đ Share this article SNAP Payments Set to End for Tens of Millions Throughout Ongoing US Government Shutdown The United States Department of Agriculture declared on Saturday that nutrition assistance payments through a critical national support systems are not going out during the coming month because of the continuing government funding lapse. Closure Continues Through Its Third Week The federal closure lasted its 25th day as officials revealed the news, coming after calls from over 200 House Democrats pushing the USDA to utilize emergency reserves to pay for next month's benefits. âBottom line, funds are depleted,â the USDA stated. âNow, assistance will not be providedâ beginning in November. Millions Affected More than 41 million individuals count on these food benefits, per the USDA. Some regions, such as one southwestern state, dependence on SNAP affects one-fifth of the population. A memo obtained by a major news agency indicated that the department would not access contingency funding to cover next month's assistance. Legislative Deadlock Republicans and Democrats continue to disagree regarding how to fund and reopen government operations. Remarks from the leader of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities indicated that federal leadership had chances to take earlier action to prevent benefits from running out. âOfficials were able and expected to acted earlier to be prepared to utilize available money,â the remarks concluded. âConversely, it may choose not to use them for potential political benefitâ as conservative leaders work to push upper chamber Democrats to vote for a spending bill that would resume federal functions. States Prepare Governors in two affected states activated emergency protocols this week to allocate funds for hunger relief in anticipation of food benefits expiring during the upcoming period.