Millions of Americans face potential food insecurity as SNAP funding stalls

The Trump administration announced it will not use contingency funds to support SNAP benefits in November, potentially affecting millions of Americans.

The Trump administration announced it will not use contingency funds to support SNAP benefits in November, potentially affecting millions of Americans.

1 in 8 Americans uses the SNAP program to buy groceries, but this week, according to *** memo put out by the Department of Agriculture, Federal food aid will not go out beginning November 1st. *** post on their website reads the well has run dry and blamed Senate Democrats for demanding health care concessions amid the now nearly month-long government shutdown. This comes after the Trump administration said it would not tap into the roughly $5 billion contingency fund to keep SNAP benefits. Democratic lawmakers have written to the agriculture Secretary requesting to use contingency funds to cover the bulk of next month's benefits, but *** USDA memo says. funds are not legally available to cover regular benefits. It also states that money is reserved to also help people in disaster areas to have money available to deploy resources quickly. The idea of families not receiving SNAP benefits has concerned some states from both political parties, some even pledging to continue SNAP benefits even when the federal program is halting payments at the White House, I'm Rachel Herzheimer.

Updated: 7:29 AM CDT Oct 27, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Millions of Americans face potential food insecurity as SNAP funding stalls

The Trump administration announced it will not use contingency funds to support SNAP benefits in November, potentially affecting millions of Americans.

Updated: 7:29 AM CDT Oct 27, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Millions of Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) may face challenges in accessing food aid starting Nov. 1, as the Trump administration has decided not to utilize available contingency funds to support the program.According to a memo from the Department of Agriculture, federal food aid will not be distributed due to the ongoing government shutdown, which has lasted nearly a month. A post on the Department of Agriculture's website stated, "The well has run dry," attributing the situation to Senate Democrats demanding health care concessions that the Agriculture Department misleadingly characterized as "health care for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures."Democratic lawmakers have urged Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to use the contingency funds to cover the majority of next month's benefits. However, a USDA memo clarified, "Contingency funds are not legally available to cover regular benefits," noting that these funds are reserved for disaster areas to ensure quick deployment of resources.There are legal questions surrounding not tapping into contingency funds.According to the progressive think tank Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "the administration is legally required to use contingency reserves — billions of dollars that Congress provided for use when SNAP funding is inadequate that remain available during the shutdown — to fund November benefits for the 1 in 8 Americans who need SNAP to afford their grocery bill."The same authority has been used by the administration to provide additional funds to WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.The prospect of families not receiving food assistance has raised concerns across states governed by both political parties. Some states have committed to maintaining SNAP benefits even if federal payments are halted. Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:

WASHINGTON —

Millions of Americans who rely on the may face challenges in accessing food aid starting Nov. 1, as the Trump administration has decided not to utilize available contingency funds to support the program.

According to a memo from the Department of Agriculture, federal food aid will not be distributed due to the ongoing government shutdown, which has lasted nearly a month.

stated, "The well has run dry," attributing the situation to Senate Democrats demanding health care concessions that the Agriculture Department misleadingly characterized as "health care for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures."

Democratic lawmakers have urged to use the contingency funds to cover the majority of next month's benefits. However, a USDA memo clarified, "Contingency funds are not legally available to cover regular benefits," noting that these funds are reserved for disaster areas to ensure quick deployment of resources.

There are legal questions surrounding not tapping into contingency funds.

According to the progressive think tank , "the administration is legally required to use contingency reserves — billions of dollars that Congress provided for use when SNAP funding is inadequate that remain available during the shutdown — to fund November benefits for the 1 in 8 Americans who need SNAP to afford their grocery bill."

The same authority has been used by the administration to provide additional funds to WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.

The prospect of families not receiving food assistance has raised concerns across states governed by both political parties. Some states have committed to maintaining SNAP benefits even if federal payments are halted.

Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:

��vlog