Harrisburg, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro took legal action to demand the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) use billions of dollars in available, Congressionally-appropriated contingency funding to pay Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November amid the ongoing federal government shutdown and ensure nearly two million Pennsylvanians receive the critical food assistance they need to feed themselves and their families. Governor Shapiro joined a coalition of 24 states in suing the Trump Administration for unlawfully suspending SNAP. The lawsuit argues that while normal appropriations for SNAP have lapsed because Republicans in Washington — who control both Congress and the White House – failed to pass a federal budget, alternative funds do exist and must be used to fund the program. In Pennsylvania last year, approximately 714,000 children and 697,000 seniors relied on SNAP every month. “For the first time since the program began in 1964, SNAP payments have been halted across the country because the Trump Administration has decided to use critical food assistance as a political bargaining chip,” said Governor Shapiro . “That is unacceptable, especially when the USDA has billions of dollars in Congressionally-appropriated contingency funding on hand to fund SNAP and ensure millions of people don’t go hungry. Republicans in Washington need to come to the table and reopen the Read more

SNAP: What You Need to Know The federal government shut down on October 1, 2025 because our Republican-controlled U.S. Congress can’t pass a federal budget. The shutdown doesn’t only impact federal workers. It also means critical, federally funded programs can’t provide their services. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP, is one of those critical programs. Just over 4,000 households in our district – over 4,000 of your families! – rely on SNAP to put food on the table. But due to the federal shutdown, these households won’t receive a SNAP payment this November. What Else is Different? New work requirements also go into effect on November 1. Back in September, the federal government’s rules about eligibility and time limits changed, and PA became ineligible to offer waivers by county or municipality. On November 1, the work requirements are changing again. SNAP recipients will still need to report on meeting the work requirements, which include working, volunteering, or participating in an education or training program for at least 20 hours per week. But who is required to report will be expanded so that more recipients must do it: The expanded requirements apply if you: Are age 18-64 Do not have a dependent child under the age of 14 Are considered physically and mentally able to work Being a veteran or a current or former foster youth no longer Read more

Because of the Republican-led U.S. government shutdown, Pennsylvania is being forced to delay LIHEAP—vital home-heating assistance for 300,000 families—by a full month. The program will open December 3, 2025 intead of its previously planned November 3. If you need help heating your home this winter, here's a list of utility companies' assistance programs. https://www.puc.pa.gov/about-the-puc/consumer-education/utility-assistance-programs/ . Read more