supplemental nutrition assistance program

The timeline for SNAP benefits remains uncertain, even after Congress agrees to end the shutdown

**SNAP Food Aid Uncertainty Looms as Congress Moves to Reopen Government**

By Geoff Mulvihill, Associated Press

Congress has taken a significant step toward reopening the government, but uncertainty remains regarding when all 42 million Americans who rely on SNAP food aid will regain access to their full November benefits.

On Wednesday, the House adopted a plan to reopen the government, sending it to President Donald Trump for his signature. Included in the plan is a provision to restart the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). However, questions persist about when benefits will be loaded onto the debit cards beneficiaries use to purchase groceries.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which administers SNAP, stated in an email Wednesday that funds could be available “upon the government reopening, within 24 hours for most states.” The USDA did not immediately clarify whether this timeline applies to when money would be available to states or when funds would be loaded onto beneficiaries’ debit cards.

Court Battles and State-by-State Variation

SNAP, the largest government food program, serves about one in eight Americans. Court battles have affected the program’s fate in recent weeks, with seesawing rulings and varied USDA communications meaning that beneficiaries in some states have already received their full monthly allocations, while others have gotten nothing or only partial payments.

States report that it’s faster to provide full benefits than to calculate and program for partial payments. According to an Associated Press tally, at least 19 states and the District of Columbia issued full benefits to some recipients last week. Many accomplished this within a day or so, during the narrow window between a Nov. 6 court ruling requiring full payments and a Nov. 7 U.S. Supreme Court action that stopped it.

Jessica Garon, spokesperson for the American Public Human Services Association, anticipates that most states will issue full benefits within three days of receiving the go-ahead, though it may take up to a week for others. Experts suggest that states which have not distributed any November benefits, such as South Carolina and West Virginia, will likely be the quickest to act. A complication arises for the 16 states that issued partial benefits, as technical hurdles may delay the issuance of the remaining amounts.

Delays Impact Millions of Recipients

Timing is critical for millions of Americans counting on SNAP benefits. About 42 million lower-income Americans receive an average of $190 monthly per person through the program. Recipients report that benefits rarely cover their full grocery needs, even with careful budgeting. Delays make things worse.

Doretha Washington, 41, of St. Louis, is struggling to feed herself, her husband, and their six children on limited resources. Her husband works servicing heating and cooling systems, but the family still needs SNAP to make ends meet. By November, they had received nothing, though Missouri reported Tuesday that partial benefits would be issued soon.

“Now it’s making things difficult because we can’t pay our bills in full and keep food in here,” Washington said. “I’m down to three days of food and trying to figure out what to do.” She has been rationing their supply, while others have turned to food charities, facing long lines and diminishing provisions.

State Governments Scramble as Funding is Cut Off

The USDA notified states on Oct. 24 that SNAP would not be funded for November if the shutdown continued. This led states to scramble—most Democratic-led states sued for funding restoration. Some Democratic and Republican-led states sought to cover SNAP payments with state funds, boost food banks, and even deploy the National Guard for food distribution. Others used federal SNAP funds only after a judge ordered the Trump administration to restore payments.

The Senate-passed bill to reopen the government calls for states to be reimbursed for spending their own money on programs usually funded federally. Details about SNAP reimbursement eligibility remain unclear.

While the USDA has promised to reimburse states that paid partial SNAP benefits under a system allowing up to 65% of regular allocations—and said that even states paying full benefits could receive partial reimbursement—it also clarified that amounts already loaded onto EBT cards would not be reduced.

Confusion and Chaos

States that pursued legal action for benefit restoration noted in a Wednesday court filing that the USDA’s late and sometimes contradictory information “illustrates the chaos and confusion occasioned by USDA’s multiple, conflicting guidance documents.”

**Associated Press reporters Margery A. Beck and David A. Lieb contributed to this report.**
https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/11/12/timeline-for-snap-benefits/

California Moves to Protect CalFresh Payments From Federal ‘Confusion and Chaos’

Attorney General Rob Bonta announced on Monday morning new efforts to protect food benefits California has distributed after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) directed states over the weekend to halt and reverse payments.

The filing for a temporary restraining order against the federal government, joined by 23 attorneys general and three governors, comes as the USDA instructed states to “immediately undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits for November 2025” amid the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history.

“The whiplash the president and USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins have given Americans in recent weeks, the steps they’ve taken to prevent vulnerable families from putting food on the table, are unnecessary, unconscionable and unlawful,” Bonta said. “We refuse to stand by and allow it to continue without a fight.”

