Moulton, Hayes, 200+ House Democrats Urge USDA to Take Immediate Action to Fund SNAP

WASHINGTON, D..C. - Today, Congressman Seth Moulton (MA-06) and 213 other House Democrats, including Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05), and House Committee on Agriculture Ranking Member Angie Craig (MN-02), sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins urging the agency to use contingency reserve dollars to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the government shutdown. 

SNAP funding is set to lapse on November 1 with no bipartisan solution to the government shutdown having been reached. This puts 42 million children and families at risk of experiencing hunger.

There is enough in the SNAP contingency reserve to cover nearly two-thirds of the amount needed for a full month of benefits. As such, the Members also advocate for the agency to use statutory transfer authority or any other legal means to supplement shortfalls that the contingency reserve cannot cover. 

“Now more than ever, millions of families across the country depend upon the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to make ends meet. For far too many veterans, seniors, and children, SNAP benefits are the difference between having food or not,” wrote the Members. “Now, due to the government shutdown, they are facing crippling levels of uncertainty about whether they will be able to afford food next month. A potential lapse in benefits would be felt by Americans of all ages and affect every corner and congressional district in the country.”

“We urge USDA to use these funds for November SNAP benefits and issue clear guidance to states on how to navigate benefit issuance. Additionally, while the contingency reserve will not cover November benefits in full, we urge USDA to use its statutory transfer authority or any other legal authority at its disposal to supplement these dollars and fully fund November benefits. There are clear steps the administration can and must take immediately to ensure that millions of families across the country can put food on their table in November. Choosing not to ensure SNAP benefits reach those in need this November would be a gross dereliction of your responsibilities to the American people.”

Full text of the letter is available here.

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