While uncertainty around SNAP funding during the shutdown poses a risk to food security in our area, my staff and I delivered food to a Second Harvest Food Bank in Mabton.

I send my sincere thanks to those who have stepped up to help our local food banks and encourage anyone who can donate to find a location in your area.

SNAP Funding Fix Does Not Make Recipients Whole

By Rep. Dan Newhouse

We are now in the sixth week of the federal government shutdown, and Senate Democrats still refuse to vote to reopen the government. The latest victims of what will ultimately be the longest shutdown in history are recipients of benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. On November 1 funding for SNAP expired, meaning that nearly 42 million Americans – and over 900,000 here in Washington state– will not receive their full benefits.

In response to a federal court order, the Trump Administration announced it would fund SNAP through the program’s contingency fund, a mechanism reserved distributing additional benefits during emergencies, primarily natural disasters. The fund currently holds roughly $4.5 billion worth of benefits, which will only cover around half of eligible households’ monthly allotments for the program. 

This means the U.S. Department of Agriculture will deplete the SNAP contingency fund and provide significantly reduced benefits for recipients for the month of November. But while SNAP is funded by the federal government, it is distributed independently by the states, meaning each state must now calculate the actual benefits available for the individual households participating in SNAP. This process could take weeks, or even into December, to determine who receives benefits, and how much they receive.

The real, immediate concern is those who need these benefits will still not receive them in time. While SNAP is far from a flawless program, there are thousands of low-income families and individuals in our state who utilize these benefits to make ends meet. Let’s make one thing clear; all of this can be avoided, and SNAP can be fully funded with one vote on the Senate Floor. Seven Democrats must do the right thing for families in need and vote for the House’s clean funding extension. Instead, they have voted 14 times over the last month against funding the government and left Americans to suffer the consequences.

While the Administration works to find ways to help SNAP recipients for the month of November, there is no contingency for December or beyond. Senate Democrats must immediately vote to reopen the government for the sake of those who rely on essential programs like SNAP. It is time to end this charade and get back to work for the American people.