October 31, 2025

Tomorrow, as the Republicans’ government shutdown hits the one-month mark, benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are set to run out for hundreds of thousands of Missourians. This debacle is not just a failure of leadership from Congressional Republicans - it is a crisis of design. The Trump administration could extend SNAP benefits through billions of dollars in contingency funds, but the President refused.

The reason is simple: Republicans in Washington D.C. want everyday Americans, including over 1 million Missourians, to give up their affordable healthcare benefits. If they won’t, Republicans don’t care if people go hungry.

“The choice between lifesaving prescriptions and life-sustaining food is no choice at all,” said Russ Carnahan, Chair of the Missouri Democratic Party, “and yet that is exactly the devil’s bargain that Republican legislators in Washington D.C. hope to force on the American People.”

He continued, “Democrats aren’t having it. We’re going to fight their efforts to starve needy Americans into giving up affordable healthcare, and hold them accountable for this despicable inaction every step of the way.”

It is our sincere hope that Congressional Republicans wake up and realize the damage they are causing to families in Missouri and across the country. Until they do, we urge Missourians to reach out to their Congressional representatives and tell them that enough is enough.

At this time, we also encourage those in need to seek resources from community and charitable partners by heading to feedingmissouri.org/get-help/food-bank-links/

### 

Media Contact: 

Matthew Patterson, Executive Director

press@missouridems.org