{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.booker.senate.gov/news/press/booker-klobuchar-lujan-43-colleagues-urge-trump-usda-to-immediately-release-november-snap-benefits", "Booker, Klobuchar, Luj\u00e1n, 43 Colleagues Urge Trump USDA to Immediately Release November SNAP Benefits", "2025-10-23", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "NJ", "Cory A. Booker", "B001288", "www.booker.senate.gov", "booker", "https://www.booker.senate.gov/news/press", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), along with 43 colleagues sent a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins calling on the USDA to release the billions of dollars at its disposal to ensure Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits continue in November.\n\nThe Democrats raised the alarm about the USDA\u2019s failure to use available funding to continue SNAP, writing: \u201cWe were deeply disturbed to hear that the USDA has instructed states to stop processing SNAP benefits for November and were surprised by your recent comments that the program will \u2018run out of money in two weeks.\u2019 In fact, the USDA has several tools available which would enable SNAP benefits to be paid through or close to the end of November.\u201d\n\n\u201cFirst, the USDA must, at a minimum under the law, use the contingency funding that is available for SNAP, as noted by USDA officials. Second, the USDA has interchange authority under 7 U.S.C. 2257 that permits the transfer of funds from other USDA nutrition programs. In fact, this authority was recently used by the USDA when it transferred money from child nutrition programs to the WIC account to maintain WIC benefits during the shutdown,\u201dthe Senators continued.\n\nThe Senators concluded, \u201cIn the event that more resources are needed than what is available in contingency funding, the USDA should explore all legal means to augment funds to pay the full amount of SNAP benefits in November. Americans are already struggling with the rising cost of groceries, and they cannot afford a sudden lapse in grocery assistance. We urge you to immediately communicate to states and committees of jurisdiction the USDA\u2019s plans to disburse the contingency funding to state agencies and utilize all available legal authorities so that American families can get benefits without interruption. Democrats remain at the table and ready to negotiate reopening the government.\u201d\n\nIn New Jersey alone, more than 800,000 people are at risk of losing their SNAP benefits if the USDA does not utilize available funding to continue the program.\n\n\u201cIn New Jersey, we've already seen food insecurity increase by 65% since the height of the pandemic in 2020. That's nearly 1.1 million children, seniors, families, and veterans who don't know where their next meal is coming from,\u201d said Elizabeth McCarthy, President & CEO of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. \u201cIf our neighbors lose access to SNAP in November, that need could worsen even more dramatically. One thing we should all agree on, even in these polarizing times, is that no one should go hungry. Food is not a privilege \u2014 it\u2019s a basic human need.\u201d\n\nThis letter is co-signed by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Edward Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"]], "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://www.booker.senate.gov/news/press/booker-klobuchar-lujan-43-colleagues-urge-trump-usda-to-immediately-release-november-snap-benefits"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.58305699005723, "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"}