Government shutdown impacting millions with SNAP benefits
Columbus Dispatch reporter Sophia Veneziano talks about the impact that Ohioans, millions nationwide will soon face regarding SNAP benefits.
The Trump administration will partially fund monthly food benefits it has so far withheld from millions of Americans amid the second month of the federal government shutdown.
The administration said in a Nov. 3 court filing that it would partially fund November benefits for those enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). A federal judge in Rhode Island, ruling for the city of Columbus and other cities and nonprofits that sued, said the administration either had to provide full benefits by Nov. 4 or partial benefits by Nov. 5.
Its decision was required by noon on Nov. 3.
In its legal filing in the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island, the administration said it would spend all of its contingency funding to pay for 50% of benefits to eligible households in November. But that will only cover existing SNAP recipients.
“This means that no funds will remain for new SNAP applicants certified in November, disaster assistance, or as a cushion against the potential catastrophic consequences of shutting down SNAP entirely,” said Patrick Penn, deputy under secretary of the Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services at the United States Department of Agriculture, in the filing.
SNAP benefits lapsed for 42 million Americans on Nov. 1 after the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the “well has run dry” while the federal government shutdown continued. The federal program that helps lower-income families afford food includes 1.45 million Ohioans.
Enrolled families should see their benefits by mid-week as long as the court order is heeded, according to a statement from Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein.
“We will continue to push to see that President Trump follows the law, obeys the Court, and delivers the benefits folks are counting on. We will not let up on this legal fight and in our calls to Congress to reopen the government and end the uncertainty not just for SNAP beneficiaries, but for all those impacted by this prolonged government shutdown,” Klein said in a prepared statement.
As local leaders representing both the city of Columbus and Franklin County announced more than $3 million in local support for SNAP recipients on Nov. 3, Franklin County Job and Family Services urged patience for those awaiting benefits.
SNAP Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards might not be filled immediately, said Bart Logan, the department’s assistant director for communication. The method of distributing nationwide benefits has not yet been addressed, and it could be staggered.
Logan called the anticipated federal funding a “wait and see” situation.
Local and state officials have scrambled in recent weeks to provide aid to families that expected to miss benefits and the organizations who serve them. Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order late last month to spend $25 million in state funds to help those who were going to miss SNAP benefits. The Columbus Foundation made grants totaling $500,000 to local food pantries. Columbus City Council sent $25,000 to the Mid-Ohio Food Collective.
Withholding benefits during a government shutdown is an unprecedented disruption. During the government shutdown in President Donald Trump’s first term, monthly benefits still went out to beneficiaries.
The federal government shutdown is on the precipice of becoming the longest federal shutdown in U.S. history. If the shutdown continues to Nov. 5, it will have lasted for 36 days and set a new benchmark for government shutdowns.
Trump administration opts for partial benefits
U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr., a federal judge in Rhode Island, on Oct. 31 issued an oral order from the bench requiring the administration to fund the program with contingency funds.
In a written order that followed, McConnell mandated the use of $6 billion in SNAP contingency funds. If this funding is not enough, the order required the Trump administration to pursue additional available funds.
McConnell gave the administration the option to provide either full or partial benefits. In its Nov. 3 filing, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it would fund partial benefits for November.
The department wrote in its legal filing that it considered using another source, as McConnell suggested, to bridge a funding gap and provide full benefits. But it ultimately decided not to use the money, saying it would jeopardize child nutrition programs.
That funding pays for free and reduced school lunches and breakfasts, a summer food program and other programs that serve about 29 million children each day, according to the filing.
“Using billions of dollars from Child Nutrition for SNAP would leave an unprecedented gap in Child Nutrition funding that Congress has never had to fill with annual appropriations, and USDA cannot predict what Congress will do under these circumstances,” Penn wrote.
This story has been updated with the most current information.
Reporter Sophia Veneziano may be reached at sveneziano@dispatch.com.
