Cantwell, Colleagues Introduce Bill To Stop Trump Administration from Illegally Withholding SNAP & WIC Funding

Cantwell, Colleagues Introduce Bill To Stop Trump Administration from Illegally Withholding SNAP & WIC Funding

President Trump: "We can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible and bad for them like cutting vast numbers of people out. Cutting things they like, cutting programs they like." The Trump administration is required by law to use billions in available funding to keep SNAP benefits flowing in November; USDA's own guidance confirmed its authority to use available funds during a shutdown

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, joined the entire Senate Democratic caucus led by U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) in introducing the Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025, legislation that prevents the Trump administration from illegally withholding available funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

"Almost one million Washingtonians rely on the SNAP program to fill their pantries - yet the administration is withholding emergency funds that could feed families in need. It's time to put the well-being of American families ahead of politics and start negotiating to fund SNAP and make healthcare more affordable," Sen. Cantwell said.

Despite having billions of dollars ready and available to pay for SNAP, the Trump Administration continues to play politics and allow American families and children to go hungry.

Not only does the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have the authority to release SNAP contingency funds, but the statute is clear: the Trump administration is required by law to release these funds.

The Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025 directs the USDA to immediately release billions of dollars in available funds to ensure SNAP and WIC benefits continue uninterrupted for the remainder of this fiscal year. The legislation also requires the federal government to reimburse states for covering SNAP benefits during a shutdown.

The full bill text is available HERE.

Last week, Sen. Cantwell joined 45 of her colleagues in sending a letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins calling on the USDA to release the billions of dollars at its disposal to ensure SNAP benefits continue in November.

The Senators wrote: "USDA has several tools available which would enable SNAP benefits to be paid through or close to the end of November…Americans are already struggling with the rising cost of groceries, and they cannot afford a sudden lapse in grocery assistance. We urge you to immediately communicate to states and committees of jurisdiction the USDA's plans to disburse the contingency funding to state agencies and utilize all available legal authorities so that American families can get benefits without interruption."

As of April 2025, 906,414 Washingtonians were enrolled in SNAP, or 11% of the state's population. More than 53% of SNAP recipients in Washington are in families with children, and more than 38% are in families with members who are older adults or are disabled. Additionally, 206,980 Washingtonians received WIC last year, including 149,410 infants and children and 57,570 women.

According to the Washington State Standard, food banks across Washington state are already pressed to meet the growing demand for food assistance in the aftermath of draconian cuts included in President Donald Trump's budget bill, which passed over the summer.

Congressional Republicans have exacerbated the food security crisis in recent months. President Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill," passed by House and Senate Republicans and signed into law on July 4^th, changed work requirements for Americans to receive SNAP benefits, which is estimated to kick more than 2 million Americans off of food assistance, including 170,000 residents in Washington state. That legislation passed the Senate and the House by just one vote in each chamber, with the Vice President repeatedly casting tie-breaking votes to advance the bill in the Senate before President Trump signed it into law. Now, the consequences of that partisan law are impacting American families.

According to the National Grocers Association, every dollar spent on SNAP generates up to $1.50 in economic activity during economic downturns. In Washington state, SNAP contributes $4.6 billion in sales, nearly 24,000 direct jobs, $962 million in direct wages, and over $1 billion in total taxes.