Luján Statement on Trump Administration’s Decision to Reverse Their Own Position and Illegally Withhold Food Benefits from Americans
Trump: “I hate to tell you, but we are cutting Democrat programs”
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research, issued the following statement regarding the Trump administration’s illegal decision to withhold available Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November:
“Putting food on the table is not a partisan issue. Every American deserves to eat. Earlier this summer, Republicans voted to pass the largest cut to SNAP in the program’s history. Now, the Trump administration is withholding billions in available food assistance during the shutdown to inflict as much pain as possible on the American people. This reckless decision strips vital support from 42 million Americans, including seniors, veterans, families, and children.
“The government shutdown hasn’t stopped President Trump from spending $40 billion to bail out his political allies in Argentina or $300 million to build a ballroom at the White House. But when it comes to feeding our fellow Americans, his administration is choosing to play politics. The administration must release the available SNAP funds immediately to ensure millions of Americans don’t go hungry.”
Background:
On October 24, 2025, Axios published a guidance memo authored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) stating that the Department would not use contingency funds to issue SNAP benefits for November. This guidance directly contradicts USDA’s own previously issued guidance. On September 30, 2025, USDA released its FY26 Lapse in Appropriations Plan, which confirmed that the agency has the authority to release the funds necessary for SNAP benefits to continue, even during a government shutdown.
Not only does USDA have the authority to release SNAP contingency funds, but the statute is clear: the Trump administration is required by law to release these funds:
In New Mexico, more than 450,000 people are at risk of losing their SNAP benefits if the USDA does not utilize available funding to continue the program. This includes more than 65,000 seniors and nearly 200,000 children across the state.
Last week, Senator Luján led dozens of Senate Democrats in pressing the USDA to immediately release billions in available funds to keep Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits flowing through November. During debate on the Republican Budget Betrayal, Senator Luján spearheaded efforts to reverse the bill’s drastic cuts to food assistance.
Together with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, Senator Luján convened a Spotlight Forum titled “Hunger by Design: The GOP’s Assault on SNAP” to underscore the devastating impact of Congressional Republicans’ plan to gut SNAP.
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