NASHVILLE — With November benefits days away, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn said she is backing a Republican push to keep Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments going during the federal shutdown, a move that could affect roughly 690,000 Tennesseans who rely on the program.
Blackburn is a co-sponsor of the “Keep SNAP Funded Act,” legislation led by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., to provide the U.S. Department of Agriculture with “such sums as necessary” to pay SNAP during a lapse in funding, with retroactive authority if payments are missed. The bill, introduced Oct. 21, was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Co-sponsors announced by Senate offices include Sens. Susan Collins, James Lankford, Bernie Moreno, Kevin Cramer, Lisa Murkowski and Blackburn. A House companion measure has been introduced by Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa.
“Roughly one in 10 Tennesseans receive SNAP benefits for food assistance, and they shouldn’t have to worry about where their next meal will come from because the Democrats are holding government funding hostage to appease their far-left base,” Blackburn said in a statement. “Our Keep SNAP Funded Act would ensure Tennesseans do not miss a meal during the Democrats’ shutdown.”
Senate Republicans expand effort
On Monday, Senate Republicans led by Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., advanced a new version of the proposal that would extend SNAP benefits through the shutdown period using existing federal resources. Party leaders described the measure as an attempt to secure immediate relief while broader budget negotiations continue.
Thune told reporters he plans to hold conversations with GOP senators about bringing the standalone bill to the floor for a vote. The proposal is expected to require 60 votes to advance, and Democrats have so far resisted efforts to pass narrow stopgap measures outside a full government funding agreement.
Republican senators say the move is designed to isolate SNAP funding from the larger shutdown impasse and avoid an interruption in benefits. The initiative comes amid growing public concern over missed paychecks and potential hardship for low-income families if benefits stop on Nov. 1.
USDA warning heightens urgency
The urgency follows the USDA’s public notice warning that, absent new appropriations, SNAP benefits will not be issued on Nov. 1. The department has declined to tap its limited contingency funds to extend payments into November during the ongoing shutdown.
Tennessee officials estimate about one in 10 residents — roughly 690,000 people — rely on SNAP, with the average household receiving $340 per month. Eligibility is limited to families earning $3,483 or less per month for a family of four.
Gov. Bill Lee’s administration has told recipients to prepare for a lapse if the federal government does not reopen, saying the state will not use its $2 billion in emergency reserves to backfill benefits. Tennessee House and Senate Democrats have urged the governor to call a special session to allocate temporary funding, but no action has been taken.
Legislative path uncertain
Hawley’s bill would appropriate money directly from the Treasury for SNAP until regular USDA funding is enacted and would make up any missed payments retroactively to Sept. 30. The proposal is narrowly tailored to SNAP and does not reopen other shuttered government functions.
The broader shutdown impasse centers on expiring COVID-19-era Medicaid tax credits. Senate Democrats have blocked Republican funding measures that would reopen the government through Nov. 21, insisting on negotiations over those credits. Republicans, led by Thune, are also promoting a short-term stopgap plan that would fund the government past Nov. 21 and include SNAP protections, but talks remain unresolved.
If Congress fails to act, benefits for November will be the first to lapse since the pandemic-era emergency funding measures expired.
What Tennesseans should know
• About one in 10 residents receive SNAP, roughly 690,000 people statewide.
• USDA says no benefits will be issued Nov. 1 without new funding.
• Gov. Lee’s office has ruled out using state funds to cover the gap.
• Hawley’s and Thune’s proposals would temporarily fund SNAP and reimburse any missed payments once appropriations resume.
Discover more from TNPOLITICO
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
