USDA: Democrats blamed for SNAP benefits cut

The Agriculture Department announced on Saturday that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, also known as food stamps, will be suspended starting November 1 due to the government shutdown. The department's website attributed the suspension to Senate Democrats not funding the program.

The message on the USDA's website stated that Senate Democrats had voted 12 times against funding SNAP, leading to the halt in benefits issuance. The department urged Senate Democrats to reopen the government to ensure critical nutrition assistance for vulnerable individuals.

The government shutdown, now approaching its fifth week, hinges on Senate Republicans and Democrats reaching a 60-vote threshold for temporary funding legislation. Representatives for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries did not immediately respond to the USDA's message.

The White House spokesperson, Anna Kelly, criticized Senate Democrats for prioritizing healthcare for illegal immigrants over protecting SNAP benefits for American citizens. Some Democrats accused the Trump administration of violating the Hatch Act by blaming the funding lapse on Senate Democrats at the start of the shutdown.

SNAP benefits were funded through October, but a letter from the acting associate administrator for SNAP warned that benefits would cease on November 1 if the shutdown persisted. The Senate's attempt to pass a stopgap funding measure failed, leading to the suspension of benefits for approximately 42 million individuals.

Senate Democrats proposed a funding measure to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies, but it did not pass the 60-vote threshold. They insisted on extending the subsidies to prevent a sharp increase in health insurance premiums. Republicans accused Democrats of seeking to fund healthcare for undocumented immigrants, which is already prohibited by federal law.

Democrats' proposed funding measure aimed to reverse cuts preventing "lawfully present" immigrants from accessing federal healthcare programs. These immigrants include DACA beneficiaries, individuals with temporary protected status, refugees, and asylum seekers.