The U.S. government on Monday said it will not provide food aid to millions of Americans on Nov. 1, blaming the government shutdown.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Monday posted a notice on its website saying Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will not go out next month, affecting 3 million New Yorkers and over 42 million Americans.
"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 1. 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," the notice on the USDA website reads.
In response, Governor Kathy Hochul said she is releasing $30 million in state funds to food relief programs, which equates to about 16 million meals.
“I am doing everything in my power to soften the blow of the destruction Republicans in Washington are inflicting on our state,” Hochul said. “While I’ve said repeatedly that no state can backfill these devastating cuts, I am committed to ensuring New Yorkers do not go hungry this holiday season and am taking action to support the families suffering the consequences of Republicans' cruelty. Republicans in Congress voted to rip health care and vital services from millions of New Yorkers and my administration and the people of New York will continue holding them accountable.”
In a letter penned to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, Hochul on Friday said cutting off SNAP will also harm an already fragile economy, especially for many of our small businesses and rural producers who will experience reduced revenue.
Additionally, the governor launched a new website where everyday New Yorkers can share their personal stories about the devastating effects of Washington's cuts to health care, food assistance and other critical programs. The website breaks down the impacts on regions across the state and includes relevant resources available to New Yorkers affected by these cuts.
"All we're saying is just unfreeze the SNAP funding," Hochul said. "You can do this. Get back to work. Stop the shutdown. Stop taking away health care, stop taking away food. Just start looking out for the American people."
The state is also anticipating over 300,000 New York households to lose their SNAP benefits after the passage of President Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" that was signed into law in July. Asylum seekers lost their SNAP eligibility and now there are now work requirements for able-bodied adults, among other changes. Click here for a FAQ about all of the changes compiled by the New York City Hunger Policy Center at Hunter College, CUNY.
