The Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a notice on its website stating that federal food assistance, received by more than 40 million people, will not be distributed on November 1 due to the government shutdown.
- “In short, the well has run dry,” the department said in its statement, criticizing Democrats for the shutdown and for refusing to approve the funding bill proposed by Republicans.
- Of the 42 million people in the United States who receive food assistance, 5.5 million live in California, making it the state most affected by the lack of funds.
As previously announced by Secretary Brooke Rollins, stating that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will run out of funds, the notice has now been confirmed.
The SNAP program, formerly known as food stamps, is a federal program in the United States that helps low-income families purchase healthy and nutritious food, making this announcement a sensitive issue with significant impact.
“In short, the well has run dry,” the department said in its statement, criticizing Democrats for the shutdown and for refusing to approve the funding bill proposed by Republicans.
Democrats had asked USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins to use emergency funds to cover the program, which provides food assistance to roughly one in eight Americans nationwide.
However, the USDA responded that it will not use those funds to cover SNAP benefits if the government shutdown extends beyond October 31, arguing that it needs them to address potential emergencies.
Issues with food assistance had been anticipated since October 10, when state agencies received a letter from the USDA indicating there would not be enough funds to pay the full amount of November’s SNAP benefits if the shutdown continued.
“SNAP benefits should never be an afterthought; protecting families who rely on these benefits to put food on the table must be a priority,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. Bonta leads a coalition of 23 attorneys general who urged the White House to prioritize these resources.
Of the 42 million people in the United States who receive food assistance, 5.5 million live in California, making it the state most affected by the lack of funds.
The U.S. government shutdown reached 26 days, becoming the second-longest in history.
Image: Opinion
