State Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) directors have been informed by letter from the United States Department of Agriculture that all funding for the month of November will be cut off, pending further notice
The letter from the USDA, which oversees SNAP, was dated Oct. 11.
“According to the information we have received, several states provide the next month’s issuance files as early as the 15th of the month,” the letter states. “With that in mind, understanding the operational issues and constraints that states face, and in the interest of preserving maximum flexibility, we are directing states to hold their November issuance files and delay transmission to state electronic benefit transfer (EBT) vendors until further notice."
Here’s a copy of the letter:
“What this means if there’s not a deal, if Congress doesn’t reach a deal to get federal government back up and running, in Utah about 100,000 families won’t get food stamp [benefits],” Bill Tibbits, Associate Director at Crossroads Urban Center in downtown Salt Lake City, told Salt Lake City's KSTU-TV.
The same would presumably apply to communities across the county.
The U.S. Senate announced a deal Wednesday that would extend the debt limit through Feb. 7, reopen the government and keep it funded through Jan. 15.
It's on the House to review the deal and vote on it. The SNAP shutdown will take affect in November if the House fails to come to an agreement on the Senate deal.
(H/T: Weasel Zippers)
--
Follow Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) on Twitter
Featured image Getty Images.
[related]