Alleged Threat – SNAP Benefits End November 1

SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, widely known as food stamps.

Politico reports At Least 25 States Plan to Cut Off Food Aid Benefits in November

Millions of low-income Americans will lose access to food aid on Nov. 1, when half of states plan to cut off benefits due to the government shutdown.

Twenty-five states told POLITICO that they are issuing notices informing participants of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — the nation's largest anti-hunger initiative — that they won't receive checks next month. Those states include California, Arkansas, Hawaii, Indiana, Mississippi and New Jersey. Others didn't respond to requests for comment in time for publication.

USDA's Food and Nutrition Service recently told every state that they'd need to hold off on distributing benefits until further notice, according to multiple state agencies.

"We just can't do it without the government being open," said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins in a NewsNation interview Tuesday. "By Nov. 1, we are very hopeful this government reopens and we can begin moving that money out. But right now, half the states are shut down on SNAP."

Lie of the Day?

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says Trump Administration Is Legally Required to Provide SNAP in Shutdown, Contrary to Its Claims

Statement of Sharon Parrott, CBPP President and former Office of Management and Budget (OMB) official, on Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins' false claim that the Trump Administration cannot provide November SNAP benefits during the shutdown.

The Administration itself admits these reserves are available for use. It could have, and should have, taken steps weeks ago to be ready to use these funds. Instead, it may choose not to use them in an effort to gain political advantage.

Secretary Rollins' claim that the Trump Administration is unable to deliver November SNAP benefits during a shutdown is unequivocally false. In fact, the Administration is legally required to use contingency reserves — billions of dollars that Congress provided for use when SNAP funding is inadequate that remain available during the shutdown — to fund November benefits for the 1 in 8 Americans who need SNAP to afford their grocery bill.

Also, the Administration could use its legal transfer authority — the same authority it already used to provide additional funds to WIC — to supplement the contingency reserves, which by themselves are not enough to fund families' full benefits.