Fox News senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram has the details from Capitol Hill on ‘Varney & Co.’
Millions of Americans who rely on federal food assistance could face delays in benefits if Congress doesn’t repeal it Budget impasse.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) sent a letter to all regional Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) directors and state agency directors on October 10 warning that funding for SNAP, also known as food stamps, would run out after October if lawmakers do not approve a new spending bill.
“If the current lapse in appropriations continues, there will be insufficient funds to pay the entire November SNAP benefits For approximately 42 million individuals nationwide,тАЭ the letter reads.
USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has asked all states to stop sending November benefit files to Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) vendors until further notice.
USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has asked all states to stop sending November benefit files to Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) vendors until further notice. (Getty Images/Photo Illustration/Getty Images)
The memo, signed by Ronald Ward, the agency’s acting associate administrator, appears to be a precautionary move aimed at buying time until the government reaches an agreement during the shutdown.
“We appreciate the partnership with the states that administer this vital nutrition assistance program,” Ward wrote. тАЬWe will keep you informed as we conduct our due diligence in monitoring the program.тАЭ
Forecast markets indicate the government shutdown could last until mid-November
More than 42 million Americans rely on SNAP benefits to support themselves or their families. (Hannah Baer/Bloomberg via Getty Images/Getty Images)
According to Feeding America, for many Americans SNAP benefits are the difference between putting food on the table and their families going hungry. Prices of groceries, gas and rent remain high, Any interruption could prove disastrous.
тАЬFamilies, federal workers тАУ including active-duty military, those who work for federal contractors and senior citizens are suddenly faced with impossible choices, not knowing whether wages or food benefits will arrive in time,тАЭ Feeding America said in a statement urging Congress to end the shutdown.
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Shoppers are shown at Kosher grocery store Casey’s Market in Boynton Beach, Florida. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images/Getty Images)
comes as an urgent request Congress remains closed What is turning into the longest budget fight ever, with no signs of progress.
The last time SNAP was threatened by a prolonged funding shortfall, many states struggled to quickly restart benefits; However, officials are saying that this time they will not have the flexibility.
For now, SNAP participants do not need to reapply or take any action. Their October benefits are protected, and the USDA says it will keep states updated on any changes to contingency plans.
