Millions risk losing food stamps as government shutdown continues

With no settlement reached to reopen the federal government and no authorities motion to make up for the shortfall in federal advantages, tens of millions of Individuals are prone to dropping their meals advantages beginning Saturday.

The argument raging within the Senate echoes the identical argument that has up to now led to a 32-day authorities shutdown.

Senate Democrats argue that with the stroke of a pen — as with the expiration of Obamacare subsidies — President Donald Trump may simply see the Supplemental Vitamin Help Program (SNAP), higher often called meals stamps, funded because the shutdown continues.

SENATE GOP DIVIDED AS MILLIONS AT RISK OF LOSS FOOD AID IN SHUTDOWN STANDOFF

Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., proper, speak to reporters after assembly with President Donald Trump and Republican leaders concerning the authorities funding disaster, on the Capitol in Washington, September 29, 2025. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

‘We do not need to compromise healthcare and meals, [Republicans] Try this,” mentioned Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer. “We predict you possibly can have each.”

However Republicans in Congress and the administration argue that meals stamp advantages, and lots of different authorities applications, could possibly be absolutely funded if Schumer and his caucus had been to clear the votes to reopen the federal government.

Democrats are suing the Trump administration partly for its refusal to make use of the SNAP reduction fund, which they are saying is value about $5 billion, to finance this system. However a current memo from the U.S. Division of Agriculture (USDA) argued that there was no authorized standing to make use of the fund and that federal SNAP funds would dry up on Nov. 1 if Democrats didn’t vote to finish the shutdown.

A pair of federal judges dominated Friday that the federal government ought to pay out some or all of November’s meals stamp advantages.

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins confirmed the memo throughout a press convention on Friday: “There’s a contingency fund at USDA, however that contingency fund, I do not assume, even covers half of the $9.2 billion that will be wanted for November’s SNAP. But it surely ought to solely move if the underlying program is funded.”

USDA CHIEF WARNS ‘WE ARE RIGHT AT THE CLIFF’ AS 40 MILLION AMERICANS VOTE FOR FOOD STAMP EXCLUSIONS

Senate Majority Chief John Thune speaks throughout a information convention with Senate Republican leaders after a coverage luncheon on Capitol Hill in Washington, October 28, 2025. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu by way of Getty Pictures)

Nothing typified the dysfunction of the advantages that 42 million Individuals depend on greater than an explosion on the Senate ground this week between Senate Majority Chief John Thune, R-S.D., and Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M.

Luján tried to drive a vote on his invoice that will fund each meals stamps and the Particular Supplemental Vitamin Program for Ladies, Infants and Kids (WIC), however was promptly blocked by an indignant Thune, who argued that Democrats have had 13 probabilities to fund this system by the shutdown.

“This isn’t a political sport, these are the lives of actual individuals we’re speaking about,” Thune mentioned. “And also you all discovered, 29 days later, that there could possibly be penalties.”

Democrats argue that Trump and the U.S. Division of Agriculture, which oversees this system, are actively selecting to not fund this system since there’s about $5 billion in a contingency fund that the federal government may dip into.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., charged that it was “Trump’s selection.”

“He has $5 billion that he could possibly be utilizing proper now to assist individuals, to assist individuals feed their kids, and he chooses to not,” he mentioned. “What he’s doing is sick, intentionally making this shutdown extra painful as a method to get Democrats to signal on to an immoral, corrupt finances.”

The argument was a lot the identical within the Home of Representatives, which handed the Republican Get together’s federal funding invoice on September 19. Nevertheless, each Republicans and Democrats seem like involved.

SCHUMER, DEMS CALL ‘BULL—-‘ ON TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ON FOOD STAMPS THREAT

President Donald Trump listens as Senate Majority Chief John Thune speaks throughout a lunch with Republican senators on the Rose Backyard patio on the White Home in Washington, October 21, 2025. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP)

“I simply left the native meals financial institution in my district and talked to seniors there, and they’re all very involved,” Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., whose district is dwelling to greater than 120,000 SNAP recipients, informed Fox Information Digital. “They agree with me that the Senate, beginning with their very own Senator, Senator Schumer, should vote to proceed the prevailing funding ranges they beforehand voted for 4 instances and keep away from this pointless ache.”

There’s a bipartisan want to fund this system earlier than the federal government reopens, however the likelihood that piecemeal payments, or “gunshots,” will attain the ground had been squashed by Thune throughout the week.

Each Luján and Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., have payments that will fund meals stamps, with Hawley’s invoice having 29 bipartisan cosponsors, together with Schumer.

One of many co-sponsors, Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., informed Fox Information Digital that the administration’s argument was partly that the $5 billion within the reduction fund was not sufficient to cowl one month’s value of meals stamp advantages.

“It is hurricane season and that is actually satisfying,” he mentioned. “But it surely’s not sufficient both approach. We have tried to completely fund SNAP fourteen instances – as soon as with an precise appropriations invoice … to say, ‘let’s simply fund it for the 12 months,’ 13 instances for the brief time period. It is a bit irritating. A few of my Democratic colleagues are saying, ‘Effectively, discover a technique to fund it for per week or so, transfer issues alongside.'”

However on the Home facet, it isn’t clear whether or not Democrats or Republicans are involved in piecemeal payments throughout the shutdown.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has constantly mentioned he’ll solely name the Home again into session if Senate Democrats vote to reopen the federal government.

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In the meantime, Fox Information requested Digital Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., throughout a information convention at SNAP this week on whether or not he mentioned meals stamp laws together with his Senate counterparts.

“I am aware of the proposals, and I do know that a lot of my colleagues … have additionally proposed laws right here within the Home. These conversations will proceed,” Neguse mentioned. However “in the end,” he added, “there isn’t a have to cross laws to launch these funds. It’s the legislation.”