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Millions of poorest Americans could lose access ration card as of next month Government The shutdowns continue to escalate with no clear end in sight.
About 42 million low-income Americans who receive the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefitsAlso known as SNAP, their assistance is likely to be disrupted next month Congress Does not resolve your budget impasse.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which runs the food stamp program, said in a letter to states last week that the federal government would have “inadequate” treasury“For November.
As a result, more than a dozen states have issued warnings to residents that they may be delayed in receiving food assistance, may have their assistance reduced, or may not receive assistance at all.
In the letter received by the new York TimesThe USDA directed state agencies to stop distributing funds to recipients’ Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards. While SNAP is federally funded and run by the USDA, states are responsible for delivering benefits to needy residents.
“We will run out of money in two weeks,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told reporters at the White House on Thursday. “So you’re talking about millions and millions of vulnerable families, hungry families who are not able to access these programs because of this shutdown.”
in a statement to many timesA White House official said that Democrats “decided to shut down the government knowing that funding for programs like SNAP would soon run out.”
when arrived IndependentWhite House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson blamed Democrats for the shutdown, writing in a statement, “The Democrats’ decision to shut down the government is hurting Americans across the country. While Chuck Schumer thinks every day of the shutdown ‘gets better,’ the Trump administration and the American people know the reality: It doesn’t.”
The Trump administration and congressional Democrats have spent weeks trying to shift blame to each other for the shutdown, but the country’s most vulnerable families have been left in the crossfire as the shutdown shows no signs of ending.
On average, SNAP recipients receive about $188 per person per month, or about $6 per day. The money is administered onto prepaid cards that they can use to purchase produce, meat, dairy products and other groceries.
The USDA said SNAP currently has about $6 billion in its emergency contingency fund, but the program will need $8.1 billion to cover November benefits.
Without government aid, states have warned residents that their benefits could soon go up, with some local officials even pointing the finger at Republicans for holding back spending.
Pennsylvania officials warn nearly 2 million residents who rely on SNAP may not receive food assistance until government shutdown Is over.
“Because Republicans in Washington, DC failed to pass a federal budget, causing a federal government shutdown, November 2025 SNAP benefits may not be paid, a warning on the state’s SNAP website says. Reading.
Illinois Department of Human Services officials noted That “SNAP is a 100 percent federally funded benefit and the federal government stopping payments to the state would affect all 1.9 million recipients in Illinois.”
“The state administers more than $350 million in SNAP benefits each month, Grant It feeds families in every corner of the state,” officials said, adding that the state does not have the budgetary capacity to supplement the resources.
Missouri Department of Social Services website notes Residents’ November SNAP benefits “may be delayed or may not be provided at all, depending on what the federal government decides.”
Texas, New York, New Jersey and Maryland have all issued similar notices to residents.
While SNAP is fully federally funded, each state chooses how it administers benefits, meaning the impact of the shutdown on SNAP varies from state to state.
Advocates warn that the impact of a lapse in funding could be devastating for millions of Americans.
Crystal Fitzsimmons, president of the Food Research and Action Center, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit, said the USDA should ensure funding is available for SNAP so participants can continue to receive benefits during past shutdowns.
“SNAP not only fuels families, it also strengthens our farmers, food retailers, and our overall economy. Just as the Administration has found ways to protect its other priorities during this shutdown, it must act with the same urgency to protect SNAP,” Fitzsimmons said in a statement.
“USDA must use its contingency reserves and any additional funding sources to ensure benefits are not interrupted. Time is running out. USDA must act quickly to support the power and promise of SNAP. The health and strength of our nation depends on it.”
“Even the states that are going to try to do their best are facing really tough choices. And unless this is undone, it’s really the end — and I’m not being dramatic, this is a reality — of SNAP as we know it,” said Gina Plata-Nino, interim director of SNAP at the nonprofit Food Research and Action Center. new York Times,
The shutdown, now in its 21st day, is the second longest in US history. The longest shutdown under Trump’s first term, lasting 35 days, occurred in late 2018 and into 2019.
During that government shutdown, USDA distributed SNAP funds early to prevent benefits from expiring.
“This administration did no such thing [this time]But they still have emergency funds…” Plata-Nino said CBS News“They have the money, so it’s really a policy option.”
States could also try to take money out of their budgets to cover the deficit, although this would cost millions of dollars that the federal government could not cover.
Independent USDA has been contacted for comment.