USDA confirms no SNAP benefits to be distributed in November due to government shutdown

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has publicly announced on its website that federal food assistance will not be distributed on November 1, heightening concerns for families nationwide as the government shutdown persists.

This announcement follows the Trump administration’s decision not to utilize approximately $5 billion in contingency funds to continue providing benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) into November.

The shutdown, which began on October 1, is now the second-longest on record. Despite initial efforts by the Republican administration to ensure that SNAP benefits would be paid this month, the current impasse has halted those efforts.

Democrats have refused to pass legislation to reopen the government unless funding for healthcare is included, while Republicans state they are willing to discuss the issue only after the government is reopened.