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  • Colorado Department of Human Services receives federal guidance to issue partial SNAP benefits

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    DENVER — The Trump administration is supposed to start rolling out partial SNAP benefits Wednesday. This is a significant development for the roughly 600,000 Coloradans that rely on this assistance to buy food.

    The money normally allocated for SNAP is frozen right now during the federal government shutdown as Congress fails to reach a deal on the national budget.

    Families stretching every dollar at grocery stores and relying on food banks won’t see an end to that struggle immediately because it could still take some time before these partial SNAP benefits reach them.

    The Colorado Department of Human Services received federal guidance to issue the partial assistance and is making technical system updates with its EBT processor to distribute funds as quickly as possible.

    CDHS receives federal guidance to issue partial SNAP benefits

    Denver7 spoke with Jefferson County nonprofit The Action Center. The group said families are stressed, confused, and facing a ripple effect that could last for months.

    “It’s going to be half the amount that they normally get. We’ll see that ripple effect with need for families into December, into January, and long term, where they’ve had to make really, really hard decisions, and how it’s going to affect their financial well being in months to come,” Sunny Garcia with the Action Center said.

    What Garcia is talking about is roughly $4.6 billion being released in emergency funds, which is only half of what’s usually given out. That in itself could cause confusion.

    “The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has not designated specific dollars per state,” the Colorado Department of Human Services said. “The compliance ruling cites that the contingency fund will be obligated to “cover 50% of eligible households’ current allotments.”

    States will now recalculate benefits based on new maximum allotments, but families shouldn’t expect to receive half of their usual SNAP benefits for November.

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  • What DC-area leaders are saying about judges’ order to continue SNAP payments during shutdown – WTOP News

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    D.C.-area leaders expressed relief and agreement after two federal judges ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to continue paying SNAP benefits during the shutdown.

    Most D.C.-area leaders agree with two federal judges’ rulings Friday, ordering President Donald Trump’s administration to continue paying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, using emergency reserve funds during the government shutdown.

    State attorneys general and governors from 25 states, as well as D.C., sued the Trump administration as the Department of Agriculture planned to freeze payments to SNAP starting on Monday. The administration argued that the department could no longer keep funding the program due to the shutdown.

    In both cases, the federal government must provide a plan on how the program will be funded by Monday. The administration did not say whether it would appeal to the rulings.

    Prior to the judge’s ruling, Maryland and Virginia declared states of emergency and D.C. announced a backup plan to keep supporting its SNAP recipients.

    Maryland

    Following the ruling, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said the court agreed that the Department of Agriculture cannot “lawfully cut off Marylanders’ SNAP benefits.” Brown joined the lawsuit and said he plans to continue fighting in court “to force the federal government to fund SNAP benefits” for families that rely on it to put food on the table.

    Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said he was “encouraged” by the ruling and called for the Department of Agriculture to release the emergency funds. On Thursday, Moore declared a state of emergency to keep food banks operating across the state.

    “We have long said: The Trump administration must follow the law, release contingency funding for SNAP, and lead congressional Republicans in ending the federal government shutdown,” Moore said in a statement. “For millions of Americans — including 680,000 Marylanders — SNAP is a lifeline.”

    Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman said she is “deeply relieved” by the ruling and called it “a victory for the more than 680,000” residents who rely on the program. Had the suspension of SNAP funding continued, Lierman said the ripple effects could have harmed the state’s economy.

    “SNAP is a critical safety net and an important economic stabilizer,” Lierman said. “Every dollar in SNAP benefits circulates quickly through our communities, supporting Maryland’s grocers, farmers, and retailers, and generating measurable growth in our state GDP.”

    DC

    In a post on X, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb said the Department of Agriculture acted “unlawfully” in suspending SNAP payments for November.

    “Families should not go hungry when there are billions in contingency funds for this very purpose,” Schwalb said. “We will keep fighting because every meal matters.”

    In the interim, Schwalb confirmed that D.C. will follow its backup plan and use local funds to ensure residents on SNAP and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, receive their November benefits.

    The city will use $29 million from its contingency cash reserve for SNAP and $1.5 million for WIC, including direct benefits and support services.

    D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser previously stated about 85,000 households in D.C. receive SNAP, and that more than 12,500 residents benefit from WIC.

    Virginia

    After announcing a state of emergency, Virginia launched the Emergency Nutrition Assistance initiative to help fill the funding gap for its SNAP recipients.

    Under the program, people receiving SNAP will automatically get payments added to their existing EBT cards. Instead of receiving their full monthly benefits at once, recipients will get smaller payments every week in November.

    Attorney General Jason Miyares told WTOP’s Nick Iannelli that Virginia’s budget surplus allows the state to use its funds to protect its residents’ SNAP benefits.

