USDA says it can't use contingency fund for food stamps - Roll Call
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The Agriculture Department says it can’t use a reserve fund to pay food stamp benefits during the partial government shutdown.

The memo also appears to contradict the department’s shutdown plan released in late September, when it referred to the contingency fund as part of its SNAP plan.

“Congressional intent is evident that SNAP’s operations should continue since the program has been provided with multi-year contingency funds that can be used for State Administrative Expenses to ensure that the State can also continue operations during a Federal Government shutdown,” the shutdown plan said. “These multi-year contingency funds are also available to fund participant benefits in the event that a lapse occurs in the middle of the fiscal year.”

The Agriculture Department said Friday it can’t use a special reserve fund to pay food stamp benefits during the partial government shutdown because the money is meant to be used when appropriations fall short, not when the funding doesn’t exist.

I’d argue the source below is higher quality but got moderated for being substack:

https://mander.xyz/post/40669009/22934422

  • porcoesphino@mander.xyzOP
    161·
    5 days ago

    I originally used this source and I think its higher quality (but substack so got moderated):

    https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/october-25-2025

    Yesterday the Trump administration said it would not use any of the approximately $6 billion the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) holds in reserve to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

    the shutdown plan the USDA released in late September. Then, it said: “Congressional intent is evident that SNAP’s operations should continue since the program has been provided with multi-year contingency funds that can be used for State Administrative Expenses to ensure that the State can also continue operations during a Federal Government shutdown. These multi-year contingency funds are also available to fund participant benefits in the event that a lapse occurs in the middle of the fiscal year.”

    Today, in yet another violation of the Hatch Act that prohibits the use of government resources for partisan ends, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service website reads: “Senate Democrats have now voted 12 times to not fund the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Bottom line, the well has run dry. At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance.”

    at the same time the Department of Agriculture says it cannot spend its $6 billion in reserves to address the $8 billion needed for SNAP in November, the administration easily found $20 billion to prop up right-wing Trump ally Javier Milei in Argentina.