Congressman Cohen Expresses Guarded Hope SNAP Benefits will Continue Flowing

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) expressed guarded optimism that rulings by federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island will keep Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits flowing, at least in the short term. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had planned to withhold payments for the program, arguing it could no longer fund it because of the government shutdown, despite previously pointing to the available contingency funds as a way to maintain the program.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“As I have been saying, the Trump Administration’s actions are simply a cynical and cruel attempt to withhold food from Americans in a desperate attempt to find political leverage, holding SNAP recipients as hostages in this Republican shutdown.  We are here to support and empower our constituents – to make their lives better — not starve them.  Both Judges immediately recognized that Congress created and funded a contingency account to cushion the impact of emergencies and financial hardship.  USDA has access to those funds and has the ability to provide SNAP benefits into November.  The ‘SNAP cliff’ was an arbitrary, artificial and heartless stunt, threatening to make Americans, including 690,000 in Tennessee, go hungry. 

“As a member of the  House Democrats’ Litigation and Rapid Response Task Force, I have been following the cases closely and we have been in touch with the plaintiffs. It should not take court orders to get this president to protect Americans, but evidently it does. I hope clear-eyed Republicans will see the legal rationale and moral imperative of these rulings, abandon their lawlessness, and focus on the well-being of our people.”

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