WASHINGTON—Senate Republicans on Tuesday voted down a Democratic bill to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through the government shutdown.
As tens of millions of Americans stare down the prospect of going hungry beginning Nov. 1, Senate Republicans rejected a unanimous consent bid by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) to keep the program funded.
SNAP allows those with low to no income to buy food and beverages at grocery stores.
While this benefit is mandatory—unlike Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security—it is funded through appropriations.
SNAP benefits were scheduled to be handed out on Nov. 1, but without government funding, that assistance will not be administered.
An earlier, now-deleted Sept. 30 post from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities titled “Lapse of Funding Plan,” said that SNAP benefits would continue flowing during the shutdown. The agency is now contradicting that earlier memo.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture—which oversees SNAP—said in a memo obtained by The Epoch Times that it can’t use agency emergency funds to keep the SNAP program running if Congress doesn’t vote to pass a funding agreement.
“SNAP contingency funds are only available to supplement regular monthly benefits when amounts have been appropriated for, but are insufficient to cover, benefits,” the memo states. “The contingency fund is not available to support [fiscal year] 2026 regular benefits, because the appropriation for regular benefits no longer exists.”
On the Senate floor on Oct. 29, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said the bill to fund SNAP, introduced by Luján, was a ruse by Democrats, as not enough of them have joined Republicans to end the government shutdown.
“Democrats don’t want the bad press of hungry Americans, but they’re also apparently unwilling to even contemplate ending their month-long shutdown,” he said. “So they’re trying to insulate themselves with this bill.”
Thune said the bill falls short, as it does not pay for essential people such as troops, law enforcement officers, air traffic controllers, federal firefighters, and government workers.
He also said the measure does not fund key initiatives such as rental and housing assistance, small business loan programs, tribal programs, Head Start, rural development programs, National Guard training, and telehealth services.
“The Democrats’ bill would do nothing to support even one of those programs,” Thune said.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on Oct. 29 that Republicans would be to blame if legislation to fund SNAP did not pass.
“Ask John Thune why he won’t put it on the floor,” he said on the Senate floor. “He knows there’s broad Republican support for it, and he doesn’t put it on the floor. He’s afraid of [President Donald] Trump. That’s it. He knows better.”
The White House has called on Democrats to fund the government to administer SNAP benefits.
“The contingency fund is not available to support [fiscal year] 2026 regular benefits, because the appropriation for regular benefits no longer exists.”
During fiscal year 2024, SNAP supported 12.3 percent of the U.S. population, or 41.7 million people, monthly.
