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SNAP Benefits Are Affected by a Government Shutdown
Millions of older adults receive federal food aid to help purchase groceries
AARP (Getty Images, 3)
The government has reopened Feb. 3 following a brief partial shutdown after President Trump signed a federal spending bill into law, restoring funding through September for a handful of federal agencies whose budgets expired on Jan. 31.
The latest shutdown was the second in less than three months after the government shuttered for more than a month in October, disrupting a number of public services older adults rely on.
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This time, lawmakers were able to come to an agreement after just a few days, signaling a much quicker resolution despite ongoing debate about funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
In this case, the brief lapse in funding did not affect food aid for millions of low-income older adults who rely on them to afford groceries.
Low-income households that rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) experienced a lapse in benefits in November as a result of a 43-day shutdown, which began Oct. 1 after congressional lawmakers were unable to agree on a budget deal or pass stopgap spending measures.
Many older adults had to resort to food pantries to keep from going hungry during the weeks-long stretch.
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This time, however, SNAP benefits will be paid as normal. On Nov. 12, President Trump signed a spending bill that secured funding for SNAP and a number of other federal programs for the remainder of the fiscal year, which runs through September 2026.
But future shutdowns may once again create delays.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which oversees SNAP, warned in a memo last fall that benefits could be impacted if funding lapses again after Sept. 30, 2026.
What led to the November SNAP shortfall
In October, SNAP benefits were paid out, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which oversees SNAP, said there were “insufficient funds” to pay benefits after Oct. 31, according to an Oct. 10 letter sent to SNAP regional offices.
However, on Oct. 31, a day before benefits were set to end, two federal judges ruled that the USDA must pay at least partial SNAP benefits out of its emergency funds. But states had already missed the deadline for funds to be disbursed, so payments were late.
In response, nearly two dozen states sued the agency over the decision not to allocate contingency funds for November benefits, claiming in the lawsuit filed on Oct. 28 that “because of USDA’s actions, SNAP benefits will be delayed for the first time since the program’s inception.”
On Nov. 3, the Trump administration said in response to the judges’ orders that it would comply and deplete its contingency funds to pay partial benefits in November.
SNAP delays exacerbate food insecurity for older adults
Advocates, including AARP, have been sounding the alarm over cuts and disruptions to the SNAP program, which supports more than 11 million adults 50-plus. On average, older adults receive about $7 per day in SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps (the name of the program also varies by state).
AARP has urged Congress and the administration to protect SNAP from funding lapses and policy changes that make it harder for older adults to access benefits, including the expanded work requirements that took effect on Nov. 1.
In letters to congressional leaders and outreach efforts in states to connect people to resources, AARP has championed food assistance programs that help older adults access nutritious meals — an essential foundation for healthy aging and well-being.
Earlier this year, AARP also warned that new federal work rules would jeopardize food security for hundreds of thousands of adults over 50 who face age discrimination, unstable employment or health limitations.
Typically during a government shutdown, the USDA has some carryover and reserve funds to cover benefit payments for a limited period, said Gina Plata-Nino, SNAP director for the Food Research and Action Center, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization. Prior to last year, SNAP had been paid via available federal funds during shutdowns.
“The tap has never been turned off, even during a shutdown,” said Oregon state treasurer Elizabeth Steiner during an Oct. 23 press call. “Because everybody, up until now, every administration, Republican or Democrat, has understood that feeding Americans is a fundamental responsibility of the federal government.”
Other impacts on food stamps
Because the USDA received funding for the remainder of the fiscal year, renewals for Electronic Benefits Transfer licenses at food retailers should not be disrupted if they expire during a shutdown. State SNAP offices, which process new applications and benefit recertifications, should continue to operate as normal during this partial shutdown.
In the past, some shutdowns have lasted just a few days, while others, like the one in 2018, went on for more than a month. During that period, SNAP benefits were issued early, but then there was a longer-than-usual gap before the next round of allotments was distributed. Advocates argue that SNAP offers modest assistance that significantly helps meet basic nutritional needs and enhances health outcomes. But , SNAP also experienced steep cuts due to a sweeping policy and domestic spending bill signed by President Donald Trump on July 4.
“Whether the government’s open or not, we’ll keep fighting to make sure that people can get the services that they need,” said Bill Sweeney, AARP’s senior vice president of government affairs.
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