WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Congressman Greg Stanton and 212 House Democrats sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, demanding that she utilize the Congressionally authorized SNAP contingency fund to provide food assistance to hungry Americans as the Republican shutdown approaches its second month.
SNAP benefits were made available to eligible individuals in October, but due to the Agriculture Secretary’s unwillingness to use her statutory transfer authority along with the roughly $5 billion SNAP contingency fund to deliver benefits in November, more than 880,000 Arizona seniors, veterans and families with children risk not being able to keep food on their table.
The lawmakers state, “USDA’s shutdown plan acknowledges that ‘Congressional intent is evident that SNAP’s operations should continue since the program has been provided with multi-year contingency funds...’ USDA still has significant funding available in SNAP’s contingency reserve – which Congress provides precisely for this reason – that can be used to fund the bulk of November benefits… Additionally, while the contingency reserve will not cover November benefits in full, we urge USDA to use its statutory transfer authority or any other legal authority at its disposal to supplement these dollars and fully fund November benefits.”
They continue, “There are clear steps the administration can and must take immediately to ensure that millions of families across the country can put food on their table in November. Choosing not to ensure SNAP benefits reach those in need this November would be a gross dereliction of your responsibilities to the American people.”
The full letter is HERE.
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Congressman Greg Stanton is the former mayor of Phoenix now proudly representing Arizona’s 4th District in Congress—encompassing all of Tempe, and parts of Phoenix, Mesa and Chandler. Stanton serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. He serves in leadership of the New Democrat Coalition—a group of more than 100 moderate, solutions-oriented Democrats.
Reach Congressman Stanton’s office through a new, toll-free constituent services hotline — 1-833-643-6114 — that connects residents of Arizona’s Fourth Congressional District directly with Stanton’s staff to request help with federal agencies, schedule tours and meetings, or share opinions on legislation.