House Democrats Urge USDA to Tap Emergency Funds for SNAP Amid Shutdown

In a bid to secure food benefits for millions of Americans amidst the ongoing federal shutdown, over 200 Democratic members of the U.S. House have called on the Agriculture Department to deploy its emergency reserves. The USDA has been urged to use its $5 billion contingency fund to avert a shortfall in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits slated for November.

States have raised alarms that the federal pause could interrupt food assistance for tens of millions if left unresolved. A letter, prominently advanced by House Agriculture Committee members Jahana Hayes and Angie Craig, emphasized the necessity of immediate action to ensure families are not deprived of essential nutrition support.

With Democratic support both in Congress and from over a thousand U.S. city mayors, the USDA has faced mounting pressure to act decisively. Despite bipartisan blame-trading over the shutdown, the potential impact on over 41 million SNAP recipients remains a pressing concern, especially amid ongoing increases in national hunger rates.