Editor’s Note: Federal Judge John McConnell ruled Thursday afternoon that the Trump administration must fully fund November SNAP benefits immediately to prevent further harm to 42 million Americans.
A federal judge ruled recently that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has to provide, at the very least, partial benefits to food stamp recipients in November, but single moms like Hillary Randall who are dependent on government assistance say the only notification they’ve received is that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission is monitoring the situation.
Randall told the Houston Press last month that she spent her October deposit from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on packaged meats that she stocked in her freezer. Randall, a widow who is employed and taking classes at San Jacinto College, cares for four children and her ill father.
She and about 3.5 million Texans will be relying heavily on food banks and churches so they don’t go hungry during the government shutdown, which is now the longest in history.
Following the judge’s ruling, the Trump administration said on November 3 that it will provide only half of the normal food stamp benefits for the month by tapping into the program’s contingency fund. The payments are likely to be delayed.
Randall is due to have her EBT card loaded on November 12 but when she checks her balance, she gets a message that says, “Check back later for more information.” A USDA official said in court last week that some SNAP recipients may not see their partial benefits for weeks or months, depending on how long the shutdown lasts and how quickly individual states can reconfigure their electronic payment systems.
Government Shutdown
Trump’s Republican Party is blaming Democrats for the shutdown, which not only halted SNAP distribution but also created a catastrophic situation for air travelers across the country. Delays averaging three hours were reported at Houston airports on Monday, and while the situation appears to have improved, flights are being canceled and frustration is mounting.
Texas-based Southwest and American Airlines called for a “clean” short-term spending bill to end the shutdown and restore pay for federal workers like air traffic controllers and TSA agents.
With Thanksgiving looming, could a compromise be in sight?
Republicans say that Democrats could end the shutdown immediately by voting on a resolution to fund federal agencies. The Dems appear to be holding out in an effort to extend healthcare premium exemptions under the Affordable Care Act that were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Several agencies and lawmakers sent letters to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins asking her to release about $5 billion in contingency funds. After the ruling in federal court, the USDA said it would obligate $4.65 billion in reserves to cover half of the current allotments for eligible households in November.
The remaining $600 million in the fund will be used for state administrative expenses and nutrition assistance for Puerto Rico and American Samoa, CNN reported.
United Food and Commercial Workers International president Milton Jones pointed out in a letter that cutting SNAP benefits doesn’t just harm low-income families; it hurts the workers and the economy.
“Rising costs at the grocery store already threaten household budgets, especially for low-income families,” Jones said. “An interruption in food assistance will only make matters worse, and workers in meatpacking, food processing, and grocery could see a reduction in hours and wages if SNAP dollars aren’t available to be spent in their stores or on their products.”
One Fair Wage, a national organization of service workers and restaurant employees, launched an emergency fund on Tuesday to provide direct cash assistance for groceries and basic needs to workers affected by the SNAP cuts.
Houston Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher joined fellow Democrats in asking that contingency funds be released and that the USDA “use its statutory transfer authority or any other legal authority at its disposal to supplement these dollars and fully fund November benefits.”
Texas ranks second in the country for the highest number of SNAP recipients, with 3.5 million Texans, including 1.7 million children, receiving benefits. In Houston, more than half of the recipients are children under the age of 18 and another 11 percent are seniors over the age of 65, according to Fletcher’s office.
“If the Trump administration fails to act, 35,219 households in Texas’ Seventh Congressional District risk not being able to put food on the table [in November],” Fletcher said.
Texas House Democrats delivered a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott asking him to declare a state of emergency and authorize temporary SNAP benefits.
“It’s un-Texan and un-American to turn a blind eye to our neighbors’ suffering,” said Rep. Armando Walle, D-Houston. “Governor Abbott has the clear authority to use state funds to bridge the gap in federal funding and keep Texans fed — he should do it without delay. Texas House Democrats are taking action to protect our neighbors from this unprecedented and manufactured crisis.”
Senate Democrats, led by Sen. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, followed suit, pleading with the governor to find a temporary solution ahead of the holiday season.
Houston and Harris County officials have also weighed in on the shutdown. Democrat Commissioner Rodney Ellis said this week that no family should have to wonder where their next meal is coming from, “especially in a place as prosperous as Harris County.”
“But the White House is holding food assistance hostage, treating SNAP benefits like a political bargaining chip,” Ellis said in a statement. “Nearly 70,000 of our neighbors — children, seniors, caregivers, and students — now face the possibility of going without the groceries they depend on to survive.”
Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare, also a Democrat, pointed out that research indicates that food insecurity is linked to erosion in public safety, referencing a Clemson University study that shows a 1 percent increase in food insecurity corresponded with a 12 percent increase in violent crime.
“Anyone who truly cares about public safety should be alarmed by this self-imposed funding crisis manufactured in Washington,” Teare said at a November 3 press conference. “My hope is that fellow Houstonians will rise to the occasion to make sure we’re looking out for the most vulnerable among us, especially as we begin the transition into the holiday season.”
Resources for the Hungry
The Houston school district announced this week that it expanded opportunities for free breakfast and after-school supper service. Every student will be offered breakfast upon arrival at school and the supper program was expanded from 132 campuses to 231.
“Breakfast is one of the most important parts of a child’s day,” said HISD Deputy Chief of Nutrition Services Betti Wiggins in a press release. “By creating more flexibility around breakfast service, we’re making sure students can start their mornings with a healthy meal and a positive mindset.”
Families may also visit any of the district’s eight Sunrise Centers across Houston, which provide weekly food distributions, along with clothing and other items.
The Houston Food Bank continues to offer “supersite” distribution events for federal employees and SNAP recipients but participants must register before showing up. The goal of the events is to distribute groceries first to those who have gone the longest without benefits, said Houston Food Bank president and CEO Brian Greene at an October 28 media event.
The following food distribution events are planned:
- November 8 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Northwest Assistance Ministries, 15555 Kuykendahl Road
- November 11 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Bethel’s Heavenly Hands, 12525 Fondren Road
- November 13 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Community of Faith Church, 1024 Pinemont Drive
- November 15 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Northwest Assistance Ministries, 15555 Kuykendahl Road
- November 18 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Bethel’s Heavenly Hands, 12525 Fondren Road
- November 20 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Community of Faith Church, 1024 Pinemont Drive
- November 22 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Northwest Assistance Ministries, 15555 Kuykendahl Road
The post SNAP Program Lingers in Uncertainty appeared first on Houston Press.
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