Representative Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) has introduced legislation to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funded during a government shutdown.
Appropriately named the Keep SNAP Funded Act, the bill requires the Department of Agriculture to keep the program active through emergency funds, as it is set to run out on November 1st.
"SNAP keeps families stable during difficult times by ensuring they can buy groceries and put food on the dinner table," Rep. Salazar said in a statement. "It's not a distant policy; it's our neighbors' lifeline, with one in eight Americans depending on it. That's why I co-sponsored the Keep SNAP Funded Act. This bill ensures that benefits continue and Miami families don't lose vital support during the shutdown. Food should never be used as a political weapon."
Rep. Salazar further noted that she and the Republican Women's Caucus sent a letter to the female membership of the Senate Democrats urging them to vote in favor of the continuing resolution (CR) that the House had passed in September to reopen the government.
Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), the bill's cosponsor, said that "Iowa doesn't have an abundance of food banks and pantries to absorb a major lapse in SNAP."
"Any delay would be catastrophic for thousands of families already struggling with the cost of living. This bill provides the certainty they deserve while Congress works to resolve the shutdown," she added.
Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) recently warned that the government shutdown can extend into the Thanksgiving holiday, which she argued is "all because [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is afraid of AOC [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] and her polling numbers for the Senate." She urged Sen. Schumer to "put his ego aside and reopen the government."
However, recent comments from House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) have drawn criticism for suggesting that Democrats are willing to use "suffering" as leverage to ensure their priorities are met.
