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By Guy Page
As the federal government shutdown threatens to halt food benefits next week, Governor Phil Scott said Monday that Vermont is prepared to join other states in suing the federal government if Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments stop after November 1.
In a separate action, Vermont House of Representatives’ leaders said they will seek to pay the estimated $3 million per week in benefits from reserve funds. The Emergency Board will meet Wednesday, October 29 at noon to discuss this proposal.
Governor Scott issued the following statement regarding access to SNAP, which in Vermont is referred to as 3SquaresVT and is delivered on Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards:
“In the absence of the federal government acting to ensure that millions of vulnerable Americans have access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits they desperately need, states, including Vermont, are contemplating possible steps to support these vulnerable households and their families. These households include low-income families with children, veterans, older Vermonters, and individuals with disabilities.
“Even with state efforts, the lack of federal SNAP funding will disrupt the lives of over 63,000 Vermonters and could cause real harm. This is another area where there is bipartisan support for a lawsuit seeking to require the federal government to release contingency funding it has available for emergencies. I have directed my administration to work with Attorney General Clark to support a multi-state lawsuit.”
The warning comes as the ongoing federal shutdown raises the likelihood that funding for key assistance programs, including SNAP, will lapse. Without congressional action, payments to the states that administer the program will stop, cutting off access to food assistance for millions nationwide.
More than 63,000 Vermonters depend on SNAP benefits each month to help purchase groceries. State officials say that if federal payments are not issued, those funds cannot be distributed through Vermont’s EBT system, leaving families, seniors, and people with disabilities without an immediate safety net.
While Vermont has begun exploring temporary support options, Scott emphasized that the federal government bears ultimate responsibility for maintaining the program. His administration is working with Attorney General Charity Clark and counterparts in other states to coordinate a potential legal challenge aimed at forcing the release of emergency contingency funding.
The governor’s statement reflects growing bipartisan concern among state leaders nationwide. Several governors have said they are weighing similar action to ensure families continue receiving benefits during the federal funding impasse.
If Congress does not act soon, state agencies expect SNAP benefits to be interrupted starting next week. Food banks and local service providers are already preparing for an increase in demand if that happens.
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Categories: State Government
I think Scott should direct his anger at the Democrats in the Senate who refuse to open the government, a pox on their house for suffering from a severe case of TDS.
1000% spot on, I support this message!!
The federal government bears no responsibility to fund any SNAP BENEFIT. Comment from Richard Day.
Has Scott spoken to Sanders, Welch, or Balint about this? Right, so what’s the fix? Don’t worry, we have this extra lying around, big daddy government will step in. The other 90 percent of Vermont has no problem kicking in to help when already trying to provide for their own. Not everyone collecting benefits needs them. Ever stop to think why Scott wouldn’t give the Trump administration info on who’s collecting? Because they’re are illegals collecting, thats why! Snap is supplemental, not a life style. Corrupt, corrupt, corrupt. This state should have enough revenue from taxes already, without suing and wasting time, puffing chests. The democrats did this, no money for illegals, and a clean CR will pass.
The gov is in bed with them period!
Beyond disgusting to say the least!!
Ah good ole Scott, can’t you tell he’s a crapologist seeking liberal approval on every thing he does. And he’s running to be governor again. Governor of the cesspool that VT has become under his stewardship and a Trump hater. If he was a military officer, he’d be busted, stripped of rank, court-martialed, drummed out, or treated as a deserter as Eisenhower had done. Too many instances of saying one thing and doing the opposite. As Scott goes, so goes VT.
Sure, put in a good conservative, Trump supporting nominee for governor, and see who you end up with in office! You will ruin the day that Phil Scott was not our governor! He is not as conservative as we are, but the alternative is grossly worse!
His Commiecrat handlers must have told him to do it. Better get those EBT card out to trade for drugs.
I can’t believe that 10% of Vermonts population is getting SNAP and EBT benefits.
Vermont is a welfare state….
This all can be boiled down to one attitude from Democrats, Give Us What We Want And You Can Eat Again! True communist ideal
Hold up – $3 million per week? A total of $156,000,000 a year for little ol’ Vermont? A rather substantial chunk of federal debt notes to assist people to cover basic needs. Not a good look for this State and I’m sure there are many more eligible yet to be determined.
