DeLauro Statement on Federal Judges in Rhode Island and Massachusetts Affirming Trump Administration Must Use Contingency Fund to Pay Out Nutrition Assistance Benefits

WASHINGTON — Today, House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) released the following statement in response to federal judges in Rhode Island and Massachusetts issuing rulings that require the Trump Administration to use existing contingency funds to support the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, beyond November 1.

“I have repeatedly called attention to the over $5 billion that is available to pay food stamp benefits in the case of an emergency. Now, that funding must flow. The Trump administration cannot use children, seniors, and veterans as disposable pawns in their political games. People will go hungry if these funds do not flow immediately.

“I am grateful for the work of Connecticut Attorney General Tong and the other states’ Attorneys General, as well as Mayor Elicker and the City of New Haven along with other local governments, who quickly responded to sue the Trump administration over their illegal withholding of contingency funds that must be used to pay food stamp benefits in November. 

“The judges’ rulings affirm what I have been saying all along: this money can and must be used to provide nutrition assistance for the 42 million Americans who rely on it to put food on the table.

“Unfortunately, because the administration has chosen to hold hungry families hostage in their partisan political games, benefit payments will likely be delayed by several days or more. Make no mistake, this is a direct result of the Trump administration’s refusal to use the more than $5 billion in available contingency funds, which both he and President Biden signed into law to support families across this country. It is cruel. It is shameful. And as federal judges in two states have now affirmed, it is illegal.

“This week has shown the height of hypocrisy as Republicans pretend to care about food assistance and hunger when they already voted for and passed their One Big Beautiful Bill, which slashes $186 billion from food stamps — the very program that keeps millions from going hungry. They want to take food away from the hungry and rip doctors away from the sick. That is unacceptable. 

“It is not a question of whether they have the money, they absolutely do. President Trump, Secretary Rollins, and Speaker Mike Johnson must get serious – let’s get to work to fund the government, end the Republican health care crisis, and ensure Americans can put food on the table.”

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