SNAP funding is about to lapse Nov. 1, leaving recipients empty-handed. Here is what specialists say.
The extended shutdown is placing hundreds of thousands of People liable to lacking their November meals stamp advantages, a significant lifeline for low-income households.
The U.S. Division of Agriculture, which oversees the Supplemental Vitamin Help Program, mentioned in a memo Sunday that no advantages can be issued on Nov. 1, leaving this system’s roughly 42 million beneficiaries unsure about how they will pay for groceries subsequent month.
SNAP recipients obtain a mean of $187 a month on a pay as you go card, and plenty of households depend on these advantages as their most important supply of cash for meals. Lots of these registered with this system are additionally asking if they’ll nonetheless be capable of use the remaining {dollars} on their playing cards as soon as funding is suspended and if they will obtain their November advantages retroactively, ought to lawmakers attain a deal to reopen the federal government.
Learn extra about what specialists are saying a few potential suspension in SNAP funding right here.
Thune says authorities should reopen earlier than addressing full-year funding payments
Amid conversations over full-year funding measures, Thune informed reporters that whereas he desires to “get the appropriations course of going,” the method is prolonged and the federal government should reopen first.
“Sadly, doing all that’s going to take some time,” Thune mentioned. “So we have to reopen the federal government, then we’ll have a standard appropriations course of.”
Whereas the query of easy methods to reopen the federal government is in focus, senators have additionally been contemplating broader funding, looking for an settlement on some full-year appropriations payments. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, the highest Republican appropriator, walked into Thune’s workplace as he spoke to reporters.
Nonetheless, the bulk chief mentioned “it will take some time to course of, in case you have a look at the calendar, any appropriations invoice,” noting that it must get by the Senate, go to convention with the Home and be signed into regulation by the president. “So none of that occurs with out the federal government opening again up,” he mentioned.
“I do not assume we are able to afford to have, in my opinion no less than, the federal government shut down any longer,” Thune added.
Johnson will not “second-guess” Thune over Senate vote timing
CBS Information
Johnson was requested about his earlier feedback that the Senate would vote on the persevering with decision in the present day. A reporter famous that no vote is at the moment scheduled, and requested if Johnson agreed with Thune’s strategy.
“I am not going to second-guess his choices on once they schedule the votes every time, however he is in all probability about had it with their nonsense,” Johnson mentioned. “And once they inform him, and so they thumb their nostril at him, and say different issues — they wish to drop the F-bomb now for enjoyable, for emphasis apparently — once they inform him these issues, he in all probability acknowledges it is a futile effort. He realizes they’re dug in. They do not care.”
Johnson “not shocked” by uptick in Senate talks
The speaker was requested in regards to the ramped-up tempo of talks within the Senate over ending the shutdown.
“I am not shocked that the conversations are turning up in earnest. I imply, once you’re speaking in regards to the handful of centrists and moderates who’re there, they really feel the stress of this,” Johnson mentioned. “You will have all the foremost unions now popping out, as we have famous, demanding that they do the precise factor and get the paychecks flowing once more. You will have flights being delayed and canceled. It harms folks below diet and their meals and all the things else. So this isn’t a shock to us. We welcome them doing the precise factor, however once more, we do not have something to barter as a result of we did not put any partisan Republican priorities on the CR in any respect.”
He added: “Our urge and our plea to them is simply do the darn proper factor and open the federal government after which we’ll determine all the remainder of these items out … We have got to get the lights turned again on right here, and get the providers supplied to the folks, in order that we are able to come right here and do the remainder of the legislative job.”
Johnson says Democrats “are exhibiting no indicators in any respect that they wish to finish their shutdown”
Home Speaker Mike Johnson mentioned on the Capitol that he sees no indication that Democrats are getting ready to again down.
“The Democrats, extremely, are exhibiting no indicators in any respect that they wish to finish their shutdown,” Johnson mentioned at his every day press convention.
Johnson indicated that Democratic senators can have one other probability to vote on the Home-passed funding invoice on Thursday, though no votes are at the moment scheduled.
“Now, they will have one other alternative in the present day,” Johnson mentioned. “The Democrats within the Senate can have their fifteenth alternative to do the precise factor. We’re involved that they will not, and in the event that they reject this for the fifteenth time, they are going to be guaranteeing that this shutdown continues previous the Nov. 1 deadline.”
The subsequent vote within the Senate would be the 14th time the higher chamber has tried to go the Home invoice. Johnson contains the Home’s unique vote in his tally of occasions the Democrats have voted to dam it.
The speaker mentioned the Saturday deadline is “fateful … for numerous causes.”
“Beginning on Saturday, let me provide you with a listing of issues that this implies for the American folks: it implies that tens of hundreds of thousands of American households will wrestle to maintain meals on the desk, as a result of the SNAP program advantages will run dry. It implies that WIC help — that is Ladies, Infants and Youngsters, diet packages — can be liable to working dry. It implies that Head Begin facilities, which serve 60,000 youngsters nationwide, can be liable to closure,” Johnson mentioned. “Hundreds of thousands of federal employees … will miss their paychecks.”
