What’s going forward for the second day’s closing council leaders?
Zach Schermele of USA Today will be at Capitol Hill on the second day of government shutdown as federal layoffs begin soon.
As partial government closures expand on the second day except for the end, more federal funding agencies have kept the lights up and keep their doors open for millions of Americans who rely on service.
Some programs are guaranteed to continue funding, such as Social Security, but others face greater uncertainty as Congress and the White House continue to remain modest beyond budgets. Programs such as the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplementary Nutrition Program (WIC) for Women, Infants and Children rely on cooperation between the state and the federal government.
SNAP perks will be assigned one month in advance. So, October doesn’t make a difference for those who rely on the program. However, in the face of extended shutdowns, the process can quickly become complicated.
Here’s what you need to know about government closures and snaps:
What is a snap?
The Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program, known as “Food Stamps,” is a US federal program designed to help low-income individuals and families provide nutritious foods. We offer monthly perks via an electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. It works like a debit card that can be used to buy groceries at certified retailers, such as supermarkets and convenience stores.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, in 2024, SNAP was used by an average of 41.7 million people per month, or around 12.3% of the US population.
What happens to Snap during the government shutdown?
USDA, which oversees SNAP and similar programs through its food and nutrition services division, has a contingency plan to maintain core services at least temporarily during government closures.
Funds for the October SNAP benefits were allocated before the month began. This means that payments have already been processed and distributed. According to the USDA plan, if the shutdown lasts for a long time, USDA can take advantage of multi-year emergency response funds that can be used to directly pay administrative costs and participant benefits. It is currently unknown whether the reserves are currently available.
However, these measurements are temporary means of performing FNS. Existing ongoing resolutions, or temporary funding measures, will generally allow the USDA to pay benefits 30 days after the closure begins, and the funds may run out. If closures continue beyond October, it could run out of USDA’s contingency plans, and administrations could choose not to utilize the multi-year fund, according to the Responsible Federal Budget Committee and the Center for Food Research and Action.
At this point, it is unclear whether the closure will last long or whether benefits will be suspended in November.
During the closures between 2018 and 2019, the USDA paid its February benefits early at the end of January, and Congress passed emergency funds in March to continue paying.
USA Today reached USDA for comment.
What challenges do SNAP beneficiaries face with government shutdowns?
Maintaining SNAP’s profits can be a challenge, especially at the state level if the shutdown is too long.
USDA staff were cut by about half during the final shutdown. Activities such as benefits verification, application processing and website updates have been suspended, and other features could face delays due to bare bone staffing.
The timeline in which SNAP benefits are handled varies by state. This means that federal level chaos can quell the chaos. Each state must send data on the SNAP benefits of eligible households monthly to the EBT vendor. This data allows vendors to load perks into their EBT cards for next month, resulting in delayed or missed payments if not submitted in time, according to the Responsible Federal Budget, Food Research & Action Center and the USDA Committee.
Normally, the USDA coordinates and approves transmissions for these states, but the ability to do so is limited by Furloughs and lack of funds.
Food retailers are also unable to renew their EBT Resense or apply for a new license during shutdown. This means that those who have expired their license will no longer accept SNAP perks.
How will the food bank be affected by government closures?
Food banks have historically been affected by closures as a result of the disruption in supplemental food programs.
According to Feeding America, if thousands of federal workers pay or work unpaid, they could need food banks and pantry. Those relying on programs such as SNAP and WIC are heavily dependent on food banks when benefits distributions are confusing, delayed or uncertain.
Other programs, such as the Emergency Food Aid Program and the Product Senior Food Program, rely on the USDA to provide food to provide food, with some banks receiving funds directly from agents.
These services are expected to continue normal operations for the time being, but extended shutdowns could delay or halt the distribution of resources and assistance, making them even more nervous about already tied up charities.
