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 article discusses the ongoing government shutdown's impact on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), with the USDA stating it cannot issue November benefits without congressional funding. Democrats blame the Trump administration for the situation, asserting that the administration has the authority to fund the benefits but is choosing not to, while anti-hunger advocates call the USDA's claims false and legally questionable.

The Trump administration warns that 42 million Americans could lose their food stamp benefits if Democrats do not agree to a Republican proposal to end the ongoing government shutdown. The USDA has stated that it cannot reallocate funds to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and emphasized that existing contingency funds are not legally available for this purpose. The situation could leave many individuals without necessary food assistance starting November 1st.

Massachusetts residents who rely on SNAP benefits will not receive their November assistance due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, as the Trump administration has decided not to utilize available contingency funds. The decision affects about 1 in 6 families in the state, raising concerns about food insecurity among vulnerable populations.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced a $30 million emergency food fund to support residents facing the loss of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits amid a federal government shutdown. Nearly three million New Yorkers are at risk of losing food assistance starting November 1, prompting Hochul's intervention to mitigate the impact on vulnerable families during the holiday season.