🔗 Share this article Food Benefits Expected to End for Tens of Millions Throughout Ongoing US Government Shutdown USDA officials announced recently that SNAP funds under one of the country’s largest welfare initiatives will not be distributed next month due to the ongoing federal closure. Shutdown Extends For Nearly Four Weeks The government shutdown had reached three and a half weeks as officials revealed the news, coming after calls from over 200 Congressional Democrats pushing the USDA to access contingency funds to pay for November's food assistance. “Bottom line, the well has run dry,” officials announced. “Currently, assistance will not be provided” beginning in November. Widespread Impact Over 40 million Americans count on these food benefits, per official statistics. Some regions, including New Mexico, use of this assistance is as high as one-fifth of the population. Internal communications seen by a major news agency showed that the department chose not to tap emergency reserves for the upcoming payments. Partisan Impasse Republicans and Democrats remain deadlocked about the way to support and resume the federal government. Comments by the head of a prominent policy organization noted that federal leadership could have acted to act sooner to avoid interruption in payments. “Officials were able and expected to acted before now to get ready to access these resources,” the remarks concluded. “Rather, officials could opt out for potential political benefit” while GOP lawmakers attempt to influence Democratic senators to approve legislation to restart the federal government. Emergency Measures State leaders from multiple regions declared states of emergency recently to free up resources to address food insecurity in anticipation of food benefits expiring in November.