10.23.25

Cantwell, Colleagues Blast USDA for Refusing to Release Funds to Feed American Families; SNAP to Run Out Oct. 31st

Trump’s USDA has instructed states to stop processing SNAP benefits for November. Now, 42 million Americans are at risk of missing food assistance going into the holidays

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and ranking member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, joined 45 Senate Democrats in sending a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to release the billions of dollars at its disposal to ensure Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits continue in November.

The Senators wrote: “USDA has several tools available which would enable SNAP benefits to be paid through or close to the end of November…Americans are already struggling with the rising cost of groceries, and they cannot afford a sudden lapse in grocery assistance. We urge you to immediately communicate to states and committees of jurisdiction the USDA’s plans to disburse the contingency funding to state agencies and utilize all available legal authorities so that American families can get benefits without interruption.”

As of April 2025, 906,414 Washingtonians were enrolled in SNAP, or 11% of the state’s population. More than 53% of SNAP participants in Washington are in families with children, and more than 38% are in families with members who are older adults or are disabled. According to the Washington State Standard, food banks across Washington state are already pressed to meet the growing demand for food assistance in the aftermath of draconian cuts included in President Donald Trump’s budget bill, which passed over the summer.

Congressional Republicans have exacerbated the food security crisis in recent months. President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” passed by House and Senate Republicans and signed into law on July 4th, changed work requirements for Americans to receive SNAP benefits, which is estimated to kick more than 2 million Americans off of food assistance, including 170,000 residents in Washington state.

According to the National Grocers Association, every dollar spent on SNAP generates up to $1.50 in economic activity during economic downturns. In Washington state, SNAP contributes $4.6 billion in sales, nearly 24,000 direct jobs, $962 million in direct wages, and over $1 billion in total taxes.

The full letter text is available below and also HERE.

Dear Secretary Rollins,

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is our nation’s largest food assistance program, serving 42 million people, including 16 million children, 8 million seniors, and 4 million people with disabilities. Any halt in SNAP funding will have devastating impacts for program beneficiaries, increasing food insecurity and undermining family budgets. Given the critical importance of SNAP benefits, the USDA must take all steps possible to ensure that families do not go hungry.

We were deeply disturbed to hear that the USDA has instructed states to stop processing SNAP benefits for November and were surprised by your recent comments that the program will “run out of money in two weeks.” In fact, the USDA has several tools available which would enable SNAP benefits to be paid through or close to the end of November. First, the USDA must, at a minimum under the law, use the contingency funding that is available for SNAP, as noted by USDA officials. Second, the USDA has interchange authority under 7 U.S.C. 2257 that permits the transfer of funds from other USDA nutrition programs. In fact, this authority was recently used by the USDA when it transferred money from child nutrition programs to the WIC account to maintain WIC benefits during the shutdown. In the event that more resources are needed than what is available in contingency funding, the USDA should explore all legal means to augment funds to pay the full amount of SNAP benefits in November.

Americans are already struggling with the rising cost of groceries, and they cannot afford a sudden lapse in grocery assistance. We urge you to immediately communicate to states and committees of jurisdiction the USDA’s plans to disburse the contingency funding to state agencies and utilize all available legal authorities so that American families can get benefits without interruption. Democrats remain at the table and ready to negotiate reopening the government.

Sincerely,

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