The shutdown, which began in early October, has resulted in delayed payments for those on the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). According to Bonta, it has sparked “confusion and chaos” that was “concocted by the Trump administration.”

Over 41 million people nationwide rely on SNAP, with approximately 5.5 million using California’s version, known as CalFresh. Food benefits have become a focal point of disputes between courts, states, and the federal administration.

Last week, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to make a payment that would fully fund the month of November. Despite this, the administration has ignored a previous order to resume certain payments and is appealing the most recent ruling.

The court’s decision prompted states including California to reinstate benefits on people’s EBT cards. According to Bonta, “the vast majority” of Californians on CalFresh “have received full funding” payments that the USDA is now attempting to claw back.

On Saturday, the USDA warned that “failure to comply with this memorandum may result in USDA taking various actions, including cancellation of the Federal share of State administrative costs and holding States liable for any overissuances that result from the noncompliance.”

The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts is currently pausing this request, with a hearing scheduled for later Monday.

“If any of that back and forth left you with whiplash, you are not alone,” Bonta acknowledged. He later emphasized, “I want every SNAP beneficiary to know we are fighting for you tooth and nail to make sure that you can be fed. And that there will be no revocation or undoing of the benefits that you have loaded onto your cards.”

There is hope for an end to the federal government shutdown. On Sunday, eight Democratic senators broke ranks to join Republicans in making a deal to reopen the government.

The October shutdown began primarily due to Democrats seeking extended subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), which supports low-income Americans’ access to health care. The current deal does not guarantee these extended subsidies but is based on an informal agreement that Republicans will vote to extend them in December.

Speaking Monday morning, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticized the deal: “They got a promise that they would bring up a bill. Well, what’s that? They’re gonna vote for it? Is he gonna sign it? What’s the promise? What’s a promise? Them is fighting words.”

The eight Democrats who voted for the deal have faced criticism from fellow party members, including Governor Gavin Newsom, who posted on social media: “Pathetic. This isn’t a deal. It’s a surrender. Don’t bend the knee!”

California’s senators, Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, made clear they will not support the deal, citing concerns over health care access.

“This does nothing to stop the Republican-made health care crisis. It does nothing to stop premiums from doubling for millions of Americans,” Padilla said, according to the Sacramento Bee.

“I have heard from countless Californians who are at risk of losing their health insurance, and my position has been clear from the beginning: I would not support a government funding bill that did not fund health care tax credits,” Schiff added.

KQED reporters Carly Severn and Sara Hossaini contributed to this report.
https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2025/11/10/california-moves-to-protect-calfresh-payments-from-federal-confusion-and-chaos/

Supreme Court Issues Emergency Order to Block Full SNAP Food Aid Payments

BOSTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Friday granted the Trump administration’s emergency appeal to temporarily block a court order requiring full funding of SNAP food aid payments amid the government shutdown, even though residents in some states have already received the funds.

A judge had given the Republican administration until Friday to make the payments through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). However, the administration appealed to an appeals court to suspend any court orders demanding spending beyond available funds in a contingency reserve, seeking to continue with planned partial SNAP payments for the month.

After a Boston appeals court declined to intervene immediately, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson issued an order late Friday pausing the requirement to distribute full SNAP payments. This pause will remain until the appeals court rules on whether to issue a more lasting suspension.

Justice Jackson, who handles emergency matters from Massachusetts, said her order will stay in effect until 48 hours after the appeals court decision, allowing the administration time to return to the Supreme Court if the appeals court refuses to act.

The SNAP program serves about one in eight Americans, primarily those with lower incomes.

### States That Have Issued SNAP Payments

Officials in more than half a dozen states confirmed that some SNAP recipients had already received full November payments on Friday. However, Jackson’s order may prevent other states from initiating the payments.

– **Wisconsin:** More than $104 million in monthly food benefits became available at midnight on electronic benefit cards for about 337,000 households. A spokesperson for Democratic Gov. Tony Evers said the state quickly accessed federal funds by coordinating with its electronic benefit card vendor in response to Thursday’s court order.

– **Oregon:** Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, said state employees “worked through the night” to issue full November benefits, ensuring families relying on SNAP could buy groceries by Friday.

– **Hawaii:** The state had November’s payment information ready and submitted it quickly after Thursday’s court order but before any potential higher court pause, according to Joseph Campos II, deputy director of Hawaii’s Department of Human Services.

