US Government Shutdown Persists, Over 41 Million Low-Income Individuals to Lose Food Assistance

On Saturday, October 25th, Eastern Time, the US Department of Agriculture announced on its website that due to the ongoing government shutdown, food assistance received by over 40 million Americans will be suspended starting November.

The SNAP program operates by providing people with rechargeable debit cards that they can use to purchase essential groceries. According to data from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), a family of four receives an average of $715 in benefits per month, equivalent to about $6 per person per day.

The US Department of Agriculture stated that over 41 million people rely on these monthly benefits; in other words, one in eight Americans uses the program. In some states like New Mexico, up to 21% of residents depend on it.

Since the US government shutdown began on October 1st, its duration has reached 26 days, making it the second-longest government shutdown in history.

Due to the prolonged shutdown and the continued deadlock between the two US political parties over issues like the fiscal budget, the SNAP program has not received replenished funds.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration refused to use a contingency fund to continue disbursing aid for this program, stating that the funds were needed for potential emergencies such as natural disasters. This has left SNAP funds nearly depleted.

However, after the federal government "cut off" funding, several US states have pledged to use their own funds to cover the shortfall, but the federal government has warned that it will not reimburse local governments later.

Some states, including Massachusetts, have stated that they do not have sufficient funds to make up for the shortage.