WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, as 42 million Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) go another day without November benefits, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) introduced the Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025. The legislation would prevent the Trump administration from illegally withholding available funds for SNAP and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. Approximately 6.7 million infants, children, and mothers rely on WIC each month.
Two federal judges previously ruled the Trump administration has the authority to release SNAP contingency funds. In the days that followed, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provided limited and contradictory guidance on the implementation of funding. Within the last 24 hours, the federal court stepped in once again and ordered the Administration to provide full benefits for November. Instead of complying with the order and feeding millions of hungry Americans, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it would be filing an appeal.
“Hunger is a policy choice – and every minute the Administration delays releasing the contingency funding for SNAP, it is choosing to allow millions of American children and families to go hungry,” said Ranking Member Hayes. “My legislation would prevent this volatile administration from weaponizing the most vulnerable among us. I will continue to fight to keep families fed and strengthen our food safety net programs.”
The Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025 directs the USDA to immediately release billions of dollars in available funds to ensure SNAP and WIC benefits continue without delay for the remainder of this fiscal year. Additionally, the legislation requires the federal government to reimburse states for covering SNAP benefits during a shutdown.
In Connecticut, between 360,000 – 390,000 people are at risk of losing their SNAP benefits if USDA does not utilize available funding to continue the program. In addition to the devastating impact of the lapse in government funding, the One Big Beautiful Bill eliminated $187 billion from SNAP, making it the largest cut to the program ever.
The Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025, builds upon anti-hunger efforts Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture, Congresswoman Hayes has leading in the House, including a resolution and letter to USDA demanding SNAP contingency funding be immediately released.