A local congressman is accusing President Trump of playing politics with people’s food insecurity during the federal government shutdown, in his administration’s challenge of a federal court ruling to free up full Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program funding to states.
On Monday morning, the administration challenged the ruling, which orders full payment of SNAP for the month of November.
Congressman Tim Kennedy, appearing Monday afternoon at the headquarters of the Resource Council of Western New York in Buffalo, stated that one of every five Western New Yorkers rely on SNAP.
“Those are children, seniors, veterans, workers and families who are already paying more for groceries, utilities, medication and rent. People who are doing everything right and still being stretched past the breaking point,” Kennedy said. “In the richest nation in the history of the world, food should not be a political bargaining chip, nor hunger a negotiating tactic.”
Advocates pushing for the release of SNAP funds dismiss claims by critics that it’s a taxpayer-funded luxury for people unwilling to work. Buffalo Common Councilmember Zeneta Everhart is herself a former SNAP recipient, and defends the program.
“I wasn't laying on my couch at home every day. I wasn't lazy. I was working two jobs, and I was a college student with a kid. I was doing a lot when I was receiving SNAP benefits,” she said. “I was doing all those things because I didn't want to need SNAP benefits. That's what that is about. We are helping people to help themselves.”
The release of SNAP benefits remained in question Monday evening, even as members of the U.S. Senate were haggling over a tentative agreement to end the federal shutdown. At issue, an Affordable Care Act tax credit which is set to expire. Senate Republicans negotiating an agreement are promising a later vote on ACA, but Democrats including Senator Charles Schumer remain against the agreement, because it doesn’t guarantee the tax credit would be approved.
Kennedy says if such a deal comes before the House, he won't support it.
“It continues an assault on health care in this country. Millions of people will lose their health insurance in this country, and tens of millions more will be forced to pay skyrocketing costs of premiums, deductibles and copays. It is wrong and it's unacceptable,” Kennedy said. “It's a bad deal for the people of this country, and it's no deal to me, and I'll be voting no.”
