There are several levers federal and state officials could pull to keep 700,000 Tennesseans from losing food aid. But as of now, it seems no one is touching them.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — also known as SNAP, food stamps or EBT — distributes funds on the first of the month. But because of the government shutdown, the account that pays for those benefits has run out of money.
Democrats are holding out for a bill that prevents massive increases in health insurance premiums for low-income Americans. Republicans want a temporary spending bill while the debate continues.
Both the the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the state government have reserves they could dip into to bridge the gap. Congress could pass bipartisan pitches to fund SNAP while continuing budget negotiations. Congressional Republicans could use an archaic legislative tool called the filibuster to force a funding bill through.
However, there doesn’t seem to be any appetite for those options.
Who uses SNAP in Tennessee?
About one in 10 Tennesseans get some amount of food aid from SNAP. On average, the benefits come out to roughly $6 per person per day.
Nearly 90% of people who get this aid live below the poverty line. That’s earnings of about $15,000 a year for a single person or about $30,000 for a family of four.
More than 300,000 of the people using SNAP in the state are children under 18. About 100,000 are adults under 65 with disabilities, and another 90,000 are adults over 65.
Tapping a savings account
An NPR investigation found the USDA’s website used to have a section explaining how its multi-year contingency funds work, which stated the money would be available in the case of a shutdown. But this month, the agency removed that section and began claiming it didn’t have legal authority to tap into the fund.
Tennessee’s rainy day fund has $2 billion. November benefits would cost about $145 million. Gov. Bill Lee said that’s not on the table. And he also said that the program is Congress’ responsibility, and the minority party is to blame for the body’s failure.
“I share the frustration of hardworking Tennesseans who will be impacted by this temporary lapse, and sincerely hope Democrats will choose to put the American people ahead of politics and reopen the government now,” Lee told the Tennessee Lookout.
State agencies have been giving budget presentations to House committee this week. The Department of Human Services’ presentation took place Thursday. Lawmakers asked Commissioner Clarence Carter whether why the state couldn’t bridge the gap.
“Even if the legislature were to make state funds available, we don’t have the ability, with state funds, to load the card,” he said. “So you would have to create an entirely different distribution mechanism. We don’t have the ability to recreate that mechanism overnight.”
Shortly afterward, Sen. Paul Bailey, R-Sparta, issued a press release, urging the governor to find a solution. He didn’t find the argument about distribution mechanisms persuasive.
“We have found ways to innovate before and we can do it again,” the statement reads. “Other states have already taken steps to protect their citizens. Now is the time for Tennessee to do the same.”
Several states are using state funds to avoid food access losses. Several states including Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois and Maine have authorized millions in state funding for food banks, according to NBC News. Delaware is sending money directly to SNAP beneficiaries on a weekly basis. Other states, including Hawaii and Kentucky, are expanding eligibility for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
Democrats in the Tennessee statehouse floated the idea of a special session to fund food aid. Republican House Majority Leader William Lamberth’s response was similar to Lee’s.
“Since SNAP is funded by the federal government, states do not have the authority to continue it during the shutdown,” his statement reads. “Cruelly, Democrats are openly admitting to prioritizing the well-being of criminals, terrorists and illegals above Americans. Tennessee Democrats should focus their efforts on urging their party leaders to put Americans first.”
He’s referencing Congressional Democrats’ insistence on continuing tax breaks for low-income Americans who buy health insurance on the ACA Marketplace, which are available only to citizens.
What does this mean for Tennesseans?
Although lapsed SNAP benefits will likely lead to lost meals and hungry Tennesseans, the fallout will likely be more broad.
Timmeshia Fleming, a mother of three in Nashville who uses SNAP, said it leaves families facing impossible choices.
“A lot of people look forward for their food stamps to be coming,” she said. “And when you take that away, a lot of people cannot pay for rent, and pay the car note, and pay for food.”
Signe Anderson, who oversees nutrition advocacy for the Tennessee Justice Center, highlighted about another risk of shifting budgets:
“Oftentimes, we hear from clients who are skipping medicine or picking up their prescriptions because they need the money to pay for food,” she said.
Update: This story was updated Thursday at 4:35 p.m. to include information from the DHS budget hearing.
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