Overview
- USDA says no November issuance will occur if the funding lapse continues, putting roughly 42 million recipients at risk.
- The department contends the roughly $5–6 billion contingency fund is disaster-only and far short of the $8–9 billion needed for a month, reversing earlier guidance.
- A coalition of 24 states and the District of Columbia sued to compel use of the reserve as targeted SNAP bills and broader stopgaps stalled in the Senate.
- States and localities announced stopgaps: Virginia launched state-funded weekly EBT payments under an emergency order, Montgomery County approved about $8 million for nonprofits, and Connecticut leaders are weighing state action.
- Food banks and retailers prepared for fallout, with pantries from D.C. to Houston reporting surging demand and analysts warning of sales pressure for grocers including Walmart and Dollar General.