WASHINGTON, D.C. – Vice President JD Vance met with Senate Republicans Tuesday afternoon at the Capitol. Vance said it looks like they are working to pay service members for the upcoming pay period, but in regard to funds for food benefits, Vance said there are limitations for funding to help with critical food programs, like SNAP. Democrats say otherwise.
On USDA’s website, they have a banner explaining that SNAP, a federal program that provides monthly benefits to low-income families to help buy food, is out of money. The banner also blames Senate Democrats for the situation. USDA announced on November first, there will be no benefits issued due to the lapse in funding. According to online data, 41 million people, or 12 percent of US residents, received SNAP benefits.
Congressional Democrats claim the Trump administration has the power to use billions of dollars in contingency reserves to keep funding for SNAP during the shutdown. Democrats said the administration claims they cannot access or reallocate these funds.
“What President Trump is doing on the hunger issue and on the nutrition issue is immoral,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D- CT), ranking member on the House Appropriations Committee. “And I promise you that there is funding available to provide SNAP benefits beyond November 1st.”
“The White House obviously is faced with a tough decision,” said Sen. John Thune (R- SD) Senate Majority Leader. “They have to figure out how do they reallocate, reprioritize funding. Where it goes, where it doesn’t go and they’re doing everything they can legally and with the capacity that they have available to them to try and make this, I think, as painless as possible. But there is a point at which they don’t have that capacity anymore, and I think we’ve reached that point.”
In a vote earlier on Tuesday, the Senate has once again failed to reach an agreement to end the government shutdown.
