Democrats Urge USDA to Use Contingency Reserve to Fund SNAP During Government Shutdown

As the government shutdown looms, 213 House Democrats have sent a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins urging the agency to use contingency reserve dollars to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is set to lapse on November 1st. The program supports 42 million children and families, and without funding, they risk experiencing hunger. The contingency reserve has enough funds to cover nearly two-thirds of the amount needed for a full month of benefits, and the lawmakers advocate for the agency to use statutory transfer authority or other legal means to supplement shortfalls.

Key Takeaways:

The letter was signed by 213 House Democrats, including Rep. Andrea Salinas (OR-06), the original author of the letter.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is set to lapse on November 1st due to the government shutdown.
The program supports 42 million children and families, who risk experiencing hunger without funding.
The contingency reserve has enough funds to cover nearly two-thirds of the amount needed for a full month of benefits.
The lawmakers urge USDA to use statutory transfer authority or other legal means to supplement shortfalls in the contingency reserve.
An excerpt from the letter reads, "For far too many veterans, seniors, and children, SNAP benefits are the difference between having food or not."

Statistics:

42 million children and families rely on SNAP for support.
The contingency reserve has enough funds to cover nearly two-thirds of the amount needed for a full month of benefits.
213 House Democrats signed the letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins urging the agency to use contingency reserve dollars to fund SNAP.

Sources:

U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06)
[US Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06)](https://salinas.house.gov/bash)
213 House Democrats sign letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins urging the agency to use contingency reserve dollars to fund SNAP.