Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
“Bottom line, the well has run dry.”
Millions of Americans are set to lose access to food assistance in just a few days as the federal government shutdown drags on with no political resolution in sight.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has posted a notice on it’s website saying benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will not be distributed on November 1, citing the exhaustion of available funds.
In a notice posted on its website, the USDA claimed Senate Democrats had voted not to fund the SNAP program 12 times.
It then goes on to state, that “Bottom line, the well has run dry”, and that “at this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01”.
Millions of households at risk
SNAP, which supports roughly one in eight Americans, provides grocery money for low-income households across the country.
According to the USDA website, SNAP served 41.7 million people each months in 2024 – equivelant to 12.3 % of US residents.
The USDA announcement followed the Trump administration’s decision not to use about $5 billion in contingency funds to extend the program into November.
Political blame game
The government closure, which started Oct. 1, is now approaching record duration.
While the administration ensured payments for October, the lack of funds for November threatens to widen the crisis to millions of vulnerable families unless Congress reaches an agreement soon.
The White House has blamed Senate Democrats for the stalemate, accusing them of refusing to reopen the government before entering talks.
Democrats, meanwhile, say they will not proceed until Republicans agree to negotiate the renewal of expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies.
Contingency funds “not legally available”
Several Democratic lawmakers have urged Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to release the contingency funds to cover next month’s SNAP benefits.
But according to AP, a USDA memo that surfaced Friday rejected that idea, saying the funds are “not legally available to cover regular benefits” and are reserved for emergencies such as natural disasters.
States brace for fallout
Governors from both Republican and Democratic states have expressed alarm over the looming cutoff.
Some states have said they will attempt to continue payments temporarily, though federal guidance suggests they would not be reimbursed for doing so.
Others, including Arkansas and Oklahoma, are warning recipients to prepare for disruptions and to seek help from local food pantries and charities.
Growing urgency
With just days before the November deadline, the impasse threatens to deepen food insecurity across the nation.
Unless Congress reaches a deal to reopen the government or release emergency funding, millions of Americans could see their grocery budgets vanish overnight.
Sources: AP, Reuters, CNN, USDA
This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, who may have used AI in the preparation
