Nearly 42 million Americans risk losing food-aid benefits due to a U.S. government shutdown that entered its second-longest stretch.
The funding lapse primarily impacts the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which supports households with low incomes.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) declined to tap a $5.5 billion emergency fund that could have sustained payments in November, prompting bipartisan backlash.
Democrats claim the administration is using hunger as a bargaining tool, while Republicans argue Democrats blocked legislation to reopen the government.
Some states are moving forward with lawsuits to force the USDA’s hand, but without congressional action any pause in aid could hit vulnerable families hardest.
