California Governor Gavin Newsom Warns of Potential SNAP Benefits Disruption Due to Federal Shutdown
California Governor Gavin Newsom has issued a stark warning that food assistance benefits for millions of low-income Californians could be delayed starting November 1 if the ongoing federal shutdown does not end by Thursday. The benefits, which are issued under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as CalFresh, support approximately 5.5 million Californians, including over 2 million children.
The potential disruption to SNAP benefits has been blamed on President Trump by Newsom, who slammed the timing of the potential cutoff just as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches. “Trump’s failure to open the federal government is now endangering people’s lives and making basic needs like food more expensive — just as the holidays arrive,” Newsom said. He urged Republicans in Congress to “grow a spine, stand up to Trump, and deliver for the American people.”
White House Response and Congressional Blame-Shifting
The White House responded to Newsom’s warning by blaming the shutdown on Democrats, stating that they “can choose to reopen the government at any point” by voting for a continuing resolution to fund the government. Congressional Republicans have also blamed the shutdown and resulting interruptions to federal programs on Democrats, who are refusing to vote for a Republican-backed funding measure.
Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman, said that the “Democrats’ decision to shut down the government is hurting Americans across the country,” and that the Trump Administration is working to mitigate the pain caused by the shutdown. However, Newsom’s office and advocacy groups argue that the potential disruption to SNAP benefits would have a disproportionately large effect on vulnerable populations, including poor children and the elderly.
Impact on Californians and National SNAP Recipients
According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), approximately 41.7 million Americans were served by SNAP benefits per month in fiscal 2024, at an annual cost of nearly $100 billion. The USDA has some contingency funding to continue benefits in the short term, but it is not enough to cover all monthly benefits. Advocacy groups, such as End Child Poverty California and Children Now, are urging the USDA to utilize its contingency funding to prevent a disruption to SNAP benefits, which they say would be “disastrous” and have long-term consequences for children’s growth and development.
Ted Lempert, president of Children Now, said that a disruption to SNAP benefits would be “horrific” and would leave children and families without basic support to live and function. Andrew Cheyne, managing director of public policy at End Child Poverty California, emphasized that CalFresh is a lifeline for 5.5 million Californians, including 2 million children, and that it is “unconscionable” that they may not know where their next meal is coming from.
For more information on the potential disruption to SNAP benefits and the federal shutdown, visit Here.
Image Source: www.latimes.com
