On the verge of the longest government shutdown in US history and in the wake of two losses in district courts, President Donald Trump’s administration announced Monday that it would only partially fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for 42 million Americans this month.
In response to lawsuits filed by state attorneys general, municipalities, nonprofits, and labor groups, federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island on Friday ruled against the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) refusal to use a contingency fund for at least some of November’s $8 billion in SNAP benefits, often called food stamps.
Judge John McConnell, appointed to the District of Rhode Island by former President Barack Obama, gave the USDA two options: Fully cover the November SNAP benefits with the emergency funding and money pulled from other sources by the end of Monday, or make a partial payment of the total amount of the contingency fund by the end of Wednesday.
In a pair of Monday filings, the Trump administration chose the latter, explaining that there is “a total of $4.65 billion in the contingency fund for November SNAP benefits that will all be obligated to cover 50% of eligible households’ current allotments.”
— (@)
While the development means millions of low-income families will at least get some benefits this month, a hunger crisis still looms. As one of the filings notes, “This means that 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.”
In a Monday statement, Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, which is representing the municipalities, nonprofits, and labor groups that sued in Rhode Island, welcomed that McConnell’s order “means SNAP beneficiaries—including children and seniors—whose money ran out at the end of last month should be receiving funds for essential nutrition.” However, she also called out the Trump administration for “still trying to deprive people of their full benefits,” which “will not only prevent people from getting the full sustenance they need but also delay payments going out altogether.”
“We are reviewing the administration’s submission to the court and considering all legal options to secure payment of full funds,” she pledged. “It shouldn’t take a court order to force our president to provide essential nutrition that Congress has made clear needs to be provided. But since that is what it takes, we will continue to use the courts to protect the rights of people. For now, we are pleased to have forced the administration to release money it had been withholding from 42 million people in America who rely on their benefits. Rest assured, we will continue to fight so that people have the full benefits they are entitled to under SNAP.”
Democratic Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell—who co-led the case in her state with over two dozen other AGs—noted Monday that “never in the history of the SNAP program—including during government shutdowns—has SNAP funding ever been suspended or only partially funded**.”**
“While some funding is better than no funding, the federal government has made it clear that they are only willing to do the bare minimum to help our residents, and only after they were required to do so by our lawsuit and the courts,” she said. “The Trump administration has the means to fund this program in full, and their decision not to will leave millions of Americans hungry and waiting even longer for relief as government takes the additional steps needed to partially fund this program.”
— (@)
Democrats in Congress—who have refused to vote for the GOP majorities’ funding legislation to end the shutdown unless they reverse devastating cuts to Medicaid and extend expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits—also criticized the USDA’s plan.
“USDA has the authority to fully fund SNAP and needs to do so immediately. Anything else is unacceptable,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said on social media. “Trump’s ‘decision’ to follow the court order and only send partial SNAP benefits to 42 million hungry Americans as Thanksgiving approaches is cruel and callous. Trump should focus less on his ballroom and his bathroom and more on the American people.”
Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) similarly said: “The letter of the law is as plain as day. Trump should have paid SNAP benefits all along. Just now paying the bare minimum to partially fund SNAP is not enough, and it is not acceptable. Trump should immediately work to fully fund benefits under the law.”
Both Senate Democrats from Massachusetts, Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, also took aim at the president on Monday. Markey said: “Two federal courts confirm what we already knew: Trump must use contingency funds to fund SNAP this month. But millions will still see their benefits delayed because Trump tried to hold SNAP hostage. No more games. Use all available resources to ensure no one goes hungry.”
— (@)
While it’s the Senate where Republicans need some Democratic votes to send a government spending bill to Trump’s desk, House Democrats also blasted the administration’s decision to only partially fund SNAP benefits in November.
“This is a very temporary Band-Aid,” stressed Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), adding that “42 million hardworking Americans are trying to figure out how they will keep food on the table. Partial is not good enough. End this Republican shutdown now so we can fully fund SNAP.”
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) declared: “Trump needs to stop weaponizing hunger. They have the authority to fully fund SNAP for 42 million Americans—including 1.4 million Michiganders. Anything less is unacceptable. It shouldn’t take a court order to get the president to stop starving families and release the funds.”
From Common Dreams via This RSS Feed.