50,000 people across the United States have signed a new RuralOrganizing petition, launched in partnership with MoveOn, calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Secretary Brooke Rollins to ensure that vital food assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), remain fully operational during the ongoing government shutdown.
The following is a statement from Matt Hildreth, Executive Director of Rural Organizing:
It is shocking and despicable that Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress are holding food assistance for 42 million Americans hostage to force through their budget. They’re literally denying food to pass a plan that will raise healthcare premiums for millions of working families while handing out new tax cuts for billionaires. A sadistic double whammy for millions across the country.
It doesn’t have to be this way and never has been: For decades, during every previous government shutdown, the USDA has used a contingency fund to make sure no one went hungry. But now, the Trump administration is refusing to release funding for food assistance programs like SNAP. Democratic Governors and Attorneys General shouldn’t have to sue to make sure the appropriated money is available to feed people, but here we are.
Without question, USDA should use the SNAP contingency fund to keep food assistance programs funded during the government shutdown as is required by law. Instead, the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans are willing to let millions go hungry.
This isn’t just political brinkmanship. It’s cruel–especially for Rural Americans, who use SNAP at a higher rate than Americans in larger cities. Proving once again, Trump and Republicans, who control the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives, do not care about their constituents in rural communities.
The following is a statement from Shawn Sebastain, Organizing Director of RuralOrganizing:
Donald Trump is holding food for families hostage to force huge cuts to healthcare. People all over the country, particularly rural families who will be the ones disproportionately harmed by Trump’s cruel games, are speaking out for themselves and for their neighbors, by demanding USDA Secretary Rollins meet her responsibilities to the American people, follow precedent, and continue food assistance programs during the shutdown.
Trump and Republicans are leveraging the shutdown to starve American families and force further healthcare cuts. Secretary Rollins has the power to do what USDA Secretaries have always done in the past and keep food assistance running for families in need during this shutdown.
The mission of RuralOrganizing.org is to rebuild a rural America that is empowered, thriving, and equitable. Follow us on Twitter @RuralOrganizing.
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