(Alan Wooten, The Center Square) Food assistance for 1.4 million North Carolinians will be delayed without the federal government reopening, the state Department of Health and Human Services says.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also colloquially known as food stamps or SNAP, is scheduled for next distribution on Saturday. Cards with assistance on them leftover from October will not be impacted and will be available to use.
“We know how vital these benefits are for children, seniors, and hardworking families in every corner of our state,” Health Secretary Dev Sangvai said. “Our priority is to be transparent and provide clear, factual information so families can prepare for a potential delay in benefits. We will continue to process applications and stand ready to issue benefits as quickly as possible once we receive authorization and funding from our federal partners.”
The federal government shut down on Oct. 1 for the first time since a 35-day stoppage bridging 2018 and 2019. At 28 days on Tuesday, this shutdown has already surpassed the 1995-96 stoppage of 21 days for No. 2 in terms of length.
The Republican majority U.S. House of Representatives passed a continuing resolution in September. The Republican majority Senate is stalled in filibuster led by Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., unable to get seven votes to reach the threshold of 60 needed to pass the legislation.
Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., the deputy whip in the chamber, in a network interview said, “Shutdowns are terrible, and, of course, there will be families who will suffer. We take that responsibility very seriously. But it is one of the few leverage points we have.”
Schumer has asked for closed-door meetings with second-term Republican President Donald Trump, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota. Transparency has been Johnson’s repeated response.
In addition to Democrats in the House rejecting the continuing resolution in September, Democrats in the Senate have rejected it 12 times.
Nationally, more than 40 million Americans rely on SNAP.
The Health Department in North Carolina also says the more than 262,000 relying on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children known as WIC will also miss benefits for November without a resolution to the shutdown.
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