New York declares emergency as federal food aid faces suspension
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New York: The state of New York has declared a state of emergency in response to the looming suspension of federal food assistance caused by the ongoing US government shutdown.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced $65 million in emergency state funding to support food aid, pledging to deliver 40 million meals to residents amid uncertainty over the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which serves around 42 million low-income Americans.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently instructed states to delay November SNAP distributions due to insufficient federal funds. Governor Hochul criticised the Trump administration for withholding billions in contingency funding, saying it had exacerbated the crisis.
Other states have taken similar action. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry issued an emergency declaration to sustain SNAP benefits, while Vermont lawmakers approved temporary funding through mid-November. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham committed $30 million in emergency aid via EBT cards to bridge the gap.
On Tuesday, Democratic governors and attorneys general from 25 states filed a lawsuit challenging the federal government's refusal to release emergency funds. They urged the court to compel the USDA to deploy contingency resources already approved by Congress.
SNAP remains the largest anti-hunger programme in the US, with most recipients living at or below the federal poverty line.
(Inputs from IANS)