The Trump administration told the Supreme Court that these fast-moving states were “trying to seize what they could of the agency’s finite set of remaining funds” before any appeal could be filed, potentially to the detriment of other states’ allotments.

“Once those billions are out the door, there is no ready mechanism for the government to recover those funds,” Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote in court documents.

Additional states including California, Kansas, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Washington also reported issuing full SNAP benefits on Friday, while others expected to distribute full benefits over the weekend or early next week. Some states are awaiting further federal guidance.

### Many SNAP Recipients Face Uncertainty

The ongoing court disputes have extended weeks of uncertainty for Americans with lower incomes. Individual SNAP recipients can receive up to nearly $300 monthly, while a family of four may qualify for up to nearly $1,000, though many receive less based on income.

For some SNAP participants, the timing of their benefits remained unclear. Jasmen Youngbey of Newark, New Jersey, for example, waited in line at a local food pantry Friday. As a single mother attending college, Youngbey relies on SNAP to feed her 7-month-old and 4-year-old sons. She said her account balance was at $0, explaining, “Not everybody has cash to pull out and say, ‘OK, I’m going to go and get this,’ especially with the cost of food right now.”

Later Friday, Youngbey reported receiving her monthly SNAP benefits.

### The Legal Battle Over SNAP Takes Another Twist

Due to the federal government shutdown, the Trump administration originally announced that SNAP benefits would not be available during November.

However, two judges ruled last week that the administration could not skip November’s payments entirely. One of those judges, U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr., ordered full payments on Thursday.

In both rulings, judges required the government to tap an emergency reserve fund containing more than $4.6 billion to cover November SNAP benefits. They allowed some flexibility to use other funds to make full payments, which total between $8.5 billion and $9 billion monthly.

On Monday, the administration said it would not use additional funds beyond the emergency reserve, stating that it is Congress’s responsibility to appropriate funds for the program. The administration cited the need to reserve other funds to support child hunger assistance programs.

Thursday’s federal court order rejected the administration’s plan to cover only 65% of the maximum monthly benefit, a measure that could have resulted in some recipients receiving no benefits this month.

In court filings Friday, the administration argued that the judge overstepped legislative and executive authority by ordering full SNAP funding.

“This unprecedented injunction makes a mockery of the separation of powers,” Solicitor General Sauer told the Supreme Court.

### States Take Different Approaches to Food Aid

States are varying in their response to the federal uncertainty surrounding SNAP payments.

– **Colorado and Massachusetts:** SNAP participants may receive full November payments as early as Saturday.

– **New York:** Full benefits access is expected to start by Sunday.

– **New Hampshire:** Full benefits should be available by the weekend.

– **Arizona and Connecticut:** Full benefits are anticipated within the coming days.

– **North Carolina:** Officials distributed partial SNAP payments Friday, with full payments expected by the weekend.

– **Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, and North Dakota:** Partial November payments have been distributed.

Meanwhile, Delaware’s Democratic Gov. Matt Meyer announced the state used its own funds Friday to provide the first of what could be weekly relief payments to SNAP recipients amid federal uncertainty.

—

The situation remains fluid as courts and states navigate the intersecting challenges of funding SNAP benefits during the government shutdown. Millions of Americans rely on this critical food aid program for their daily meals.
http://www.cbn.com/api/urlredirect.aspx?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww1.cbn.com%2Fcbnnews%2Fpolitics%2F2025%2Fnovember%2Fsupreme-court-issues-emergency-order-to-block-full-snap-food-aid-payments

Only Reduced Food Stamps Benefits Will Be Issued, and May Take Months to Get To You

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Monday that it will pay about half of November benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). However, the department warned that benefits could take months to flow to recipients. This update came in a brief submitted to a federal court in Rhode Island.

### Partial Payment Amid Shutdown

The USDA’s four-page report responded to U.S. District Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr.’s order. The judge instructed President Donald Trump’s administration to pay at least a portion of benefits to the 42 million people who receive SNAP assistance by the end of Wednesday, despite the ongoing government shutdown.

Notably, the USDA’s action did not clarify what would happen if the shutdown continues beyond November.

### Political Backlash

Leading Democrats in Congress sharply criticized the administration’s decision to pay only part of the monthly benefits. They accused President Trump of willfully denying food assistance to needy Americans.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said, “Providing partial benefits is not enough, is not compliant with the law, and it’s particularly cruel of Trump with the Thanksgiving season around the corner.”

