Shutdown Threatens SNAP Benefits for 40 Million

Tens of millions of low-income Americans—an estimated 40 million people (about 16 million children, 8 million older adults and 4 million people with disabilities)—could face disrupted SNAP benefits in November if Congress does not approve funding, after the federal government shut down on Oct. 1 and the USDA cannot issue new benefits beyond already funded amounts. A majority of states (36) have warned of potential November payment interruptions; several states issued specific alerts: Nevada says more than 477,000 residents could see delays, Arkansas reports roughly 220,000 families rely on SNAP monthly, and Iowa’s roughly 131,000 households receive about $45 million in benefits each month. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has directed the state Department of Health and Human Services to coordinate with food banks and review the state's COVID-era food insecurity response plan, and Nevada will continue accepting and processing applications but warns benefits may not be available until funding resumes. Local food banks, grocery businesses and benefit recipients report mounting anxiety and potential hardship if payments are missed, and state officials say they cannot fully replace federally funded SNAP benefits. Lawmakers remain at odds over a short-term funding measure, and Congress must act before Oct. 31/Nov. 1 to avoid widespread interruptions, with both parties trading blame for the impasse.