(The Center Square) — Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is blasting the Trump administration for refusing to release surplus federal funds to support the food stamp program, with benefits for millions of New Yorkers set to expire at the end of the week amid the government shutdown.
Speaking at a Monday rally, Hochul announced that her administration is fast-tracking the release of $30 million in state funding to support the federally-backed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, previously known as food stamps, which is expected to lapse after Nov. 1 because of the shutdown, now in its fourth week.
“I am doing everything in my power to soften the blow of the destruction Republicans in Washington are inflicting on our state,” Hochul, a Democrat, said at Monday’s rally. “While I’ve said repeatedly that no state can backfill these devastating cuts, I am committed to ensuring New Yorkers do not go hungry this holiday season and am taking action to support the families suffering the consequences of Republicans’ cruelty.”
The move follows her administration’s decision to release $11 million in state funding for regional food pantries. Hochul also launched a new website Monday where New Yorkers can share their “personal stories” about the “devastating effects of Washington Republicans’ cuts to health care, food assistance and other critical programs.”
The governor’s criticism comes as the ongoing government shutdown is poised to enter its fifth week on Wednesday if Senate Republicans and Democrats don’t reach a 60-vote threshold for legislation that would temporarily fund the government. Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House MInority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have blocked more than a dozen votes on the stop-gap spending bill.
The Trump administration said it would not tap roughly $5 billion in contingency funds to keep benefits through SNAP flowing into November. The administration blames Democrats, who say they will not agree to reopen the government until Republicans negotiate with them on extending expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which operates SNAP, has about $6 billion in a multi-year contingency fund. That’s short of the roughly $9 billion needed to cover a full month of the program.
“Bottom line, the well has run dry,” the federal agency said in a notice on its website. “At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats.”
Nationwide, more than 42 million people purchase fresh produce and other groceries through SNAP, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the program.
Eligibility for the public-benefits program, previously known as food stamps, is based on participants’ income and household size, among other factors.
In New York, more than 3 million people receive benefits from the program, which provided $6.5 billion in funding in fiscal year 2024, according to the Hochul administration.
Rep. Jerry Nadler, another New York Democrat who also spoke at Monday’s rally, said the Trump administration has the authority to cover most November SNAP benefits through the contingency fund and can use its transfer authority to make up the rest.
“If they refuse to act, it’s a deliberate choice to take food off the tables of millions of Americans,” Nadler said in remarks. “Meanwhile, the House has been out for over a month now and it’s long past time for Republicans to get back to work to help families put food on the table and keep their affordable health care.”
