Millions of Texans who rely on food assistance will not receive their SNAP benefits for November if the federal government shutdown lasts another week, according to new guidance from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
The HHSC warned the benefits will not be distributed for November if the shutdown goes past Oct. 27.
Last week, KPRC 2 News reported about a letter the USDA sent states directing the withholding of benefits for the upcoming month.
“Texans who rely upon SNAP as a safety net to buy their groceries and feed their children will not have those benefits until this deranged shutdown comes to an end,” Sen. John Cornyn said on the floor Monday, while blaming Senate Democrats for the funding impacts. “For those people who depend on these services and who live paycheck to paycheck, it has real-world consequences.”
The HHSC and Gov. Greg Abbott’s office would not answer if the state has any plans in place to gap the funding if necessary.
Abbott’s office referred KPRC 2 News to the HHSC, which provided the following statement:
“The Texas Health and Human Services Commission is monitoring how the federal government shutdown may impact benefits,” a spokesperson for the state agency wrote.
According to the latest data from HHSC, 3,528,922 Texans receive SNAP benefits, and 642,890 of those people are in Harris County.
Real-World Impact
Lisa Anstine learned about the possible pause to SNAP benefits when she called 211 and heard a recording.
“SNAP benefits for November will not be issued if the federal government shutdown continues past October 27th,” the recording stated.
“When I heard that, I thought, what?!,” Anstine said.
She has been helping provide for her adult daughter, who last spring was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer.
Each month, her daughter receives $267 in food assistance through SNAP and has medical bills mounting.
“Nobody is going to have an opportunity to even try to get some money together because nobody knows about this,” Anstine said. “It’s not just my family member, it’s so many different family members out there.”
Anstine said she has taken money out of her 401K to continue supporting her family amid rising costs. She contacted KPRC 2 News to help spread the word about the looming cutoff.
But she also urged the community to consider donating to a local food bank, worried about children going to school hungry without the benefits.
“They need to take care of the people in their community and in their state and to stop this political issue, it’s ridiculous,” Anstine said. “It just breaks my heart, but I’ll be there for (my daughter), and I’ll be there for the family, because that’s what mothers do, they take care of those in our family and hopefully this will take care of some other peoples’ families too.”