Last week, the California Department of Social Services announced that CalFresh benefits would not be issued for November to the around 5.5 million recipients
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California, as part of a multistate coalition, is suing the Trump Administration for failing to fund SNAP benefits in November amid the government shutdown.
The states are suing the USDA and Secretary Brooke Rollins for allegedly violating the Administrative Procedure Act for refusing to use available contingency funds. In the lawsuit, the states are also asking for a temporary restraining order to block the suspension.
Last week, the California Department of Social Services announced that CalFresh benefits would not be issued for November to the around 5.5 million people who rely on the food assistance.
“While Donald Trump parades around the world trying to repair the economic damage he’s done with his incompetence, he’s denying food to millions of Americans who will go hungry next month. It’s cruel and speaks to his basic lack of humanity. He doesn’t care about the people of this country, only himself,” said Governor Gavin Newsom in a statement.
The USDA says contingency funds are not legally available to cover regular benefits. Because the funds have not been appropriated in a continuing resolution, they cannot be used for the new fiscal year.
The department highlighted that the contingency funds are meant for emergencies such as hurricanes, tornadoes and floods, arguing that the best way to restore funding is for the government to reopen.
“We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. Continue to hold out for the Far-Left wing of the party or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive timely WIC and SNAP allotments,” a USDA spokesperson said in a statement.
To help address the funding shortfall, Newsom fast-tracked over $80 million in funding and deployed the National Guard and California Volunteers to food banks across the state.
National Guard members routinely assist state agencies during emergencies, including wildfire response, medical surges during the COVID-19 pandemic and prior food-distribution missions during the 2020 lockdowns, when the Guard and thousands of volunteers helped deliver more than 800 million meals statewide, according to the Governor’s Press Office.
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