25 States Sue Trump Administration Over SNAP Benefits
On Tuesday, officials from 25 states, along with the District of Columbia, sued the Trump administration over its decision to withhold Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November due to the ongoing government shutdown.
According to CBS News, the lawsuit filed in Massachusetts requests that a federal judge order the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide its normally scheduled SNAP benefits in November. While the USDA does have billions in contingency funds at its disposal, they’ve argued that those funds are meant exclusively to help people affected by natural disasters and “are not legally available to cover regular benefits.”
State officials countered that argument, saying it violates congressional appropriations law and is a notable shift from the USDA’s traditional policies. They referenced guidance issued by the USDA during the 2018-2019 government shutdown, when the department stated that “limited funding is available from the contingency that can be used to provide benefits for February.”
“Shutting off SNAP benefits will cause deterioration of public health and well-being,” state officials wrote in their lawsuit. “Ultimately, the States will bear costs associated with many of these harms. The loss of SNAP benefits leads to food insecurity, hunger, and malnutrition, which are associated with numerous negative health outcomes in children, such as poor concentration, decreased cognitive function, fatigue, depression, and behavioral problems.”
Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin are the states that filed the lawsuit against the Trump administration.
New York Attorney General and object of Trump’s ire, Letitia James, is among the officials who filed the lawsuit against the administration. “Millions of Americans are about to go hungry because the federal government has chosen to withhold food assistance it is legally obligated to provide,” James said in a statement.
“SNAP is one of our nation’s most effective tools to fight hunger, and the USDA has the money to keep it running. There is no excuse for this administration to abandon families who rely on SNAP, or food stamps, as a lifeline. The federal government must do its job to protect families.”
The government shutdown began at the start of October after Senate Democrats refused to approve a short-term spending bill unless it extended COVID-era subsidies that lowered the cost of health care provided through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Without those subsidies, monthly insurance premiums are expected to increase by up to 75% and will likely result in millions of Americans being priced out of insurance.
Despite Republicans having control of the Senate by a 53-47 margin, spending bills need to clear a 60-vote threshold to pass. Democrats have refused to vote for a spending bill that doesn’t include the subsidies, and Republicans have refused to even come to the negotiating table, so now we’re here.
Like clockwork, the Trump administration and the USDA have exploited the lack of SNAP benefits as a way to attack Democrats over the government shutdown. “We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats,” a spokesperson for the USDA said in response to the lawsuit. “Continue to hold out for the Far-Left wing of the party or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive timely WIC and SNAP allotments.”
It’s wild that the Trump administration’s messaging boils down to: “Mad you can’t eat? Blame the Democrats for trying to give you affordable health care!”
The way both the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress have handled the government shutdown goes to show just how little they actually care about the American people. They’re willing to let millions starve in the name of more expensive health care.
SEE ALSO:
What Happens If SNAP Stops? What You Should Know And Do To Protect Yourself
If SNAP Benefits Get Cut Off, White Grievance Will Eat Itself
When The Government Starves Us: How SNAP Cuts Target Black Survival
