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Food

USDA Cuts Off Food Assistance for Americans in Need, Stoking Hunger Fears

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Senator Amy Klobuchar and her colleagues have criticized the US Department of Agriculture's decision to withhold food assistance for families in need, labeling it a "painful" and "unacceptable" move. Klobuchar, the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, stated that the Administration has the authority to release contingency funding to cover the cost of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) but has chosen not to, despite Congressional intent to the contrary.

Key Takeaways:

  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that it will withhold food assistance for families in need, starting November 1, by refusing to use contingency funding to cover the cost of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
  • The decision was criticized by Senator Amy Klobuchar, ranking member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, who stated that the Administration is "choosing not to feed Americans in need" and that hunger is "not a bargaining chip."
  • Klobuchar previously joined Senators Cory Booker, Ben Ray Lujan, and 43 colleagues in calling on the USDA to release the funding at its disposal to ensure SNAP is funded in November.
  • The Administration itself acknowledged in its now-deleted lapse of funding plan that Congressional intent is evident that SNAP operations should continue since multi-year contingency funds are available to pay for SNAP benefits and state administrative funds in the event of a shutdown.
  • The USDA's decision to withhold food assistance has sparked concerns about hunger and food insecurity among vulnerable populations, including low-income families and children.
  • Klobuchar and her colleagues are urging the Administration to reconsider its decision and release the contingency funding to ensure that SNAP benefits continue uninterrupted.

Statistics:

  • The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) serves over 40 million Americans, constituting nearly 1 in 8 people in the United States.
  • The USDA's decision to withhold food assistance is expected to affect over 22 million people who rely on SNAP benefits to purchase food.
  • SNAP benefits account for approximately 75% of the total household budget for low-income families, making it a critical resource for food security.
  • The USDA has acknowledged that the contingency funding is available to cover SNAP benefits and state administrative funds in the event of a shutdown, but has chosen not to use it.

Sources:

  • Klobuchar, Amy. "Klobuchar Statement on USDA Cutting off Food Assistance from Americans in Need." U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, 25 Oct. 2023.

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