🔗 Share this article Food Benefits Expected to End for 41 Million Throughout Continuing US Government Shutdown Federal agriculture authorities announced on Saturday that nutrition assistance payments under one of the country’s largest support systems will not be distributed during the coming month because of the continuing federal government shutdown. Closure Continues For Nearly Four Weeks The federal closure lasted nearly a month when the announcement was made, coming after appeals by more than two hundred Congressional Democrats pushing agriculture officials to tap into contingency funds to cover the upcoming nutrition payments. “Bottom line, funds are depleted,” the department confirmed. “At this time, no payments will be distributed” starting next month. Millions Affected More than 41 million individuals rely on these food benefits, per official statistics. In certain states, like one southwestern state, dependence on the program is as high as one-fifth of the population. A memo obtained by a major news agency revealed that the department decided against using contingency funding for the upcoming payments. Legislative Deadlock Congressional leaders remain deadlocked about the way to finance and restart the federal government. Comments by the director at a prominent policy organization suggested that the White House could have acted to take earlier action to ensure continuous assistance. “They had the ability and responsibility acted before now to be prepared to access these resources,” the comments added. “Instead, it may choose not to use them in an effort to gain political advantage” as Republicans seek to push upper chamber Democrats to support a spending bill to restart federal functions. States Prepare Executives in Louisiana and Virginia activated emergency protocols recently to make money available to combat potential hunger in anticipation of food benefits expiring during the upcoming period.