Oct. 28 (UPI) -- With the impending loss of benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program potentially causing low-income Americans and their families to go hungry, 25 states have filed suit to force the federal government to release funds for the program during the federal government shutdown.
Starting Saturday, SNAP benefits will not be distributed. The program gives food aid to 40 million Americans.
In past government shutdowns, the USDA used a contingency fund to pay out SNAP benefits. Last week, the President Donald Trump administration said it won't be using contingency funds to pay for SNAP.
"We just can't do it without the government being open," Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Oct. 21. "By Nov. 1, we are very hopeful this government reopens and we can begin moving that money out. But right now, half the states are shut down on SNAP."
Related
