19 State Attorneys General Urge Senate to Protect SNAP Benefits Amid Federal Shutdown

With the ongoing government shutdown since October 1, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) faces a funding crisis that threatens benefits for millions of Americans. Officials, including Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and 18 other Republican state attorneys general, are urging Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to pass a clean continuing resolution to maintain SNAP funding and prevent families, seniors, and people with disabilities from going hungry. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has warned that SNAP benefits will not be issued for November if the shutdown persists, though leftover funds on SNAP cards remain accessible for now. State leaders emphasize that the political stalemate is unnecessarily risking the wellbeing of over 42 million SNAP recipients nationwide. Meanwhile, Oklahoma officials report that despite a $1.3 billion rainy day fund, it is not currently accessible to sustain SNAP benefits without a federal resolution. The attorneys general's unified call highlights the urgent need for bipartisan consensus to reopen the government and ensure food assistance programs continue without interruption.