DEMOCRATS BACK GOP PLAN TO SAVE SNAP FUNDING

As the government shutdown stretched into its fourth week, a rare moment of bipartisanship surfaced in the Senate. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that Democrats would back Republican Senator Josh Hawley’s Keep SNAP Funded Act of 2025, aimed at maintaining food aid for millions of Americans.

The Department of Agriculture had cautioned that funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) were nearly exhausted, threatening to leave low-income families without essential support.

Hawley’s proposal, co-sponsored by ten Republicans, quickly gathered momentum across party lines, reflecting growing concern over the shutdown’s impact on vulnerable households.

At the same time, Democrats, led by Senator Ben Ray Luján, introduced a separate plan to extend funding for the WIC program, which provides nutrition assistance to women, infants, and children.

Their initiative underscored the heightened urgency surrounding food security programs during the ongoing budget standoff.

Majority Leader John Thune criticized Democrats for allegedly blocking earlier funding efforts, deepening the partisan divide even as both sides sought a resolution.

Behind the scenes, however, private negotiations intensified, with lawmakers under mounting pressure to restore operations before November’s $9.2 billion in benefits were placed at risk.