As the federal government shutdown continues, several states are now warning they will be forced to suspend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits come Nov. 1, 2025. "We're going to run out of money in two weeks," Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told reporters on Oct. 16, 2025. SNAP provides food assistance to approximately 42 million Americans.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) introduced two bills on Oct. 22, 2025, to reinstate SNAP benefits and critical farm programs during the government shutdown - the Keep SNAP Funded Act and the Fund Farm Programs Act. Under the SNAP bill, Congress would appropriate the necessary funding to provide uninterrupted SNAP benefits, retroactive to the start of the shutdown.

The House remains out of session, though Republican leadership put Members on notice that they could be called to return to Washington within 48 hours should a deal be reached.

The Senate has remained in session, and as of Oct. 17, 2025, has voted ten times on competing Democratic and Republican continuing resolutions (CRs), with both failing to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to end debate and move to final passage. Democrats continue to insist on an extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies and the restoration of Medicaid benefits as a condition of reopening the government. But Republicans contend the government should reopen before health care talks begin. Read more here.