Topline
The Department of Agriculture said no benefits would be issued for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on Nov. 1, claiming funding for the critical food stamps program had “run dry” due to the ongoing government shutdown—a claim disputed by Democrats and some policy analysts.
Almost 42 million Americans rely on SNAP to purchase food, according to the USDA.
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Key Facts
No SNAP benefits will be issued after Nov. 1, according to a message that now displays on the USDA’s website.
The USDA previously circulated a memo, reported on by multiple outlets last week, saying the agency was not planning to use emergency funds to fund the program while the government remains shut down.
Almost 42 million Americans relied on SNAP-funded programs to purchase food in fiscal year 2024, according to the USDA, spending on average $187.20 in benefits per month.
SNAP costs the federal government $99.8 billion annually, or roughly $8.3 billion per month.
Can States Cover Snap?
Some states have moved to dip into their own funds to cover SNAP while the federal government remains shut down. Louisiana is preparing to vote on an additional $150 million to continue funding its SNAP program, local publications reported. California Gov. Gavin Newsom deployed the state’s National Guard for food distribution efforts and moved $80 million in funding last week to support the state’s food banks. However, CalFresh, the state’s program that disburses SNAP funds, said benefits would still be delayed for recipients in November. Even if states are able to cover their costs, the memo circulated last week also implied that states pursuing this strategy will not be reimbursed by the federal government when it reopens. “States are responsible for determining household benefits, and the movement of dollars through to the processors and ultimately to the retailers. There is no provision or allowance under current law for states to cover the cost of benefits and be reimbursed,” it claims.
Contra
Multiple think tanks and policy institutes have disputed the USDA’s insistence that it cannot dip into emergency funds to cover SNAP. The Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank, argued last week that the administration was legally obligated to use the USDA’s contingency fund to cover SNAP benefits. This contingency fund contains approximately $5 billion-$6 billion, CAP estimated, and would cover a majority of the $8 billion needed to continue funding SNAP through November. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities also called on the administration to use contingency funds to fund the program in the short term. In the memo circulated last week, the USDA argued that the contingency fund was needed for programs like Disaster SNAP, a benefit for those impacted by natural disasters. “Having funds readily available allows the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to mobilize quickly in the days and weeks following a disaster,” the memo obtained by Axios reads.
Who Is The Usda Blaming?
The message posted on the USDA website placed the blame for the funding shortfall directly on Democrats, who have held off on supporting the Republican-backed “clean” continuing resolution to fund the government in 12 votes so far, with the exception of three senators who are members of the Democratic caucus. “We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats,” the notice reads. “They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance.” Democrats have pushed for their own version of a funding bill, which would extend subsidies for the Affordable Care Act to address an expected rise in insurance premiums that could take effect after the end of the year. They have consistently disputed the claim that they want to provide health care to people living in the country illegally.
Tangent
As the government shutdown approaches its fifth week, the Trump administration has moved money around in order to address key funding cliffs. Earlier in October, the White House moved about $300 million in unspent revenue generated from tariffs to fund the supplemental nutrition program for low income women, infants and children, known as WIC. The Trump administration has also moved to reallocate defense funds to keep paychecks coming to members of the military during the shutdown. However, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday he believed funds could run dry for the military as early as mid-November. “I think we’ll be able to pay them beginning in November,” Bessent told CBS News “Face the Nation” host Margaret Brennan on Sunday. “But by Nov. 15 our troops and service members who are willing to risk their lives aren’t going to be able to get paid.” A private donor, later identified in a New York Times report as billionaire banking heir Timothy Mellon, also donated $130 million to help cover the paychecks. However, the donation would only cover a fraction of the costs required to pay troops.