    “You never know what’s going to happen in a judge’s ruling,” Miyares said. “That’s exactly why we have these reserve funds. When you have emergencies like this, you never know how a judge is going to rule.”

    WTOP’s Nick Iannelli, Mike Murrillo and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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  • SNAP shutdown triggers emergency response across DC region – WTOP News

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    The D.C. region is trying to get ahead of the expected loss of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding this weekend due to the government shutdown.

    The D.C. region is trying to get ahead of the expected loss of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding this weekend due to the government shutdown.

    Funding for SNAP recipients runs out Saturday, so Maryland and Virginia have declared states of emergency. And as D.C. awaits news on lawsuits aimed at keeping the funding flowing, it’s turning to its backup plan to support its recipients of the program.

    Virginia

    In Virginia, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced, starting Saturday, the state will launch the Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance initiative to fill the funding gap.

    “It is an extraordinary step for Virginia to provide food benefits in seven-day increments in November, but we must do so because Congressional Democrats are putting politics above people,” Youngkin said earlier this week.

    Under the program, people receiving SNAP as of Oct. 29 will automatically get Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance payments added to their existing EBT cards. Instead of receiving their full monthly benefit at once, recipients will get smaller payments every week in November.

    Youngkin said the program is funded by Virginia’s budget surplus and will continue through November, unless the federal government reopens and SNAP resumes.

    Maryland

    In Maryland, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore announced Thursday that a state of emergency will bring $10 million to the state’s food banks to help those in need. However, he has not committed to continuing SNAP payments on EBT cards.

    “There is no state that has the resources or the balance sheet to make up for when the federal government decides that they are no longer going to provide something that they are legally obligated to provide,” Moore said on Thursday.

    The governor also said the state’s rainy-day fund would not be used to supplement the SNAP program due to concerns about reimbursement.

    “I have no belief that the federal government is going to reimburse anybody for anything. I have no belief that the federal government is going to honor its promises,” Moore said.

    Counties and cities in Maryland have also announced plans to help residents through the funding gap.

    In Montgomery County, Council President Kate Stewart announced a $7.75 million support package. It includes $3.5 million in extra food assistance, $1.5 million in grants for nonprofits affected by canceled federal contracts, $750,000 for nonprofit capacity building, $1 million for short-term housing support, $500,000 for the Montgomery County Pride Center and $500,000 for economic development.

    The package will be formally introduced on Tuesday, with a public hearing scheduled Nov. 18.

    Despite the emergency funds, Stewart acknowledged the limitations.

    “We will not be able to replace all the funds that have been lost because of federal administrative policies,” she said.

    Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy’s office said the county plans to release more details on how the county is responding on Friday.

    ​The Bowie Interfaith Pantry and Emergency Fund provides prepackaged bags of food to approved area residents, and food assistance and emergency financial aid to other residents. Other local food banks are also providing services and aid.

    DC

    D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said as the city follows a lawsuit that Attorney General Brian Schwalb, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown and other states joined, the city is turning to its backup plan.

    Bowser said she has authorized the use of local funds to ensure residents on SNAP and WIC receive their November benefits. Bowser said about 85,000 households in D.C. receive SNAP, and more than 12,500 residents benefit from WIC. The city will use $29 million from its contingency cash reserve for SNAP and $1.5 million for WIC, including direct benefits and support services.

    “We were hopeful it wouldn’t come to this — and we still need the federal government to reopen as soon as possible — but for right now, we’re moving forward to ensure we take care of D.C. residents in November,” Bowser said in a news release.

    As for the lawsuit, a federal judge in Massachusetts heard arguments Thursday but at the time did not make a decision on whether to sign off on a temporary restraining order that would force the federal government to continue to fund SNAP.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Mike Murillo

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  • ‘Everyone is doing well’: President Trump praises economy amid layoffs, potential SNAP crisis

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    ‘Everyone is doing well’: President Trump praises economy amid layoffs, potential SNAP crisis

    President Trump promotes economic prosperity during his visit to Japan, while layoffs and a federal shutdown threaten millions back in the U.S.

    Updated: 3:03 PM PDT Oct 28, 2025

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    White House Correspondent

