NEWS: Schiff, Padilla, and Senate Democrats Take Action to Stop Trump Administration from Illegally Withholding Funding for Nutrition Assistance Programs

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. Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla (both D-Calif.) joined Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and the Senate Democratic Caucus 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). The Trump Administration is choosing to withhold billions at its disposal to pay for SNAP, causing the program to lapse for the first time in history, which will be devastating for the 5.5 million Californians who depend on SNAP benefits (called CalFresh in California) to help afford their groceries.

Despite having billions of dollars ready and available for SNAP, the Trump Administration continues to play politics with the ability of Americans across the country to put food on the table. 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 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. California has provided $80 million in state funds to stabilize food bank food distribution and offset delays in federal CalFresh benefits.

"Donald Trump has the power to ensure 40 million people don't go hungry during the shutdown. But he wishes to inflict the maximum pain on those who can least afford it. If he won't fund food, then my colleagues and I will push legislation to force him to," said Senator Schiff.

"Donald Trump is picking winners and losers in this shutdown, and unfortunately, he's decided not to help the most vulnerable families. Trump is illegally withholding billions of dollars in SNAP emergency funds that help feed over 40 million Americans' including 5.5 million Californians," said Senator Padilla. "At any moment, the President could end this manufactured crisis so that American families and children don't go hungry, but he'd rather starve families to inflict as much pain as possible and score political points. Congress must take immediate action through this legislation to fulfill America's promise to protect lifesaving food and nutrition assistance."

"Let me be clear: the Trump administration has the authority and the funds to keep SNAP running. No child, veteran, grandparent, or hardworking American should go hungry because of partisan politics," said Senator Luján. "Congressional Republicans passed the largest cut to SNAP in history, and now the Trump administration is withholding billions in available funding to inflict maximum pain on the American people. 42 million Americans, including 1 in every 5 New Mexicans, relies on SNAP to feed their families. That's why I'm leading my colleagues to introduce legislation that would ensure the Trump administration immediately releases available funds to keep nutrition programs running."

"Every president before Trump-Republican or Democrat-kept food on the table during a shutdown. Trump and Senate Republicans are the first in history to make the cruel and unprecedented decision to let tens of millions of Americans go hungry," said Leader Schumer. "This pain doesn't need to happen: Trump is choosing to inflict it on American families. He's choosing cruelty over compassion, politics over people. Democrats' bill would make sure no child, no parent, no veteran misses a meal because of Trump's shutdown-and Republicans should help us pass it now, and fund SNAP and WIC before this hunger crisis hits home."

"Food assistance has never stopped going to Americans in need during a government shutdown, and it shouldn't stop now," said Senator Klobuchar, Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee. "The fastest way to ensure that American families receive the food assistance they need is for the Administration to use resources they already have at their disposal. Choosing not to is unacceptable. Our bill would ensure food assistance from SNAP and WIC are not interrupted if this shutdown continues. Hungry families should never be used as political bargaining chips."

In addition to Schiff and Padilla, the legislation is cosponsored by Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

Last week, Senators Schiff and Padilla joined 44 Senate colleague in calling on the USDA to release the billions of dollars at its disposal to ensure Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits continue in November.

The full text of the bill is available here.

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