Congressman Krishnamoorthi joins House Democrats in Demanding USDA Take Immediate Action to Fund SNAP
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) joined with Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture, Congresswoman Angie Craig (D-MN), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Agriculture, and 212 House Democrats in demanding the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) use reserve funds to continue the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the government shutdown.
On November 1, SNAP funding is set to lapse without an agreement to reopen the government, leaving 42 million families and children at risk of going hungry. As the child of food stamps, Congressman Krishnamoorthi understands the power of the SNAP program and the harm even a slight lapse would cause to working families across Illinois who would have to choose between food on the table and other critical expenses such as rent or health care.
There is currently enough in the SNAP contingency reserve to cover nearly two-thirds of the funding needed for a full month of benefits. The Members are also calling on the agency to use its statutory transfer authority or any other lawful means to address 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,” the member wrote in the letter to Secretary Brooke Rollins. “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.”
The full letter is available here.