Leading House Democrats sharply criticized the Trump administration on Friday evening, accusing it of cruelly and unlawfully withholding food assistance for millions of low-income individuals across the nation.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) condemned the administration’s actions, stating, “It is an appalling neglect of responsibility for the Trump administration to intentionally deny food to 42 million children, seniors, and veterans.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is in possession of over $5 billion in a contingency fund that Congress allocated for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during emergencies. However, the USDA has announced it will not utilize these funds to extend benefits if the government shutdown continues past October 31, according to various news outlets.
