(The Center Square) – Maryland Gov. Wes Moore says more than 680,000 residents, including nearly 270,000 children, could lose food assistance starting Nov. 1 because of the ongoing federal government shutdown.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture told states earlier this month to hold off on sending out November SNAP payments. In an Oct. 10 memo, the agency said there isn’t enough money to pay full benefits for about 42 million people nationwide if the shutdown continues.
That directive means Maryland can’t process new payments until the federal government authorizes them.
“In a letter dated Oct. 10, the Trump Administration directed the State of Maryland not to issue SNAP benefits,” Moore said in a statement. “As a result, SNAP benefits are likely not to be deposited on EBT cards beginning Nov. 1, and 680,000 Marylanders who rely on SNAP to eat – including nearly 270,000 children – stand to go hungry.”
He said the state has about $3.5 billion in short-term cash that could be used to fill the gap for a while, but there’s no guarantee the federal government would pay Maryland back.
“We do not have confidence that the Trump Administration will reimburse us – not only for SNAP, but for any federal programs that may suffer for the duration of this senseless shutdown,” Moore said.
According to a new report from the Reason Foundation, a nonprofit research group that studies fiscal policy and state finances, Maryland ranks 13th in the nation for combined state and local government debt.
The report found Maryland’s total obligations add up to about $125 billion, or roughly $20,305 per person, when accounting for state, county, city and school district debt.
Virginia ranked 17th with about $94 billion in combined debt, or $10,962 per person. Much of Maryland’s total comes from long-term liabilities such as public employee pensions and retiree health benefits, which can add pressure to state budgets during federal funding gaps.
Moore said the state is doing what it can, stating, “There is no balance sheet to make up for when the federal government just decides to tell states, ‘You’re on your own,’” he said.
He also said Maryland will keep pushing to make sure the federal government follows the law and continues funding the programs families, children, and veterans rely on.
As previously reported by The Center Square, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin took a different route, declaring a state of emergency to keep SNAP payments going for about 850,000 Virginians using state funds.
Federal data show programs like SNAP, WIC and Head Start could all run out of money in November, putting about 49 million Americans at risk if the shutdown continues.
