WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) joined Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) in leading a resolution in the House of Representatives calling on the Trump Administration to immediately use all congressionally approved funding to cover Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November and keep families from going hungry.
On November 1, 2025, SNAP benefits lapsed for the first time in the history of the program because the President refused to use SNAP contingency funds previously appropriated through Congress or use interchange authority to cover the shortfall. After two federal judges ruled that the Administration must fund SNAP, it agreed to use $4.65 billion left in the contingency fund to finance the program. However, the contingency fund will only cover half of SNAP benefits for the month of November, and President Trump is refusing to use additional available funds using interchange authority to spend Section 32 tariff revenue – established decades ago – to fully fund SNAP.
“Never in the history of the program has funding for SNAP lapsed and people been left hungry. As the judge ruled, the Trump Administration and USDA have the money and the authority to transfer contingency funds to partially cover November SNAP Benefits,” said Ranking Member Hayes. “Our resolution affirms this ruling and calls upon the Administration to immediately release the funds to allow millions of Americans who rely on SNAP to put food on the table.”
“Families and children in Oregon and across the country should not be used as political pawns,” said Congresswoman Bonamici. “The Trump administration finally agreed to release funding that Congress set aside to keep people from going hungry during a disruption like this shutdown, but it should not have taken a lawsuit to get these funds released. Now the House Republicans need to get back to Washington DC and work to get the government back open.”
The resolution is also cosponsored by: Reps. Adams (NC-12), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Wesley Bell (MO-01), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Troy Carter (LA-02), Judy Chu (CA-28), Gilbert Cisneros (CA-31), Danny Davis (IL-07), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Laura Friedman (CA-30), John Garamendi (CA-08), Pablo Hernández (PR- At Large), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Greg Landsman (OH-01), George Latimer (NY-16), Summer Lee (PA-12), Susie Lee (NV-03), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Eleanor Norton (DC-AL), Johnny Olszewski (MD-02), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Adam Smith (WA-09), Eric Sorensen (IL-17), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Emilia Sykes (OH-13), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Norma Torres (CA-35), Derek Tran (CA-45), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Frederica Wilson (FL-24).
A companion resolution was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
“Trump is using food as a weapon against children, families, and seniors to enact his ‘Make Americans Hungry Agenda,’” said Senator Merkley. “It’s unbelievably cruel, but Trump cares more about playing politics than making sure kids don’t starve. Kids and families are not poker chips or hostages. Trump must release the entirety of the SNAP funds immediately."
“The Trump administration should stop weaponizing hunger for 42 million Americans and immediately release full – not partial – SNAP benefits,” said Leader Schumer. “As the courts have affirmed, USDA has and must use their authority to fully fund SNAP. Anything else is unacceptable and a half-measure. The Senate must pass this resolution, and Trump must end his manufactured hunger crisis by fully funding SNAP.”
42 million Americans rely on SNAP in the United States, including between 360,000 – 390,000 living in Connecticut. As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee and Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture, Congresswoman Hayes is continuing to work with her colleagues across both chambers and state and local partners to ensure November SNAP benefits are released and families do not go hungry.
Resolution text can be found here.