Klobuchar Statement on the Administration Refusing to Fully Fund SNAP

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, released the following statement in response to the administration announcing that, as required by court orders, it will use the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) contingency fund to partially fund SNAP for November. Despite last week's rulings making clear USDA can redirect other funding sources to fully cover SNAP this month-which USDA has previously done for other nutrition assistance programs-the administration is choosing not to and refusing to fully fund SNAP.

"The courts have ordered the administration to use its contingency fund to partially cover food assistance to families in need this month - and have made clear it can use its transfer authorities to fully fund SNAP," said Klobuchar. "It is not enough to do the bare minimum - the administration should stop playing politics with hunger and use all available resources to ensure Americans can put food on the table."

Klobuchar, Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research, and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) led 43 colleagues in calling on USDA to release the funding at its disposal to ensure SNAP is funded in November. Klobuchar and Booker also opposed the USDA's decision not to use available contingency funds to extend SNAP benefits into November, despite having the legal authority to do so.

The Administration itself acknowledged in its now-deleted lapse of funding plan that Congressional intent is evident that SNAP operations should continue since multi-year contingency funds are available to pay for SNAP benefits and state administrative funds in the event of a shutdown.

Klobuchar and Luján also led the entire Senate Democratic Caucus in introducing the Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025, legislation that prevents the Trump administration from illegally withholding available funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

Klobuchar also co-sponsors Senator Josh Hawley's (R-MO) bipartisan bill, the Keep SNAP Funded Act of 2025, to fully fund SNAP through the end of the shutdown.

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