Merkley, Schumer, Bonamici, Hayes, 44 Senate Democrats Pressure Trump, Senate Republicans to Fully Turn on Nutrition Assistance for Millions

Washington, D.C. – After benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for roughly 42 million Americans were stopped over the weekend due to the ongoing Republican-led government shutdown, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today led 44 of their colleagues in calling on Senate Republicans to force President Trump to immediately use all congressionally approved funding to keep families from going hungry. A companion resolution will be introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) and Jahana Hayes (CT-05).

“Families and children in Oregon and across the country should not be used as political pawns,” said Bonamici. “The Trump administration finally agreed to release funding that Congress set aside to keep people from going hungry during a disruption like this shutdown, but it should not have taken a lawsuit to get these funds released. Now the House Republicans need to get back to Washington DC and work to get the government back open.”

“Never in the history of the program has funding for SNAP lapsed and people been left hungry. As the judge ruled, the Trump Administration and USDA have the money and the authority to transfer contingency funds to partially cover November SNAP Benefits,” said Hayes. “Our resolution affirms this ruling and calls upon the Administration to immediately release the funds to allow millions of Americans who rely on SNAP to put food on the table.”

“Trump is using food as a weapon against children, families, and seniors to enact his ‘Make Americans Hungry Agenda,’” said Merkley. “It’s unbelievably cruel, but Trump cares more about playing politics than making sure kids don’t starve. Kids and families are not poker chips or hostages. Trump must release the entirety of the SNAP funds immediately."

“The Trump administration should stop weaponizing hunger for 42 million Americans and immediately release full – not partial – SNAP benefits,” said Schumer. “As the courts have affirmed, USDA has and must use their authority to fully fund SNAP. Anything else is unacceptable and a half-measure. The Senate must pass this resolution, and Trump must end his manufactured hunger crisis by fully funding SNAP.”

SNAP benefits lapsed on November 1 because Trump initially refused to use a SNAP contingency fund that Congress previously appropriated $6 billion for and additional federal funds available using interchange authority. After two federal judges ruled that President Trump must continue to fund SNAP, the Trump Administration agreed to use the $4.65 billion left in the contingency fund to finance the program. However, the contingency fund will only cover half of SNAP benefits for the month of November, and Trump is refusing to use additional available funds using interchange authority to spend Section 32 tariff revenue—established decades ago—to fully fund SNAP in the month of November. 

Merkley and Schumer’s resolution is also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Full text of the resolution can be found by clicking here. Merkley intends to force Senate consideration of the resolution as soon as Monday evening.

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