The truth about who suffers from the White House’s manufactured SNAP crisis

Millions of Americans, including 16 million children, eight million older adults, and four million people with disabilities, rely on SNAP benefits to afford groceries. The administration's claim that a government shutdown prevents funding SNAP is false; emergency funding and contingency funds are legally available for this exact purpose. Courts have confirmed the administration's obligation to use these funds, which have been in place precisely for such scenarios. The administration could have prepared to use these contingency funds weeks ago and has the legal authority to transfer additional funds to SNAP, as it did for the WIC program. Delays in releasing these funds will cause vital food assistance to be cut off for millions of low-income families, particularly before the holidays. Most SNAP recipients who can work are employed in low-wage industries with inconsistent hours, and the program primarily serves households deeply in poverty. SNAP benefits, though modest, are crucial for preventing hunger and hardship, allowing families to afford food and other necessities like rent and utilities. The program also has positive economic effects by supporting businesses where SNAP dollars are spent. The administration's current actions mirror previous legislative efforts to cut SNAP, such as the "One Big Beautiful Bill," which imposed stricter work requirements and removed benefits from millions, including children, veterans, and adults up to age 64. These cuts are being made to partially fund tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. The crisis is manufactured by the administration, and they have the power to resolve it by releasing the available contingency funds and using their discretion to t... download the app to read more