In the wake of a prolonged federal government shutdown, New York Attorney General Letitia James, leading a coalition of 23 attorneys general, has called on the Trump administration to secure the continuity of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for millions of Americans. In a letter addressed to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the group has voiced serious concerns over an impending food crisis if November's SNAP benefits are delayed, as indicated by the USDA's recent directive.
The USDA, under the strain of the shutdown, alerted states of a potential cash crunch that could disrupt November's SNAP benefits, advising them to hold off on issuing them or transmitting files to vendors. This move, according to Attorney General James, could force tens of millions, including vulnerable groups such as children, veterans, and seniors, into food insecurity. "No family should go hungry because of dysfunction in Washington," James remarked, expressing dismay over the potential effects of the ongoing shutdown, as reported by the Office of the New York Attorney General.
With more than 42 million Americans relying on SNAP to stave off hunger – nearly 3 million in New York alone – the plea for federal intervention is urgent. Among the recipients, children and seniors constitute around 60 percent, and over a million veterans also benefit from SNAP. Two weeks after states were instructed to postpone benefits distribution, they are yet to receive further guidance or adequate legal rationale for this course of action.
However, the attorneys general argue that the USDA is not without means to mitigate this issue. The agency has access to at least $6 billion in contingency funds provided by Congress, which can be utilized for SNAP operations amid lapses in appropriations. Despite this budgetary lifeboat, USDA has not yet disclosed any strategy to harness these funds to safeguard families from the impending loss of food assistance. "USDA has both the funds and the authority to keep these benefits flowing, and I am calling on the agency to act immediately," James stated, emphasizing the practical options available to the agency, according to the Attorney General’s Office press release.
The coalition demands that by Tuesday, USDA provides definitive answers regarding the deployment of these contingency funds to ensure at least partial provision of November SNAP benefits. They seek clarity on both the operational plans and the legal grounds for previously instructing states to delay benefits. Joining James in this urgent appeal are attorneys general from a spectrum of states including Arizona, California, and Colorado, extending to Massachusetts, Michigan, and extending down to North Carolina, all unified in their stance to protect the food security of their constituents.