### Judge’s Options and USDA’s Choice

On Saturday, Judge McConnell laid out two options for the administration:

– Pay partial benefits by the end of Wednesday using a contingency fund that currently has about $4.65 billion available.
– Pay full month benefits by utilizing other reserve sources, such as funds from the child nutrition program, by the end of Monday.

The USDA chose to use the contingency fund, giving the department until Wednesday to distribute benefits.

### Delays Expected in Benefit Distribution

Patrick A. Penn, USDA’s deputy under secretary for food, nutrition, and consumer services, noted that administrative hurdles in calculating and delivering half-month benefits could delay payments “anywhere from a few weeks to up to several months.”

According to the status report, USDA began the process of resuming payments on Monday to comply with Judge McConnell’s order. The report stated:

> “USDA will fulfill its obligation to expend the full amount of SNAP contingency funds today by generating the table required for States to calculate the benefits available for each eligible household in that State. USDA will therefore have made the necessary funds available and have authorized the States to begin disbursements once the table is issued.”

### Challenges in Processing Payments

While Judge McConnell acknowledged that calculating reduced benefits would take time, giving USDA until Wednesday if choosing the partial funding route, Penn said this timeline was insufficient. Some states have outdated systems for processing benefits, contributing to delays.

The federal government planned to provide updated benefit tables by Monday. States then need to send updated files to vendors who process benefits and load funds onto beneficiaries’ Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards used for groceries.

### A Lengthy Shutdown

Monday marked the 34th day of the federal government shutdown, which began October 1 after Congress failed to approve funding or pass a temporary spending bill. The U.S. Senate was expected to hold another procedural vote to advance the House-passed GOP stopgap bill that would fund the government at fiscal 2025 levels through November 21.

Democrats have opposed this measure to push for negotiations on expiring tax credits for Affordable Care Act marketplace health insurance buyers.

If the shutdown continued past Tuesday, it would tie the longest government shutdown in history, from 2018 to 2019.

### Contingency Fund Dispute

Before October ended, the administration had claimed it was legally barred from using the contingency fund, originally intended for natural disasters and emergencies, to pay SNAP benefits during the shutdown.

However, two federal judges ruled on October 31 that the USDA could and must use the fund to keep SNAP benefits flowing.

Saturday marked the first lapse in benefit payments since SNAP’s inception during President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty.

Program advocates and experts warned that users would experience delays in receiving November benefits as the administration worked to restart payments.

### Funding and Spending Breakdown

Interestingly, this stance was a reversal from a USDA shutdown plan issued on September 30, which explicitly called for using the contingency fund to maintain benefits.

SNAP costs the federal government about $9 billion monthly. While USDA did not use the contingency fund to pay regular benefits, it spent approximately $750 million of the original $6 billion during October:

– $450 million for state administrative expenses
– $300 million for block grants to Puerto Rico and American Samoa

For November, USDA planned to spend $450 million on administrative expenses and $150 million for block grants, leaving about $4.65 billion available to pay benefits.

### Child Nutrition Funds Off-Limits

Deputy Under Secretary Penn also explained why USDA chose not to use funds from the child nutrition program to cover the SNAP shortfall, emphasizing the importance of preserving that fund.

> “Child Nutrition Program funds are not a contingency fund for SNAP,” he said. “Using billions of dollars from Child Nutrition for SNAP would leave an unprecedented gap in Child Nutrition funding that Congress has never had to fill with annual appropriations, and USDA cannot predict what Congress will do under these circumstances.”

The child nutrition program supports school meals, summer meals for children, and summer EBT benefits for low-income families. The school lunch program alone serves around 29 million children daily.

### Democratic Response: “Not Acceptable”

Democrats expressed dismay at the partial funding decision.

Senator Patty Murray of Washington state wrote on social media:

> “Just now paying the bare minimum to partially fund SNAP is not enough, and it is not acceptable. Trump should immediately work to fully fund benefits under the law.”

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the ranking member of the House Appropriations panel, called the situation “entirely avoidable,” accusing Trump of using hungry children, seniors, and veterans as political pawns.

> “Now, only partial benefits will be sent out late, and families will go hungry, while this administration continues to host lavish parties for their billionaire donors and political allies,” DeLauro said.

She urged USDA to “put politics aside and use the money they have available to ensure families do not go hungry.”

