House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson (PA-15), along with House Agriculture Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee Chairman Brad Finstad (MN-01), House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (OK-04), and House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee Chairman Andy Harris (MD-01), issued a statement criticizing Democrats for what they describe as obstruction in reopening the federal government. The lawmakers argue that this has resulted in a lapse of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding, impacting vulnerable Americans.
“Democrats are denying full SNAP benefits to vulnerable Americans. For the first time in the history of the program, SNAP funding has lapsed—leaving those who depend on this lifeline at risk of going hungry. This outcome was entirely avoidable. Republicans voted to fully fund nutrition benefits and keep the entire federal government open. Had Senate Democrats joined us, full SNAP benefits would have continued, our troops, air traffic controllers, and federal workers would be paid, and every government service would be operational.
“Instead, they voted fourteen times to let families go without. The Trump Administration has taken great lengths to mitigate harm across the nation. Yet, Democrats are acting as if contingency funds are an acceptable substitute for full benefits. They aren’t. The emergency reserve is not enough to cover a full month of benefits.
“As Chuck Schumer and his caucus deflect blame in every direction, their voting record is undeniable: they chose politics over feeding families. The American people are not leverage. It’s past time for Senate Democrats to reopen the government and end the needless pain they’ve inflicted across the nation.”
According to committee leadership, Republicans supported measures to fund both SNAP and other critical government programs without interruption but claim that Democrats repeatedly voted against these efforts, leading to a shutdown that affects benefit distribution.
The United States Department of Agriculture warned on October 10th that if the shutdown continued under Democratic leadership in the Senate, SNAP would run out of funding by November. Emergency reserves available for SNAP cannot provide a full month’s worth of benefits during such lapses.
Committee leaders say that immediate restoration of SNAP benefits depends on Senate Democrats voting to reopen the federal government.
