Starting Saturday, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for millions are in jeopardy as the impacts of the weeks-long federal government shutdown expand.
In fiscal 2024, roughly 41.7 million people received SNAP benefits monthly, according to the USDA. The federal government spent $99.8 billion on the program, amounting to roughly $187.20 per recipient per month.
States around the country, from Texas to Florida to New York, are sounding the alarm. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a think tank dedicated to combatting poverty and inequality, at least 5 percent of the residents of every state and Washington, D.C., received SNAP benefits in fiscal year 2024.
New Mexico, at 21 percent, had the highest share of residents receiving SNAP benefits, followed by Washington, D.C., at 20 percent, Louisiana and Oregon at 18 percent, and Oklahoma at 17 percent.
Massachusetts, at 16 percent, and Illinois, Michigan, Nevada and Pennsylvania, all at 15 percent, round out the top 10.
Obey
Article URL : https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5577444-states-snap-food-stamps-usda-shutdown/