Dive Brief:
- Twenty-five states and Washington, D.C., have filed a lawsuit against the USDA for suspending SNAP benefits during the government shutdown.
- The coalition argues that the USDA’s refusal to issue November SNAP payments violates federal law.
- This suspension could leave millions of SNAP participants without access to food nutrition benefits.
Dive Insight:
The USDA has announced that it will not issue SNAP benefits on Nov. 1 due to the government shutdown, sparking concerns about food insecurity among program participants.
Nearly 42 million people rely on SNAP benefits, with an average of $188 received in May. The coalition of states claims that a suspension of funding would have a detrimental impact on their residents.
The lawsuit alleges that the USDA has access to sufficient contingency funds to cover November SNAP benefits, but has not utilized them. The coalition emphasizes the potential negative consequences of a loss of SNAP funds on retailers, economic activity, and public trust in the program.
The coalition is seeking a court order to declare the USDA’s suspension unlawful and to direct the agency to allocate contingency funds for November SNAP benefits.