McGarvey Calls out Trump Admin for Withholding SNAP, Urges Use of Contingency Funds

McGarvey Calls out Trump Admin for Withholding SNAP, Urges Use of Contingency Funds

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Morgan McGarvey joined House Democratic lawmakers in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to urge the agency to use contingency reserve dollars to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the government shutdown. ]

With no resolution to a bipartisan path forward to reopen the government, SNAP funding is set to lapse on November 1st, putting 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 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 McGarvey and his Democratic colleagues. "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."

When Republicans passed H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, they voted to eliminate $187 billion from the SNAP program and imposes undue barriers to farmers in the Ag industry. The reluctance of this Administration to step in and fund the program builds upon previous efforts at weakening SNAP and other federal nutrition assistance programs.

Full text of the letter is available here.

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