The Agriculture Department sent a letter to all 50 states saying funding for SNAP would end on November 1.
They claimed they had no choice, that they’d run out of money because of the shutdown.
That is false.
The truth is, they have a $6 billion emergency fund that Congress gave them to make sure SNAP isn’t interrupted.
Affected by changes to SNAP? Check here for an up-to-date list of Resources.
The Department is claiming they can’t use their emergency fund for this, but we know that is false for three reasons:
In creating the emergency fund, Congress was very clear: the fund is for use “in such amounts and at such times as may become necessary to carry out program operations.”
During the last shutdown, in January 2019, the Department said they could use the emergency fund for SNAP, stating that “limited funding is available from the contingency [fund] that can be used to provide benefits for February. This reserve is being used to fund recertifications and new applications through February.”
About a month ago, the Department published a plan for how they’d deal with a government shutdown, and explicitly said they could tap the emergency fund if needed.
Read their words for yourself:
Congressional intent is evident that SNAP’s operations should continue since the program has been provided with multi-year contingency funds that can be used for State Administrative Expenses to ensure that the State can also continue operations during a Federal Government shutdown. These multi-year contingency funds are also available to fund participant benefits in the event that a lapse occurs in the middle of the fiscal year.
Now - with less than one week’s notice - the Department reversed itself and decided to let the $6 billion emergency fund sit on the shelf.
Why?
To ratchet up the pain of the shutdown. They are making a painful situation worse to help others make a political argument. And they’re hoping that most people never learn this was a choice - that they have the money and are refusing to use it.
Yes, the government is in a shutdown - and yes, the emergency fund would eventually run out if this continues.
But right now, they have billions in emergency reserves sitting untouched, and that’s the reason SNAP payments are about to stop.
1 in 4 Children
Rely on SNAP Benefits
600,000 Children
in NC are fed because of SNAP benefits
40,000 Babies
in North Carolina rely on SNAP Benefits
$180/mo
Average SNAP Benefits
November 1 also marks the day nearly one million North Carolinians — many of them the same families losing food benefits — will see their health care costs double.
So, what are Democrats doing?
Attorney General Jeff Jackson has joined a bipartisan coalition of leaders to take the Trump administration to court, fighting back against an immoral policy that would pull the rug out from under hardworking families, veterans, and children who rely on SNAP and WIC to survive.
These cuts have nothing to do with “saving money.” Donald Trump just approved a $40 billion bailout for Argentina’s collapsing economy, all while obsessing over the construction of his $300 million ballroom. This is what Republican leadership looks like. They’ll spend billions abroad, protect tax breaks for billionaires, and funnel wealth to the ultra-rich — but when it comes to feeding families here at home, suddenly the checkbook slams shut.
Democrats are doing everything we can — legally, morally, and urgently — to fight back. This lawsuit is about more than just SNAP. It’s about standing up for the basic principle that no one in the richest country on Earth should go hungry because of political games in Washington.
IMPACT
If SNAP stops, we’ll all watch as food pantries are overwhelmed. Childhood hunger will spike. This will hit schools like a ton of bricks. Teachers will face classrooms full of kids who haven’t eaten enough. And by the time we reach Thanksgiving, this will be a full-blown crisis.
Despite some comments, undocumented immigrants aren’t eligible and there are strict work requirements for folks without kids or disabilities.