New York declares state of emergency ahead of suspension of federal food aid

New York, Oct 31 (IANS) The US state of New York declared a state of emergency ahead of the suspension of federal food aid caused by the ongoing government shutdown.

At a news conference, Governor Kathy Hochul announced $65 million in new state funds for emergency food assistance and promised to provide 40 million meals to New Yorkers, Xinhua news agency reported.

The prolonged US federal government shutdown is putting millions of people at risk of missing their food stamp benefits, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a vital lifeline for low-income households.

Earlier this month, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) told state agencies to hold off distributing November benefits "until further notice" because of insufficient funds.

"As the GOP federal government shutdown continues, the Trump administration has refused to release billions in statutorily approved federal contingency funding that would address this crisis in states across the nation," Hochul said.

In recent days, several states have stepped up efforts to ensure SNAP recipients can afford food in November.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed an emergency declaration last week to fund SNAP benefits for recipients who rely on the program, while Vermont lawmakers on Wednesday approved a plan to fund food stamp benefits for state residents through November 15.

In New Mexico, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Wednesday that her state will provide $30 million in emergency food assistance to residents through EBT cards, backfilling SNAP benefits temporarily.

Democratic governors and attorneys general from 25 US states filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Tuesday, challenging its conclusion that it lacks the authority to use emergency funds to maintain food assistance for millions of Americans next month.

They called on the court to compel the USDA to use contingency funds appropriated by Congress to keep the program running.

SNAP is the nation's largest anti-hunger program serving approximately 42 million people. Most SNAP recipients live at or below the federal poverty line.

--IANS

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