Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has responded to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) decision to suspend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for 42 million people across the country, effective November 1.
In a statement released today, Governor Lujan Grisham criticized the federal government’s move, highlighting its impact on New Mexico. “The federal government’s refusal to pay for SNAP benefits in November is unconscionable — and the absurdity doesn’t end there. For New Mexico that’s 460,000 people in our state — 21 percent of our population, the highest participation rate in the nation. The federal government has abandoned its responsibility to feed families,” she said.
The governor outlined steps her administration is taking in response. “My administration is immediately evaluating every available legal and administrative option under this guidance, working closely with our Health Care Authority, food banks, and community partners to protect vulnerable families — including children, seniors, and people with disabilities — and we are expediting the $8 million we allocated for food banks, though that’s only a fraction of the $80 to $90 million in monthly SNAP benefits New Mexicans rely on,” Lujan Grisham stated.
She called on Congress to resolve the situation: “The best way to solve this crisis is for Congress to end this shutdown and do its job. Until then, New Mexico will do everything in our power to keep our families fed, and we will provide updates as more information becomes available.”
