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By Aliss Higham
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November will go unpaid for the duration of the ongoing government shutdown.
Congress did not approve a budget or temporary funding bill before the federal fiscal year began on October 1, leading many federal agencies to halt nonessential operations.
While SNAP is classified as a mandatory program, it still requires congressional authorization for continued funding. Without a budget or stopgap measure, the USDA will not distribute new benefits beyond those already funded. SNAP benefits continued to be distributed through October because the necessary funds had already been allocated to states before the shutdown began on October 1.
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The Trump administration has confirmed it would not use roughly $5 billion in contingency funds to keep benefits flowing into November.
Why It Matters
About 42 million, or 1 in 8, low and no-income Americans nationwide receive SNAP benefits each month through electronic benefit transfer cards, which can be used to buy groceries.
How Many SNAP Recipients Live in Each State?
The state with the most SNAP recipients is California, where 5.3 million Americans claim food stamps, according to data from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. State's with larger populations tend to have more SNAP recipients, although proportions vary across the country.
Wyoming has the smallest number of beneficiaries and the smallest proportion of its population collecting benefits in the country, with 29,000 people, just 5 percent, receiving benefits. States with similarly small numbers of SNAP recipients are North Dakota (48,700) and Vermont (66,500).
In terms of state population proportions, New Mexico is the state most dependent on SNAP, with 21 percent, or 451,200, of its residents claiming food stamps in 2024. It is followed by Louisiana and Oregon, where 18 percent get benefits.
Government Shutdown
Last week, the Senate attempted—and failed for the 12th time—to pass a stopgap funding measure that would keep the government running through November 21 at existing funding levels. The measure had already cleared the House in September, largely along party lines.
The USDA has laid the blame on Democrats for failing to reach an agreement to pass a funding bill.
“Bottom line, the well has run dry,” a notice from the USDA reads. “At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats.”
House Democrats have urged the USDA to ensure funding for the program. In a letter sent on Friday, 214 lawmakers urged the USDA to use the contingency funds to cover SNAP payments
“There are clear steps the administration can and must take immediately to ensure that millions of families across the country can put food on their table in November," the letter reads. "Choosing not to ensure SNAP benefits reach those in need this November would be a gross dereliction of your responsibilities to the American people.”
What Happens Next
The lack of timely payments for November does not mean that the benefits won't be paid at all. Once the federal government reopens, SNAP benefits for November will be paid.
Are you a SNAP recipient worried about not getting benefits in November? How do you feel about the ongoing government shutdown? Get in touch at a.higham@newsweek.com
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