Millions of People to be Impacted by SNAP Delay Without the Release of Emergency Funds
PITTSBURGH, PA – We are just days from the start of a new month, and a devastating time for families that will not receive the critical support they need to feed their families. USDA has announced they will not release contingency funds to cover the absence of November SNAP benefits, and low-income households who are already stretched thin will feel the impact of this distressing negligence.
It also means grocery stores, corner stores, and farmers will lose critical revenue, especially in communities where every dollar counts. By enabling local families to purchase over $350 million of groceries from local businesses each month, SNAP supports more than 100,000 food retailers in PA – including more than 200 farmers markets and farm stands.
In previous government shutdowns, we have never seen a lapse in benefits that was not met with a way to fill the gaps. In a document from the White House on the Economic Impacts of the Government Shutdown in Pennsylvania, it is stated that, “In Pennsylvania there are around 1,958,000 total enrollees in SNAP, and an estimated 760,000 whom are children.” If SNAP is truly important to this administration, then contingency funds would have been released, and every measure necessary would have been taken to keep the program funded.
Just a few months ago, the passage of HR1 brought cuts and changes to SNAP that were estimated to impact more than 143,000 adults across the commonwealth, and cost Pennsylvania hundreds of millions of dollars. Now, SNAP is being used as a bargaining chip in a disturbing political game where food assistance and healthcare are pitted against each other. If the extended premium tax credits for the Affordable Care Act are not renewed, half a million Pennsylvanians will be forced to choose between food and medical care.
“Not only are the needs of everyday working people being ignored, but the programs meant to protect them are being weaponized. When our leaders turn food and healthcare into bargaining chips, families suffer, small businesses lose, and trust in government erodes. This is not governance, it’s cruelty disguised as politics,” said Interim Executive Director, Heather Seiders.
According to NPR, various government agencies have released public messaging in response to the government shutdown that has sparked the question of lawfulness – as partisan political communication could violate the Hatch Act. USDA is among the several highly politicized responses, with an abominable notice on their website that directly attacks and dehumanizes undocumented and transgender people. This is not just a matter of policy, it’s a matter of basic human dignity and well-being.
We recognize the cost of this government shutdown. But what is at stake, is a look into a formidable reality we must refuse. We cannot continue accepting the lesser of two evils. The voices of every day Americans are being continuously silenced by the very leaders who were elected to serve our nation. It is deeply disturbing to see the blatant misuse of power and violation of lawful and ethical governance from this administration. We are again calling on members of Congress to honor our human rights that ensure the well being of our nation is protected.
###
Contact Us:
Katherine Taylor, Communications Coordinator, katherinet@justharvest.org
Ann Sanders, Director of Public Benefits Policy and Programs, anns@justharvest.org
Heather Seiders, Interim Executive Director, heathers@justharvest.org
