N.M. Delegation Welcomes State Government’s Plan to Fund New Mexicans’ SNAP Benefits During Trump’s Shutdown

N.M. Delegation also renews their call for Congressional Republicans to work with Democrats to negotiate a government funding deal that lowers the cost of health care and ensures New Mexicans don't go hungry because of Trump's inability to lead

WASHINGTON - As over 450,000 New Mexicans were about to lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits due to President Trump's government shutdown and refusal to use available funds at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to fund SNAP through the end of November, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Budget Committee, and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) welcomed the New Mexico state government's plan to temporarily fund food assistance benefits for New Mexicans into next month.

In New Mexico, more than 450,000 people rely on SNAP each month. This includes more than 65,000 seniors and nearly 200,000 children across the state. The average New Mexican enrolled in SNAP receives $190 in nutrition assistance per month, equivalent to about $6.24 per day per person. SNAP benefits are redeemed at more than 1,650 authorized retailers statewide and generates over $1 billion in economic activity for the state.

"Republicans control the White House, the House, and the Senate. President Trump and Congressional Republicans chose to shut down the government, chose not to lower health care costs, and chose not to use funding they already have for SNAP to help over 459,000 New Mexicans put food on the table. Republicans aren't just indifferent; they are actively choosing to harm working families. Thankfully, Democrats in the New Mexico Legislature, the Governor, and the Attorney General are stepping up to support New Mexicans at risk of losing their SNAP benefits,"said Heinrich. "Congressional Republican leadership needs to bring principals into a room to negotiate a government funding deal that holds down the cost of health care and ensures families in New Mexico don't go hungry because of Republicans' failure to lead. If Republicans insist on dragging out Trump's shutdown, the USDA can and must step up, using every dollar it has to keep families from going hungry. Full stop."

"I'm grateful that New Mexico is stepping up to help families put food on the table during the Republican shutdown. The Trump administration's cruel refusal to fund SNAP threatens the livelihood of more than 450,000 New Mexicans who rely on this program, but thankfully, our state is stepping in to fill the gap," said Luján. "No child, veteran, grandparent, or hardworking American should go hungry because of partisan politics. New Mexicans are already struggling with rising grocery costs and cannot afford a sudden lapse in food assistance. New Mexico has taken action to care for our people - now it's time for the Trump administration to stop playing games with people's lives and do the same."

"Governor Lujan Grisham and Democrats in the state understand that making sure our families don't go hungry is a priority-but the state shouldn't have to do this when there is $5 billion available at USDA to fund those EBT cards," said Leger Fernández. "New Mexico is saying loud and clear, 'we're not going to wait for Trump to do the right thing,' because a hungry child cannot wait for their food. At the congressional level, we are seeking full federal reimbursement for New Mexico and every state stepping up to make sure children, veterans, and seniors don't go hungry for Thanksgiving because of this Trump shutdown. Hunger should never be a political tool. We should all remember the scripture: when I was hungry you gave me to eat and let that love for our neighbor guide our policy."

"As New Mexicans, we take care of each other - which is why I am deeply proud and that New Mexico's Governor and Legislature are stepping up to provide emergency food assistance to keep our families fed. Let us be clear - this crisis is wholly manufactured by the White House, who is intentionally withholding SNAP funds from states. The President could choose today to release emergency contingency funds to ensure that 42 million Americans, and over 450,000 New Mexicans have SNAP benefits by Saturday. But instead, they are using hungry children and families as leverage for their political games. And, New Mexico will not let them," said Stansbury. "That is why I am grateful to the state government who is providing emergency funds, our Attorney General who joined a state lawsuit to stop the Administration from withholding funds, and am proud to have introduced emergency legislation this week called the SNAP Back Act to keep New Mexicans fed. Ensuring families can put food on the table is a moral issue and I am proud to be on the frontlines alongside the entire New Mexico delegation fighting for New Mexico families."

"I commend the Governor for unlocking emergency state funds for November food assistance and ensuring less New Mexicans are forced to go hungry next month," said Vasquez. "The administration has actively decided to withhold emergency SNAP funding and let working class Americans go without food - and it's unacceptable."

Republicans control the White House, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the U.S. Senate and have used their control of the federal government to attack SNAP benefits. Most recently, Trump and Republicans passed into law massive cuts to SNAP in their Big, Bad Bill, which gutted $187 billion from SNAP nationally and could cut New Mexico's SNAP funding by 43.9% by 2029.

In response to Republicans' Big, Bad Bill, Democrats in the New Mexico Legislature approved supplemental SNAP funding to begin to bridge the gap in SNAP benefits for New Mexicans. They also had the foresight to appropriate additional emergency contingency funds, which the governor is now using to temporarily cover the gap in benefits caused by Trump's government shutdown. New Mexico needs approximately $81,000,000 a month to fully fund SNAP.

The plan unveiled today by Democrats in the New Mexico Legislature and the governor will fund SNAP benefits for New Mexicans for approximately 10 days into November.

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