Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) is pinning blame on the Democratic Party as families could face disruptions to federal food assistance in November.
Officials from 25 states, including New Jersey, and the District of Columbia sued President Donald Trump’s administration on Tuesday, arguing against what they described as the unlawful suspension of funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits amid the ongoing federal government shutdown.
It came as the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in a memo last week that it will not tap into an approximately $5 billion contingency fund to cover next month’s benefits for the roughly 42 million Americans who rely on the program, while states that decide to cover the cost will not be reimbursed. The agency argued that “contingency funds are not legally available to cover regular benefits” — while Democratic lawmakers and several advocacy groups claim the agency should use the fund for partial benefits.
In a post on X late Tuesday, Fetterman criticized his own party for “playing chicken” with food security, as the program serves about 1 in 8 U.S. residents.
“I reject a political gamble that exposes a vulnerable constituency to widespread deprivation and chaos,” he added.
It wasn’t the first time that Fetterman, who has broken ranks with the majority of Democrats on several issues, appeared to take aim at his colleagues and the GOP over SNAP. Last week, Fetterman ripped what he called a “failure” as the government shutdown entered its second-longest federal funding lapse ever.
“I’m the guy that’s going to consistently vote for country over party,” he said in a video posted on X, adding at one point, “And I’m going to continue to fight for the 2 million Pennsylvanians that depend on SNAP to feed themselves.”
Meanwhile, the Agriculture Department has accused Democrats of voting a dozen times to “not fund” the food stamp program.
“Bottom line, the well has run dry,” an alert on the official website reads. “At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01.”
Although Republicans have majorities in both chambers of Congress, they need some Senate Democrats to support their House-passed continuing resolution that will temporarily fund the government until Nov. 21. Democrats, however, have put up a unified front, attempting to push through their own measure that centers on extending Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire by the end of the year.
The shutdown may not only threaten SNAP recipients, but also the benefits for nearly 7 million Americans who utilize the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), which provides foods, breastfeeding support, nutrition education and referrals to other services, according to its website.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
