900,000 Arizonans to lose food aid next week
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About 900,000 Arizonans will lose food assistance next week, barring last-minute action by Congress.
Why it matters: The expected Nov. 1 cutoff of SNAP — the most significant impact of the federal government shutdown so far — will force local food pantries and other nonprofits to fill in the gaps.
State of play: SNAP, the federal food assistance program, has used contingency funds to keep benefits flowing since the shutdown began Oct. 1, but the U.S. Agriculture Department sent a memo to states on Oct. 10 saying it would stop using that money beginning Nov. 1 and wouldn't reimburse states that cover the expense on their own.
The intrigue: Arizona leaders didn't alert residents about the impending benefit drop off until two weeks after the memo.
- "I thought people knew about this," Gov. Katie Hobbs told ABC 15 last week when asked why the notice was delayed.
The latest: Hobbs sent a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins on Monday requesting her agency continue funding SNAP, as it has during past shutdowns.
- "Arizona families should not be used as leverage in Washington, D.C.'s political games," Hobbs wrote.
Threat level: Children will be disproportionately impacted by SNAP cuts.
- Nearly 70% of Arizona SNAP recipients are in families with children, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
What we're watching: There's no end in sight to the shutdown, and now the country's most vulnerable are caught in the middle.
- U.S. Senate Democrats and Republicans are at odds over whether to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies, which lower health care costs for enrollees.
- Now, the needs of those 22 million ACA enrollees are pitted against those of the 42 million Americans who are likely to go without food assistance next week.