Thune says “much more conversations” are taking place between senators
Talking on CNBC this morning, Senate Majority Chief John Thune mentioned “there are much more conversations happening now” between Republicans and Democrats than “maybe there have been a few weeks in the past.”
“That is one thing we ought to have the ability to work out. It is merely funding the federal government in order that we are able to fund the remainder of the federal government by the conventional appropriations course of,” he mentioned. “And the Democrats have tried to make it about all the things else, and all we’re merely doing is saying, let’s go a funding invoice and preserve the federal government open.”
Requested what the trail for ending the shutdown is, Thune mentioned “we simply want 5 extra Democrats,” and reiterated his perception that the Democratic management is not going to be dictating the ultimate decision.
“If this occurs, I believe it occurs by the rank-and-file Democrats who come to the conclusion that this is not in anyone’s finest curiosity, and I believe that is going to occur,” he mentioned. “It is at all times a matter of time.”
Thune mentioned elections in a number of states subsequent week may present a catalyst for resolving the standoff.
“I believe it’s going to make a distinction. It’s important to get previous Tuesday. You’ve got bought these two off-year elections in New Jersey and Virginia. I believe there’s a number of consideration being paid to, we do not wish to suppress turnout by showing like supposedly we have caved or folded or one thing like that,” he mentioned, referring to Democrats. “I imply, I do not view it that means, by that lens. Sadly, I believe that is about actual people who find themselves being harm on daily basis by this authorities shutdown … Whether it is about politics, hopefully after subsequent week, perhaps it will get somewhat bit simpler.”
What the Senate is voting on in the present day
The Senate will convene at 10 a.m. and maintain a collection of votes starting at 11:45 a.m. A vote on the Home-passed persevering with decision just isn’t at the moment on the schedule.
Senators will first take into account a decision in regards to the Nationwide Petroleum Reserve in Alaska after which take up a Democratic measure difficult the emergency declaration that President Trump has used to impose tariffs world wide.
The Senate has handed two resolutions this week that may block the president’s tariffs on Brazil and Canada, with every attracting the assist of a handful of Republicans. The resolutions require a easy majority to go, however are principally symbolic, since they are not anticipated to be taken up by the Home.
Vance to steer White Home roundtable on shutdown’s influence on air journey
Vice President JD Vance will lead a roundtable on the White Home on Thursday targeted on how the shutdown is impacting air journey, a White Home official mentioned.
He can be joined by Transportation Secretary Duffy, Airways for America CEO and former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu and different business leaders, the official mentioned.
Duffy has been elevating alarms over the shutdown’s influence on the aviation business, warning that staffing shortages are resulting in intermittent cancellations and delays as air site visitors controllers name off work. The controllers haven’t been paid for the reason that shutdown started.
Shutdown may turn into longest in historical past subsequent week
The shutdown, now on Day 30, may turn into the longest shutdown in historical past subsequent week, eclipsed solely by the 34-day 2018-19 shutdown.
Shutdowns are a comparatively current phenomenon and have solely begun of their present kind in 1980. The longest shutdown, which started in December 2018, concerned Mr. Trump’s demand for funds to pay for a wall alongside the U.S.-Mexico border.
Trump heads again to Washington amid shutdown deadlock
President Trump is heading again to Washington Thursday after a three-country go to in Asia. His return comes as Democrats have criticized the president for being away from the U.S. in the course of the almost monthlong shutdown.
Thune says a “increased stage of dialog” is occurring amongst senators
For the primary time in weeks, senators expressed cautious optimism on Wednesday about talks geared toward ending the shutdown.
After Senate Majority Chief John Thune informed reporters Wednesday morning that talks amongst rank-and-file senators have “ticked up considerably,” saying a “increased stage of dialog” is going down on the member stage, senators weighed in additional freely with hints of optimism all through the day.
GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina advised that the shutdown may finish subsequent week, telling reporters “I believe it’s coming to an in depth.” And numerous different senators spoke of improved talks, as key deadlines put stress on either side to achieve a decision to reopen the federal government.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, informed reporters she’s extra optimistic. She mentioned there’s been a “important uptick in bipartisan dialog,” reiterating what Thune mentioned earlier within the day. Sen. Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat, pointed to the influence of rising medical insurance premiums, saying “clearly now individuals are beginning to see the influence of those will increase now that costs are popping out.”
Whereas the query of reopening the federal government stays high of thoughts, senators are additionally contemplating broader funding, looking for an settlement on some full-year appropriations payments. And the conversations come as Republican leaders have made clear they will not negotiate with Democrats, who’ve demanded an extension of medical insurance tax credit, till the federal government is reopened.
Thune reiterated to reporters Wednesday night that “the situations we have said are the identical ones,” saying Democrats should reopen the federal government earlier than negotiating on well being care.
