{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/representatives-stansbury-vasquez-and-leger-fernandez-introduce-snap-back-act", "Representatives Stansbury, Vasquez, and Leger Fern\u00e1ndez Introduce SNAP BACK Act to Protect Families from Republican Shutdown and Prevent Cuts to Food Assistance", "2025-10-28", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Melanie A. Stansbury", "S001218", "stansbury.house.gov", "stansbury", "https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 As the Trump administration plans to cut off food assistance for 42 million Americans on November 1, U.S. Representatives Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Gabe Vasquez (NM-02), and Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez (NM-03) introduced the SNAP BACK Act to ensure that no child, parent, elder, or veteran goes hungry because of the Administration\u2019s refusal to release SNAP benefits.\n\nThe SNAP BACK Act guarantees funding for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) during the current government shutdown and any future lapse in funding. The bill requires the immediate release of food assistance funds, prohibits OMB or USDA from blocking their distribution, and ensures continuity of enrollment and access for eligible families. It also directs the federal government to reimburse states and Tribes that use emergency funds to cover food assistance during a shutdown.\n\n\u201cWithholding food from children, elders, and veterans is wrong. Period. The Trump Administration is playing politics with hungry kids and we won\u2019t let them.\u201d said Rep. Stansbury. \u201cNearly one in four families in New Mexico depend on SNAP to help put food on the table\u2014that\u2019s 457,000 New Mexicans. No government should ever use food assistance as a political bargaining chip. This bill uses every tool we have to demand the release of these funds, working alongside state leaders, attorneys general, and food banks.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe USDA has contingency funds that are explicitly authorized to replenish food assistance for New Mexicans. Rather than show up to work and discuss the health care crisis, Republicans have instead ignored the crisis and have opted to send kids to bed hungry,\u201d said Rep. Vasquez. \u201cAs I said to USDA Secretary Rollins last week, it is cruel and unnecessary to let working class New Mexicans go hungry when we have the money to feed them. Enough is enough, Republicans must get back to Washington and treat this health care crisis with the attention it deserves.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m a cosponsor of the SNAP Back Act and the Feed Our Families Act because families should never go hungry in a shutdown,\" said Rep. Leger Fern\u00e1ndez. \"Congress needs to create a permanent solution to this crisis; hunger can\u2019t wait for the legislative calendar. The President has the money in the bank right now to prevent 42 million Americans\u2014including nearly half a million New Mexicans\u2014from going hungry on November 1. There\u2019s $5 billion sitting in the contingency fund and USDA has the authority to send it to the States today. If Trump can find $40 billion for Argentina, he should release the $5 billion that Congress already approved to feed the hungry. Hunger should not be a political weapon.\u201d\n\nThe Trump Administration\u2019s plan will cut off food assistance beginning November 1\u2014leaving 457,000 New Mexicans, 42 million Americans, and 6 million parents, infants, and young children hungry. The SNAP BACK Act ensures benefits continue flowing by:\n\nRequiring immediate release of SNAP and WIC funds appropriated by Congress.\n\nProhibiting the White House, OMB, or USDA from withholding or delaying funds for political or administrative reasons.\n\nGuaranteeing continued enrollment and access to benefits during a shutdown.\n\nMaintaining uninterrupted operation of EBT systems that distribute benefits to families.\n\nReimbursing States and Tribes that provide emergency funds to cover a lapse.\n\n\u201cIn New Mexico, we know what it means to take care of one another,\u201d said Rep. Stansbury. \u201cWhen families can\u2019t afford groceries, it\u2019s our kids who suffer. This bill ensures families can continue to put food on the table\u2014no matter what is happening in Washington.\u201d\n\nThe SNAP BACK Act builds on Rep. Stansbury\u2019s record of fighting hunger and supporting working families. Since coming to Congress, she has delivered funding for food banks, school meal programs, and community nutrition initiatives across New Mexico.\n\n\u201cFamilies in New Mexico are resilient, but they should never have to worry about whether Washington will take away their next meal during a shutdown,\u201d added Stansbury. \u201cThe SNAP BACK Act makes sure that never happens again.\u201d\n\nWatch a recording of the press call on the bill introduction here.\n\nFind a link to the bill text here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/representatives-stansbury-vasquez-and-leger-fernandez-introduce-snap-back-act"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6549881547689438, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}