By Ariana Figueroa, Florida Phoenix
As the federal government shutdown extends to day 17, and with congressional leaders nowhere near negotiating, state officials are beginning to raise concerns of potential cuts to nutrition assistance benefits that feed millions if the government isn’t reopened.
More than 42 million Americans rely on the program, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture administers. The federal government funds nearly all the program benefits, with states administering the program.
Related: A closer look at some of the new laws in Florida.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins warned Thursday that SNAP will run out of funds in two weeks if Congress fails to strike a deal and end the government shutdown.
“You’re talking about millions and millions of vulnerable families of hungry families that are not going to have access to these programs because of this shutdown,” she said outside the White House on Thursday.
USDA could not be reached for comment on Friday.
USDA has directed regional SNAP directors to stop working on November benefits, according to an Oct. 10 letter obtained by Politico, written by the program’s acting associate administrator, Ronald Ward.
“Considering the operational issues and constraints that exist in automated systems, and in the interest of preserving maximum flexibility, we are forced to direct States to hold their November issuance files and delay transmission to State EBT vendors until further notice,” Ward wrote. “This includes ongoing SNAP benefits and daily files.”
USDA has already shuffled more than $300 million in tariff revenue into the agency’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, through the rest of the month.
The shutdown started Oct. 1 after Congress failed to find a bipartisan path forward on a stopgap spending bill.
Senate Democrats have pushed for negotiations to extend the enhanced tax credits that will expire at the end of the year for people who buy their health insurance from the Affordable Care Act marketplace.
Republicans have insisted on passing the House’s version of the stopgap funding bill without addressing insurance premiums.
