Nearly 42 million Americans and their families could go without federal food assistance on 1 November unless Congress urgently approves new funding, according to the Department of Agriculture (USDA). A notice on the USDA website stated that “the well has run dry” for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), directly blaming Senate Democrats for the ongoing impasse over a temporary funding measure to end the government shutdown, now entering its fifth week. The administration also reversed a previous plan to use emergency funds to maintain benefits.
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SNAP provides roughly $188 per person per month, or around £150, to help families purchase essential groceries. Advocates emphasise that the programme provides approximately nine meals for every one supplied by a food bank. With food banks already stretched beyond capacity due to rising costs and increased demand, millions of people now face the prospect of losing critical support that prevents hunger. Feeding America, which operates over 200 food banks nationwide, has urged the USDA to “use all available avenues to protect families impacted by the ongoing shutdown, without delay.”
State governments are bracing for the loss of federal SNAP funds. In New Mexico, over 451,200 residents rely on the programme, while Louisiana, with high poverty rates, has more than 847,000 recipients. Some state officials, such as Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, have declared a state of emergency to help fund the programme locally, though this covers only a portion of those affected. Advocacy groups warn that state budgets cannot fully replace SNAP without major cuts elsewhere.
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Critics argue that the USDA has the authority and funding to continue benefits but has chosen not to act. Twenty-three state attorneys general, including New York’s Letitia James, wrote to the USDA requesting the use of at least $6 billion in contingency funds already appropriated by Congress. Food policy experts call the situation a preventable national emergency, with hunger looming over millions of vulnerable Americans due to political deadlock in Washington.
