Pennsylvania Human Services Secretary Val Arkoosh said on Thursday it’s not yet clear if the Trump administration will indeed attempt to withhold administrative funds for the SNAP program over a dispute about recipients’ personal data, but she was critical of any attempt to prevent funding from reaching the Keystone State that would affect the service.Arkoosh made the comments Thursday during a visit to Little Learners Child Development Center Academy, where she highlighted $25 million in new spending in the state budget to help with retention and hiring of childcare workers.When asked by reporters about the Dec. 8 deadline set by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to provide personal data of SNAP recipients, Arkoosh said the matter remains the subject of litigation and should be halted by an existing court order but also criticized an effort to keep funding away from Pennsylvania.”We just went through that exercise with the federal shutdown. I just have to say, never before in this country has food been weaponized, and the Trump administration weaponized food during this federal shutdown,” she said.Arkoosh was referencing the decision by the Trump administration not to use contingency funds to help pay SNAP benefits during the recent federal government shutdown. The program helps low-income households afford food.But amid the lack of federal funding for the program and litigation seeking to compel the Trump administration to use the contingency funds, many of Pennsylvania’s SNAP recipients went without funding, exacerbating demand on food banks already dealing with funding issues because of state and congressional fiscal impasses.But the Trump administration argues it is potentially withholding the money as a means of trying to help its team of fraud investigators root out cases in which SNAP benefits may be going to those who are not supposed to have them.Rollins, during a Trump administration cabinet meeting on Tuesday, said some 29 states, largely controlled by Republicans, that had already participated in the administration’s request for recipient information, helped identify thousands of fraud cases. The Democrat-led states, Rollins said, were being compelled to comply to ensure SNAP is being administered appropriately.”As of next week, we have begun and will begin to stop moving federal funds into those states and until they comply and allow us to partner with them and protect the American taxpayer,” she said.
SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP, Pa. —
Pennsylvania Human Services Secretary Val Arkoosh said on Thursday it’s not yet clear if the Trump administration will indeed attempt to withhold administrative funds for the SNAP program over a dispute about recipients’ personal data, but she was critical of any attempt to prevent funding from reaching the Keystone State that would affect the service.
Arkoosh made the comments Thursday during a visit to Little Learners Child Development Center Academy, where she highlighted $25 million in new spending in the state budget to help with retention and hiring of childcare workers.
When asked by reporters about the Dec. 8 deadline set by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to provide personal data of SNAP recipients, Arkoosh said the matter remains the subject of litigation and should be halted by an existing court order but also criticized an effort to keep funding away from Pennsylvania.
“We just went through that exercise with the federal shutdown. I just have to say, never before in this country has food been weaponized, and the Trump administration weaponized food during this federal shutdown,” she said.
Arkoosh was referencing the decision by the Trump administration not to use contingency funds to help pay SNAP benefits during the recent federal government shutdown. The program helps low-income households afford food.
But amid the lack of federal funding for the program and litigation seeking to compel the Trump administration to use the contingency funds, many of Pennsylvania’s SNAP recipients went without funding, exacerbating demand on food banks already dealing with funding issues because of state and congressional fiscal impasses.
But the Trump administration argues it is potentially withholding the money as a means of trying to help its team of fraud investigators root out cases in which SNAP benefits may be going to those who are not supposed to have them.
Rollins, during a Trump administration cabinet meeting on Tuesday, said some 29 states, largely controlled by Republicans, that had already participated in the administration’s request for recipient information, helped identify thousands of fraud cases.
The Democrat-led states, Rollins said, were being compelled to comply to ensure SNAP is being administered appropriately.
“As of next week, we have begun and will begin to stop moving federal funds into those states and until they comply and allow us to partner with them and protect the American taxpayer,” she said.