U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar and a House Republican colleague introduced legislation to protect food assistance for millions of Americans during the current federal government shutdown.
The measure — the Keep SNAP Funded Act of 2025 (H.R. 5822) — would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture to maintain full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, operations throughout any lapse in government funding. The legislation would grant the Secretary of Agriculture access to emergency funds and retroactive authority to restore any missed benefits.
The introduction of the bill comes at a time when about 42 million people nationwide face a halt in their SNAP benefits this Saturday due to the federal government shutdown.
READ MORE: Florida Democrats urge GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis to help SNAP recipients losing benefits due to shutdown
In Florida alone, nearly 3 million people rely on the program, with 17% of households in Salazar’s congressional district using SNAP. Nearly a quarter of households in Miami-Dade rely on SNAP, according to Salazar, R-Miami.
“SNAP keeps families stable during difficult times by ensuring they can buy groceries and put food on the dinner table,” said Salazar in a statement. “It’s not a distant policy; it’s our neighbors’ lifeline, with one in eight Americans depending on it.”
The congresswoman said the legislation she is co-sponsoring the bill is a necessary step to protect families from political brinkmanship.
“This bill ensures that benefits continue and Miami families don’t lose vital support during the shutdown,” she said. “Food should never be used as a political weapon.”
The co-sponsor, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, an Iowa Republican said her state does not have enough food banks and pantries "to absorb a major lapse in SNAP.”
"Any delay would be catastrophic for thousands of families already struggling with the cost of living," Miller-Meeks said. "This bill provides the certainty they deserve while Congress works to resolve the shutdown.”
Meanwhile, in Washington, Republicans and Democrats remain no closer to reopening the federal government and ending the shutdown.
On Wednesday, Republican leaders in Congress rejected a Democratic push to carve out food aid funding through SNAP for more than 40 million Americans.
Democrats have repeatedly voted against reopening the government as they demand that Republicans negotiate with them to extend expiring health care subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. But they pushed for expedited approval of legislation to continue funding for SNAP benefits.
“It’s simple, it’s moral, it’s urgent,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said as he called for passage of the SNAP funding Wednesday.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., angrily objected to the Democratic request, calling it “a cynical attempt to provide political cover” for Democrats to continue the shutdown, now in its 29th day.
“We’re not going to let them pick winners and losers," Thune said. "It’s time to fund everybody."
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
