1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

Republicans claim that they have no choice, if the government remains shut down, but to allow SNAP funding to run out on November 1. This is absolutely not true. SNAP is, in fact, pre-funded, meaning it receives all of its funding a year in advance to prevent it from running out at just such times as these. According to John Foti, the legislative Director of Americans For Tax Fairness, the Trump administration has access to a 6B dollar contingency fund with which they absolutely could fund SNAP. They are choosing not to, because politically they feel it’s better for them to use food shortages to hurt Democrats than to just do their jobs and help people. Demand that the usda use the contingency fund as the law requires. And better yet, get back in session and do your job.