### House Speaker Defends Administration

At a press conference Monday, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson defended Trump’s handling of the SNAP payments.

He stated, “The president is desperate for SNAP benefits to flow to the American citizens who desperately rely upon it.”

Johnson echoed arguments by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins that the agency was legally constrained from tapping the contingency fund if the underlying fund was suspended.

He blamed congressional Democrats for voting against the stopgap spending bill and noted that two judges who ordered payments to resume—Judge McConnell and Judge Indira Talwani of Massachusetts—were appointed by Democratic former President Barack Obama.

Judge Talwani ruled Friday that USDA’s pause on SNAP was illegal but gave the administration until Monday to respond before she considers forcing benefits to be paid despite the shutdown.

Johnson acknowledged the complexity of releasing funds:

> “It’s not as easy as hitting go on a computer. You’ve got to go through and recalculate partial payments to the 42 million recipients of the program. That puts a huge burden on states and on the feds to try to figure that out in short order.”

—

*Reporters: Jacob Fischler, Shauneen Miranda, Florida Phoenix.*
https://flaglerlive.com/only-reduced-food-stamps-benefits-will-be-issued-and-may-take-months-to-get-to-you/

Where you can volunteer in L.A. to help those affected by disruptions to SNAP benefits

Beginning November 1, roughly 5.5 million Californians—including more than 1.5 million residents in Los Angeles County—will experience delays in receiving their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits due to the ongoing government shutdown.

While the situation is evolving, Governor Gavin Newsom is fast-tracking funds to support food banks. Additionally, judges ordered the USDA on Friday to restart SNAP funding. However, families in need won’t see immediate relief.

In response, community leaders and local nonprofits have been stepping up to fill the gap by hosting free grocery pop-up markets and other events to assist neighbors who need food now, not later.

The Times has compiled an ongoing list of ways to volunteer in these efforts. This story will be updated as new opportunities arise.
https://www.latimes.com/travel/list/volunteer-opportunities-snap-benefits-calfresh-food-pantries

These States Lose Most If Federal Food Aid Runs Out

Large states stand to lose the most federal funding, but a higher percentage of the population receives food assistance in some smaller states.

More than 41 million Americans won’t receive federal help buying groceries in November unless Congress reopens the government. “The well has run dry,” the Department of Agriculture wrote on its website on October 27. The department oversees the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which serves about 12 percent of the U.S. population.

The government shutdown began on October 1 after the Senate failed to advance a stopgap funding resolution introduced by Republicans. This resolution would have temporarily funded the government while Congress completed the 2026 spending legislation. Nearly all Democrats have rejected the measure until Republicans agree on proposals to extend health care funding expiring at the end of the year. Republicans contend that those negotiations should happen within the context of regular spending talks, not as a condition for reopening the government.

### States Receiving the Most SNAP Funding

SNAP funding totaled more than $7.8 billion in May 2025, the last month for which data is available. Nearly half of all SNAP funds went to seven large-population states that month.

– **California** received the largest share at more than $1 billion, about 13 percent of the total.
– **New York** received $647 million.
– **Texas** received $614 million.
– Other top recipients included Florida ($536 million), Illinois ($368 million), Pennsylvania ($368 million), and Ohio ($356 million).

Together, these seven states received 49 percent of the food assistance benefits in May 2025 and served approximately 49 percent of all SNAP recipients.

Total SNAP spending reached $99.8 billion in fiscal year 2024. Now, states are preparing for the possibility of no SNAP funding in November.

### Concerns and Warnings from States

A New York State Department of Social Services website carries this warning:
“Due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, November SNAP benefits may be delayed. SNAP benefits cannot be issued for November unless the federal government shutdown ends or other federal action provides necessary funding.” The site promised those receiving assistance an update by November 1.

California Governor Gavin Newsom warned residents on October 20 that food assistance funds would likely be delayed in November if the shutdown lasted beyond October 23.

The ongoing stalemate in Washington threatens millions of Americans who rely on SNAP benefits to put food on the table. As negotiations continue, the impact of the funding lapse is becoming increasingly urgent.

*By Lawrence Wilson*
https://www.thethinkingconservative.com/these-states-lose-most-if-federal-food-aid-runs-out/

New Mexico Legislature approves bills to prop up rural health care, underwrite food assistance

**New Mexico Lawmakers Act Swiftly to Support Food Assistance and Rural Health Care Amid Federal Cuts**

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico lawmakers moved quickly Thursday during a special legislative session to bolster funding for food assistance and rural health care services. This comes in response to federal spending cuts on Medicaid and nutrition programs under President Donald Trump’s administration.

