Oregon Officials Demand USDA Action to Safeguard SNAP Benefits During Shutdown

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and Oregon elected officials sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) urging the agency to take immediate action to ensure that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits continue after the Trump administration posted a notice that no federal food aid will go out on November 1.

Governor Kotek Demands Immediate Action to Protect Food Assistance

After the Trump administration said it would not draw from the approximate $5 billion in contingency funds to keep SNAP benefits during the federal government shutdown, which began on October 1, USDA posted a notice indicating that food assistance would not be forthcoming on November 1. 757,000 Oregonians will be affected.

President Trump has refused to negotiate a deal to reopen the government, putting groceries out of reach for about 1 in 8 Americans. Yesterday, Governor Tina Kotek and Oregon elected officials sent a letter to the USDA insisting on immediate action.

The urgent need for the USDA to utilize available contingency and reserve funds to guarantee that states can issue November SNAP benefits on time and in full was emphasized in the letter, and it said that failing to use contingency resources to prevent widespread food insecurity would be a dereliction of the USDA’s fundamental duty to serve the American people.

Governor Kotek’s letter confirmed that, “The ongoing federal shutdown has created unacceptable uncertainty for families, children, older adults, and communities across Oregon.”

The November 1 cutoff that followed the second-longest federal government shutdown on record widens the impact of the impasse to a broader swath of Americans, many of whom are in dire need of assistance, making it critical that a political resolution is reached soon.

While the Trump administration blames Democrats, Democratic leaders say they will not agree to reopen the government until Republicans negotiate with them on extending expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies. An impasse was reached after Republicans demanded that Democrats agree to reopen the government before negotiations.

USDA was urged to act swiftly to deploy contingency funds to ensure that families have access to food and that benefits are delivered without delay.