Speaker Mike Johnson stated that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) contingency funds are not legally available to cover benefits during the government shutdown, citing a legal analysis from the Trump administration. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is holding over $5 billion in SNAP emergency funds but claims it cannot use them for the current shutdown, which it attributes to being a manufactured crisis by Democrats. Democrats have criticized this stance as a failure to support vulnerable populations relying on SNAP benefits.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced that the issuance of November SNAP benefits will be delayed due to a federal government shutdown, as they have not received necessary funding from the USDA. Governor Josh Stein expressed concern for the 1.4 million residents affected, urging the USDA to utilize available federal contingency funds to prevent hunger during the upcoming holiday season.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is set to announce $4 million in one-time funding for food shelves in Minnesota and Tribal nations to address the challenges posed by the federal government shutdown, which threatens grocery benefits for many residents. Approximately 440,000 Minnesotans rely on programs like SNAP and MFIP, which are at risk of disruption due to the shutdown.