More than 1.4 million federal employees missed their first full paychecks on Friday as the government shutdown enters its fifth week. Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture warns that food aid to 42 million people could be cut off starting November 1, as the Trump administration refuses to use a $5 billion contingency fund to maintain SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, popularly known as food stamps.
Gina Plata-Nino from the Food Research and Action Center says the loss of SNAP benefits will have cascading impacts as credit card debt soars, rent payments are delayed and food banks get overrun. “We are going to see a decrease in people’s well-being,” says Plata-Nino.
The U.S. federal government shutdown has entered its 28th day. On Friday, more than a million — 1.4 million — federal workers missed their first full paychecks.
This is furloughed federal worker Anthony Spade in line at a food bank in Washington, D.C.
ANTHONY SPADE: So, today is my — normally, I would get paid today. I don’t have no paycheck in my account. I still have bills that are due. I have a family that I have to take care of. So, it’s a lot of uncertainty that comes along with this. I’m grateful for these opportunities to receive assistance, but there is a lot of uncertainty that comes along with it, and it causes a lot of stress, as well.
As many of federal workers turn to food pantries, the Department of Agriculture says it will cut off food aid to some 42 million people who rely on SNAP — that’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — starting Saturday. President Trump says he will not tap into a contingency fund of $5 billion to keep SNAP running.
This is Jill Dixon, executive director of the Food Depot, a food bank in northern New Mexico.
We’ll look more at healthcare in a minute. We begin in Washington, D.C., with Gina Plata-Nino, interim director for SNAP at the Food Research and Action Center, FRAC.
Thanks so much for being with us, Gina. Lay out what’s happening. What is at stake this week?
And, Gina, the Department of Agriculture, with Trump’s appointee, Brooke Rollins, put out a quite amazing statement on their website. They have in a notice to the public, quote, “Bottom line, the well has run dry. At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance.” Have you ever seen such a — such a statement by a government agency?
