Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) declared a State of Emergency on Thursday over concerns that funding for SNAP benefits would run out at the beginning of November as the government shutdown continues.
In a post on X, Youngkin noted that the State of Emergency was “an extraordinary action” and was “only necessary because of the shamelessness of Congressional Democrats” who continue to refuse to pass a “clean continuing resolution” to re-open the federal government.
“The Democrat Shutdown will cause SNAP benefits to run out for over 850,000 Virginians in need starting November 1, 2025,” Youngkin wrote. “I refuse to let hungry Virginians be used as ‘leverage’ by Congressional Democrats. I am declaring a State of Emergency due to the Democrat Shutdown to protect hungry Virginians in need.”
Youngkin continued to call on Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) to “end this nonsense and vote to pass a clean CR.”
“The Commonwealth will provide food benefits until Congressional Democrats put the interests of Virginians in need ahead of their politics,” Youngkin added. “I thank President Trump and his Administration for their help as they continue to provide support to Virginians in need.”
As Youngkin declared a State of Emergency there were reports that food banks in Northern Virginia were seeing a “massive line” of federal employees and contractors, Lisa Desjardins, a correspondent with PBS NewsHour, revealed in a post on X.
Breitbart News’s Lowell Cauffiel reported that around 42 million Americans who rely on food stamps could be impacted as the government shutdown continues:
People in the U.S. who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP) — more commonly called “food stamps” in the past — will be those impacted, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) warned in a memo to state agency directors.
Rev. Eugene Cho, who serves as the President and CEO of Bread for the World, a Christian advocacy non-profit organization that seeks to end hunger in the United States and throughout the world, explained to Fox News that “It requires about $8 billion each month to fund SNAP benefits nationwide.”
Cho added that “When there’s no funding it impacts not just pockets of people,” but people throughout the United States.”
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