual news conference to release withheld SNAP funds to help struggling Americans. Schumer and Gillibrand announced new legislation in order to maintain food assistance during the shutdown. 

“For the first time in history, a president, Donald Trump, is refusing to fund SNAP during a shutdown despite the fact that he has the available funds to keep it going. Forty-two million Americans, including nearly 3 million New Yorkers, will lose their SNAP benefits, not because the money's gone, because Donald Trump cruelly ordered it stopped,” Senator Schumer said.

This week, the Trump administration said it would restart SNAP benefits; however, it will only pay out half the amount people usually get. They will use money from an Agriculture Department contingency fund. However, this fund only has $4.65 billion which is about half of the $8 billion people receive in food assistance payments every month. The administration warns that there can be delays before SNAP benefits can get into the hands of families that rely on them. 

The Trump administration says it will appeal a judge's ruling that it must act by Friday to provide full SNAP benefits to people reliant on the program. Depleting the contingency fund means, according to officials, "No funds will remain for new SNAP applicants certified in November, disaster assistance, or as a cushion against the potential catastrophic consequences of shutting down SNAP entirely.” The Trump administration has refused to tap into other funds to help SNAP.

U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island condemned the Trump administration for its neglect of SNAP. “People have gone without for too long,” McConnell said at a hearing Thursday, “Not making payments to them for even another day is simply unacceptable.” 

McConnell also noted recipients of SNAP benefits include 16 million children at risk of hunger. Roughly one in eight U.S. households gets $187 per month per person on average. Nearly 39% of recipients are children and adolescents under 18.