    President Donald Trump is promoting Japanese companies investing $550 billion in the United States while visiting the East Asian country. The president said the funds would be “at my direction” as part of a trade framework secured with Japan. The president also boasted about the U.S. economy, despite contrasting economic challenges.”Well, everyone in our country is now doing well. My first term, we built the greatest economy in the history of the world. We had an economy like nobody has seen before now. We’re doing it again, but this time, actually, it’s going to be much bigger, much stronger,” Trump said.The president highlighted the stock market reaching all-time highs, but economists point to other indicators that tell a different story. Amazon announced it is cutting 14,000 jobs, UPS is eliminating roughly 48,000 positions and closing more than 90 buildings as part of a turnaround plan, and Target, Ford, and GM have also announced layoffs amid slowing demand. Additionally, the federal government shutdown threatens food aid benefits for more than 40 million Americans as soon as Nov. 1, and September’s CPI data showed prices are rising again just as the Federal Reserve has cut interest rates to support the economy.”I don’t really understand the optimism to be perfectly honest, and I’m a very optimistic, very little of a ‘doomer’ person. We’ve had seven months in a row of contractions and manufacturing output. The labor market cooled to such an extent that it forced the Fed to cut rates in September,” said Jai Kedia from the Cato Institute.President Trump is preparing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping amid the ongoing U.S.–China trade war. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the two countries have reached a “very successful framework” ahead of their summit, covering tariffs, rare-earth exports and large U.S. agricultural purchases.Meanwhile, 26 states and Washington, D.C., are suing the USDA, arguing the agency has contingency funds that could be used to maintain SNAP benefits during the shutdown. In a memo, the USDA stated that those funds can only be used for a natural disaster or other emergency, not to operate during a shutdown, and placed the blame on Senate Democrats, saying, “We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. Continue to hold out for the Far-Left wing of the party or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive timely WIC and SNAP allotments.” The states argue the law requires the USDA to issue benefits as long as money is available.It comes after another failed vote occurred today in the Senate. A federal judge in San Francisco has issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from firing federal workers during the government shutdown. This move comes as a lawsuit challenges recent job cuts in education, health, and other areas.For more coverage from the Washington News Bureau here:

    WASHINGTON —

    President Donald Trump is promoting Japanese companies investing $550 billion in the United States while visiting the East Asian country. The president said the funds would be “at my direction” as part of a trade framework secured with Japan.

    The president also boasted about the U.S. economy, despite contrasting economic challenges.

    “Well, everyone in our country is now doing well. My first term, we built the greatest economy in the history of the world. We had an economy like nobody has seen before now. We’re doing it again, but this time, actually, it’s going to be much bigger, much stronger,” Trump said.

    The president highlighted the stock market reaching all-time highs, but economists point to other indicators that tell a different story.

    Amazon announced it is cutting 14,000 jobs, UPS is eliminating roughly 48,000 positions and closing more than 90 buildings as part of a turnaround plan, and Target, Ford, and GM have also announced layoffs amid slowing demand.

    Additionally, the federal government shutdown threatens food aid benefits for more than 40 million Americans as soon as Nov. 1, and September’s CPI data showed prices are rising again just as the Federal Reserve has cut interest rates to support the economy.

    “I don’t really understand the optimism to be perfectly honest, and I’m a very optimistic, very little of a ‘doomer’ person. We’ve had seven months in a row of contractions and manufacturing output. The labor market cooled to such an extent that it forced the Fed to cut rates in September,” said Jai Kedia from the Cato Institute.

    President Trump is preparing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping amid the ongoing U.S.–China trade war. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the two countries have reached a “very successful framework” ahead of their summit, covering tariffs, rare-earth exports and large U.S. agricultural purchases.

    Meanwhile, 26 states and Washington, D.C., are suing the USDA, arguing the agency has contingency funds that could be used to maintain SNAP benefits during the shutdown.

    In a memo, the USDA stated that those funds can only be used for a natural disaster or other emergency, not to operate during a shutdown, and placed the blame on Senate Democrats, saying, “We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. Continue to hold out for the Far-Left wing of the party or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive timely WIC and SNAP allotments.”

    The states argue the law requires the USDA to issue benefits as long as money is available.

    It comes after another failed vote occurred today in the Senate. A federal judge in San Francisco has issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from firing federal workers during the government shutdown. This move comes as a lawsuit challenges recent job cuts in education, health, and other areas.

    For more coverage from the Washington News Bureau here:

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  • Trump proposed cutting WIC for low-income families

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    The Trump administration said it found money to continue a food program for low-income families amid the government shutdown, but a Democratic lawmaker countered that it’s the president who ultimately wants to cut the Women, Infants and Children program.

    White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote Oct. 7 on X that Democrats are “so cruel in their continual votes to shut down the government that they forced the WIC program for the most vulnerable women and children to run out this week.” Leavitt said the White House will transfer tariff revenue to cover WIC during the shutdown.

    U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C, reshared Leavitt’s X post on Oct. 8 and wrote, “Trump’s budget called for a $300M cut to WIC. So yes, the White House *was* going to allow impoverished mothers and babies to go hungry.”

    Democrats and Republicans have blamed each other for the shutdown that began Oct. 1. It takes two to tango on the federal budget, and both sides are at an impasse; Republicans wanted to temporarily extend federal spending at current levels, while Democrats wanted Republicans to extend expiring subsidies for Affordable Care Act health care plans and to reverse Medicaid cuts that Trump signed into law this summer. 

