SNAP and Hunger Are the New Bargaining Tool

The second longest government shutdown, missed paychecks, and hunger is now the new bargaining chip

Oct 24, 2025

We are now 24 days into the government shutdown, and nearly a million federal workers will miss a full paycheck today. A Senate vote to pay some workers failed overnight.

Democrats proposed paying all federal employees and blocking mass layoffs by the Trump administration’s Office of Management and Budget. Republicans countered, insisting that only “essential” workers: troops, TSA agents, and federal law enforcement, should be paid.

President Trump now owns the two longest government shutdowns in U.S. history. If this one stretches past November 4, it will become the longest ever.

Both parties are playing hardball, but come November 1, the game changes: the stakes shift, and hunger becomes the new bargaining chip. Here is more on SNAP and how it is being leveraged in this new phase of the shutdown.

The Data

More than 42 million Americans depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps. Each household receives an average of $187.20 per month, approximately $6 a day, to help cover grocery costs.

SNAP is federally funded but state-administered. Each month, states load benefits onto Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, which work like debit cards at participating retailers.

October benefits went out as usual, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has warned that there isn’t enough funding to cover November if the shutdown continues.

The same goes for WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. Earlier this month, the USDA tapped $300 million in tax revenue to keep it afloat, but those funds could run out by the end of October.

The Economics

SNAP is a lifeline for families, and the shutdown will impact children’s ability to eat. However, SNAP is also a local economic engine.

“Most people don’t recognize how many of the businesses — especially food establishments — in their communities are bolstered by SNAP dollars,” said Lily Roberts of the Center for American Progress. “SNAP is an incredible boost to local economies.”

More than 27,000 retailers nationwide could feel the hit if SNAP payments stop, from farm stands to big-box stores. In total, SNAP accounts for about 12% of all grocery sales nationwide. In rural towns and low-income neighborhoods, that share is often far higher.

A food assistance crisis quickly becomes a small-business crisis.

The Policy Standoff

So why is the shutdown still dragging on?

Democrats are holding out for a deal that extends Affordable Care Act tax credits and reverses cuts to Medicaid, protecting millions of low-income, elderly, and disabled Americans.

Republicans want a “clean resolution”, a temporary funding bill without those health-care provisions.

The Trump administration believes Democrats will bear the blame if the impasse continues, and has been unwilling to make substantive concessions.

The Human Cost

State leaders are already advising SNAP recipients to stock up on shelf-stable food or turn to food banks. But that advice underscores a deeper problem: in the wealthiest country on Earth, hunger is now a bargaining tool.

Millions of families could soon face empty pantries due to political gridlock.

The Bottom Line

Shutdowns used to be about budgets. Now, they’re about leverage. This one is testing the limits of public patience and the resilience of America’s social safety net.

SNAP dollars keep people fed, businesses open, and communities stable.
If those dollars stop flowing, the cost won’t just be political. It’ll be human.

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