Let us be clear shall we? The shutdown is a stand off over placing a band-aid onto a hemorraging federal budget – meaning there is currently no approval to acquire more debt to pay the bills – if they can’t pay obligations without printing more currency – borrowing from the FED – that is a big freakin problem! Does anyone get it or no? Moreover, how much is in the federal flush fund to pay Congress, the Treasury, the DOJ, DHS? How are they getting paid while others are not? What kind of bondoogle are they exacerbating issuing millions of IOU’s to States and employees on top of paying obligations going forward?
A billionaire banking heir cut a check for $130 million to pay our military? Does anyone find that strange considering the number of troops, ships, artillery, and money being sent all over Kingdom Come? There is no money in the Department of War coffers anywhere to pay for the war machine?
So the States answer is to file lawsuits and get another IOU in return? At least the courts are open and the lawyers are working. It appears the brick wall is met and funds are paying interest on a federal debt of $38 Trillion – $952 Billion goes to interest on that debt alone. Madness, absolute madness.
I hope they find a lawyer that will do this pro bono. It might keep a little bit of money in the coffers.
Wonder how much of this loosing track of millions occurred in this support program, from story on flood assistance “The Trump administration decision came just a few days after Grist reported that Vermont lost track of millions in FEMA funding it received for July 2024 flooding as the state burned through cash faster than anticipated”
Looks like many people on this website need the government to open up so they can get their benefits. Comment from Richard Day.
Speak for yourself.
Just in Tuesday 28th 12:30PM, “Schumer refuses to reopen Government, Democrats shoot down GOP vote”. Looks like we are down to only needing 3 Dem votes to go along with the Republicans that want to reopen the Government and fund programs
What a virtue-signaling joke. Phil should contact the Dems he favors over the President and ask them to stop holding the SNAP program hostage for more waste in the Affordable Care Act. On what leg will Vermont’s equally laughable AG stand to sue the feds for a shutdown? What a waste of air!!
I am off to talk to the airlines that hold tickets that I bought before the shut down to get the money back since they are operating in gross negligence to fly when the few airtraffic controllers are working on volunteer basis and walking off the job. They are the ones that ought to strike until the traffic controllers are paid.
How about a workfare system?
Jobs in VT going begging?
Want to eat…get to work.
Turn the unemployment offices, into employment offices, and dismantle the bureaucracy that promotes dependency on government handouts…for starters.
Too hard?
There is the Interstate Highway system, going to 47 other states…it’s a free country, if you are riding the backs of the honest taxpayer….but not a free country for the hardworking taxpayer, having to carry a bunch of 2 legged leeches… sucking them dry.
Vote our every leftist and bring back Yankee pride ,thrift ,frugalism and common sense.
Vote them out ,destroy every leftists chance to get re-elected and watch those that run the elections like a hawk!
They are not to be trusted…don’t like it?
Eat a can of beans and hit the road Jack and don’t ya come back no more !
GOP is trying, unlike Democrats
https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/republicans-flock-hawleys-snap-bill-amid-shutdown
Sen. Josh Hawley’s, R-Mo., bill to fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits amid the ongoing government shutdown has attracted support from ten Republican Senators and at least one lawmaker on the other side of the aisle.
“There is no reason any of these residents of my state — or any other American who qualifies for food assistance — should go hungry. We can afford to provide the help,” Hawley wrote in the New York Times
“No society ever thrived because it had large and growing class of parasites living off of those who produce.” – Thomas Sowell
I think that’s rather hypocritical from the Governor. As a person that signed up for SNAP after becoming ill and was never able to validate the card because of the “work at home policy”. Called the department many, many times the first three months after being approved. No one answered, no one returned calls. It only takes a person two weeks to die of starvation. Good thing I was prepared. Makes one wonder how much work was being done from home, and where have all the unused funds gone? Just another agency that should be audited.
Scott has to act like this because his liberal voters are both recipients and bleeding hearts for the recipients. I am sick of paying for these leeches.
If Scott sues the Feds for the shut down, isn’t he actually suing Bernie and Peter since they voted for this shutdown?? Oh oh, whoops!!
It’s extremely simple. The Republicans have voted maybe a dozen times to fund rural hospitals, fund SNAP, pay federal workers, fund the military etc etc. The Democrats have voted the same number of times to stop funding all of these. So instead of paying high priced lawyers how about picking up the phone to urge just three more Senators to vote for the CR that simply extends Biden era spending levels (WITH NO CUTS). Which part of common sense don’t you get?
Why doesn’t Scott put the blame squarely on Shumer and the senate democrats who won’t sigh the clean CR and get the government opened up again!!! Come on Phil-where’s your backbone? Even CNN has seen the light!!!