    We asked the White House and the U.S. Agriculture Department, which oversees the WIC program, about Trump’s budget proposal for WIC. We received an automated response from the Agriculture Department about delayed response times related to staff furloughs because of the shutdown. The White House did not reply. 

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    The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, provides healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and referrals to health care providers and social services for low-income women, and infants and children up until they turn 5. The program serves about 6.9 million people.

    Trump’s budget proposal cuts WIC as part of larger spending cuts

    Congress ultimately approves federal spending, but the Trump administration, like every presidency before, can signal priorities with a wish list.

    Clyburn’s spokesperson pointed to the Agriculture Department’s 2026 budget summary, which drew from the president’s 2026 budget request. The budget includes $7.3 billion for WIC in 2026, a decrease from $7.597 billion in 2025, or a difference of about $291 million.

    Earlier this year, the Trump administration proposed cutting about $163 billion in non-defense discretionary spending for the next fiscal year while increasing spending for defense and the border. 

    Trump’s budget proposal also rolls back a WIC rule that allows participants to get additional money for fruits and vegetables through the “cash value benefit.”

    A left-leaning think tank and advocacy organization said the benefit would be rolled back from $26 a month to $10 per month for children, and from about $50 a month to $13 a month for adults.

    Lawmakers who set the budget prefer a different approach. The Senate-passed budget bill would increase WIC by $603 million, while the House Appropriations Committee bill was less generous, keeping it closer to 2024 levels. 

    Trump administration bails out WIC in the short term

    Lawmakers and WIC advocates warned that WIC could soon run out of money during the shutdown, although states had options to temporarily fill the gap.

    About one week into the shutdown, the White House said it will use tariff revenue to pay for WIC, providing about $300 million. 

    Chris Towner, a Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget expert, said it’s not clear whether the White House can use tariff revenue in this way.

    “The problem is not that there is insufficient money to pay WIC benefits; the problem is that WIC funding is appropriated by the bills that keep the government open, and since that appropriation has lapsed, the White House does not have Congress’s permission to spend that money,” Towner said.

    WIC benefits have continued during the shutdown, said Whitney Dawn Carlson, spokesperson for the National WIC Association. Some territorial and tribal agencies experienced temporary disruptions in WIC services, but they reopened. 

    Our ruling

    Clyburn said “Trump’s budget called for a $300 (million) cut” to the Women, Infants and Children program.

    Administration documents show that the administration’s proposed budget for WIC for the next year would cut $291 million for the program. In the short-term, the administration said it will use tariff revenues to allow WIC to continue during the shutdown, separate from Trump’s budget proposal.

    We rate this statement True.

    RELATED: Fact-checking political talking points about the 2025 government shutdown

    RELATED: Donald Trump says grocery, energy prices are down. It’s a mixed bag for consumers so far.

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  • ‘Anybody who comes will be served’: DC-area nonprofit prepares for potential WIC crisis – WTOP News

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    The government shutdown is creating uncertainty for low-income women and children who rely on WIC — the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.

    The ongoing government shutdown is creating uncertainty for low-income women and children who rely on WIC — the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.

    While WIC is currently being sustained by a $150 million emergency fund, that money is only expected to last a few weeks. If it runs out, states and local jurisdictions may need to step in to keep the program going.

    “Without the help of WIC, I know that the families are going to need a lot more help,” said Megan Joe, executive director of the hunger relief program at So What Else. “And they are already struggling to have enough funds at the state that they’re in.”

    The nonprofit serves families across Montgomery and Prince George’s counties and Baltimore in Maryland, along with D.C. and Virginia. So What Else supports 40,000 families each week with food, diapers, clothing and baby formula, Joe said.

    Joe said WIC sometimes refers families directly to them for assistance, underscoring how government programs and nonprofits work hand in hand to meet basic needs.

    “If that funding is cut, it’s going to put a lot more pressure and stress on these families,” she said. “The more they worry about providing basic necessities … the harder it is for them to have the mental strength to keep up.”

    Maryland’s Department of Health said Gov. Wes Moore’s administration is committed to keeping major federal programs such as WIC operational, assuming the state will be reimbursed for eligible expenses. Virginia’s Department of Health said its WIC program is continuing normal operations for now and is closely monitoring the situation.

    D.C.’s Department of Health said in a statement to WTOP that the city’s WIC program will “continue to operate as normal” and program participants are encouraged to use their benefits and schedule appointments.

    Joe said So What Else hasn’t yet finalized plans for a potential surge in demand, but internal conversations are underway — including possibly raising the diaper limit and coordinating with the D.C. Diaper Bank.

    “Anybody who comes to our warehouse will be served,” she said. “I urge (lawmakers) to go in person to some of these food banks and diaper banks, and really see the impact that those decisions make, because it really is so catastrophic for a lot of these families.”

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Mike Murillo

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