近距离内射合集

A day after New Mexico leaders announced the state would temporarily cover the cost of food assistance benefits for more than 20% of the state鈥檚 population, residents and state officials alike were still taking stock of the unprecedented move.

While Democrats and Republicans have taken turns accusing each other of causing the looming freeze of benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, elected officials from both parties have expressed support for the stopgap funding.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has said it will not reimburse states like New Mexico for spending millions to fill in the gap on SNAP funding, but Democratic legislators are pushing for future reimbursement.

鈥淭his is a federal obligation, so we will be pushing back on the USDA position,鈥� said U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fern谩ndez, D-N.M.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program helps 460,000 New Mexicans buy groceries each month, but the program is set to run out of money Saturday because of the government shutdown, delaying November benefits. The USDA does not plan to use its roughly $5 billion contingency fund to pay November benefits, a decision that sparked a lawsuit from more than 20 states.

Albuquerque resident Reina Chavez said she was approved for SNAP benefits two months ago after losing her job. Though she recently found work at the Salvation Army, she said she expected to keep getting food assistance through November to get fully back on her feet.

鈥淚 was scared because I rely on it,鈥� Chavez said of SNAP benefits being at risk. 鈥淚 need it. I was hungry and I had no income.鈥�

Other states鈥� approaches

New Mexico is among a growing group of states that plan to use state funds to ensure the food assistance benefits that low-income residents receive are not interrupted.

In previous shutdowns, there has been a commitment to states that they will be reimbursed or clear guidance for states about what to do next, as well as a commitment not to interrupt SNAP, said U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Conn.

鈥淲e need to push to make sure those states are reimbursed, but also that we continue to have this set aside contingency fund with clear guidance on how it is to be used, so that if we are ever in a situation like this, hungry families will not be operating in fear not knowing what happens next,鈥� Hayes said.

In addition to New Mexico, Vermont and Louisiana are among the states that have announced plans to foot the bill for SNAP benefits during the ongoing federal government shutdown.

Louisiana鈥檚 Republican Gov. Jeff Landry announced his state鈥檚 $150 million plan on the same day Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said New Mexico would spend up to $30 million to cover SNAP benefits for up to 10 days if the shutdown continues.

Specifically, Lujan Grisham signed 40 executive orders this week that, combined, free up the $30 million in emergency state funding to pay for SNAP benefits.

But Lujan Grisham said she might call legislators back to Santa Fe for a special session if the federal government shutdown continues beyond mid-November.

Some states are not redirecting money to pay out SNAP benefits directly but are using state dollars to support food banks.

More than 757,000 Oregon residents rely on SNAP. The state鈥檚 governor has declared an emergency in response to the SNAP delays and directed $5 million to assist food banks.

California has an estimated 5.5 million residents who rely on SNAP benefits. The state is fast tracking up to $80 million and deploying the National Guard to support food banks, Gov. Gavin 近距离内射合集om announced last week.

Partisan finger-pointing

Several Republican legislators said Thursday they support New Mexico鈥檚 short-term funding approach.

鈥淲hile the federal shutdown is the direct result of Democrat games in Washington, our state shouldn鈥檛 let our most vulnerable citizens pay the price,鈥� said Rep. Stefani Lord, R-Sandia Park.

But Lord also said the state鈥檚 high SNAP enrollment rate 鈥� the state鈥檚 enrollment rate is the nation鈥檚 highest 鈥� underscores the need for better schools and more job opportunities.

New Mexico Republicans also continued to criticize the state鈥檚 two Democratic U.S. senators 鈥� Ben Ray Luj谩n and Martin Heinrich 鈥� for voting against a GOP-backed plan to reopen the federal government.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e playing politics when they should be putting New Mexicans first,鈥� said Sen. Jay Block, R-Rio Rancho.

Luj谩n said the shutdown could end now if Republicans were willing to have a meaningful negotiation.

鈥淯nder the previous administration, a Democratic president with Democratic majorities in both the Senate and the House, there was not a shutdown because we negotiated,鈥� Luj谩n said.

The senator introduced a bill that would fund SNAP and a related program, the USDA鈥檚 {span}Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC,{/span} and guarantee reimbursement to states, on Wednesday.

Sen. Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., blocked a vote on it, calling Luj谩n鈥檚 bill 鈥渁 transparent admission that Democrats want to keep the shutdown for what? Another month? Longer?鈥