The Democratic-led Legislature sent a bill to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham that allocates over $16 million to sustain food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and to strengthen food banks. This action addresses federal changes that end SNAP eligibility for many noncitizens and alter benefit calculations for others.

“We need to act to make sure that New Mexicans don’t go hungry with SNAP changes at the federal level,” said Democratic state Sen. George Muñoz of Gallup.

An additional $50 million is designated to support medical services at rural health clinics and hospitals, which often rely heavily on Medicaid funding.

### Opposition from Republicans

Republicans in the legislative minority unanimously opposed the spending provisions. They argued that significant federal changes to Medicaid are still a few years away and emphasized the need for New Mexico to focus on reducing errors in benefit distribution instead.

However, both Democrats and some Republican legislators voted in favor of backfilling subsidies for health insurance on New Mexico’s Affordable Health Care Exchange if federal credits were allowed to expire. These federal subsidies have been a major sticking point in the ongoing budget standoff in Washington, which led to a government shutdown Wednesday.

### Temporary Measures Amid Long-Term Cuts

Many federal health care changes under Trump’s major bill will not take effect until 2027 or beyond. Democratic lawmakers in New Mexico acknowledged that their recent bills serve only as temporary measures.

“Some of the most significant federal cuts are delayed a few years, and these are deeply significant,” said state Rep. Nathan Small of Las Cruces, the lead sponsor of the spending bill. “I want to make sure that we’re all thinking of, not hundreds of millions, but billions of dollars of reduced Medicaid support to our state.”

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, supports key provisions of the bills and holds the authority to veto any spending measures.

Trump’s bill has prompted urgent responses in several Democratic-led states, including New Mexico, while Republican-led states have so far taken a different approach.

### Funding for Food Assistance

New Mexico lawmakers approved a swift infusion of state funds to support food assistance for elderly SNAP recipients. Nearly one in four residents in New Mexico receive food assistance through SNAP, making it a critical resource to combat hunger.

Under the bill, food banks across the state will receive an $8 million increase in direct state support. Additionally, $2 million is allocated to replenishing food pantries in universities and public schools.

The federal bill expands work and reporting requirements for SNAP participants, terminates eligibility for many noncitizens, and changes how benefits are calculated.

### Rural Health Care Concerns

Trump’s bill sets aside $50 billion over five years for rural hospitals, providers, and clinics but these funds may not fully offset significant cuts.

The situation is particularly pressing in New Mexico, where approximately 38% of residents rely on Medicaid. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers warn of a looming rural health care crisis as the state struggles to retain medical professionals and keep clinics and hospitals operational.

State Sen. Pat Woods, a Republican from New Mexico’s sparsely populated eastern plains, co-sponsored changes to rural health care grants aimed at sustaining existing services at rural clinics and hospitals.

“We’re trying to figure out a way to fund and keep some of these clinics open. What’s going to happen in the future? Who the hell knows,” Woods told a panel of lawmakers. “What I worry about is keeping these clinics and hospitals open until the dust settles.”

The bill passed the House with a vote of 64-3 and was sent to the governor for consideration.

### Insurance Subsidies and Public Broadcasting Funding

Legislators also approved setting aside $17 million to ensure that health insurance subsidies on New Mexico’s Affordable Care Act exchange do not lapse. This effort extends insurance subsidies to middle-income residents whose earnings equal or exceed 400% of the federal poverty level — roughly $128,000 annually for a family of four.

Democratic state Sen. Carrie Hamblen of Las Cruces emphasized that these subsidies are crucial to prevent a “perfect storm” of unaffordability. She warned that rising insurance rates could reduce participation in the exchange and exacerbate coverage gaps.

State health officials have indicated that tens of thousands of residents could drop their insurance coverage if exchange rates increase in 2026.

Separately, the legislature approved $6 million in state funding for public broadcasting stations, including $430,000 for five tribal stations severely impacted by Congress and President Trump’s defunding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Approved federal grants for these stations for the current federal budget year were rescinded under a bill signed by President Trump in July.

—

*This legislative session underscores New Mexico’s proactive approach to safeguarding vulnerable populations amid federal funding uncertainties.*
https://mymotherlode.com/news/national/10024690/new-mexico-legislature-approves-bills-to-prop-up-rural-health-care-underwrite-food-assistance.html