Arizona governor urges Feds to release funding for food

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(The Center Square) – Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has called on the Trump administration to release billions of dollars in food assistance funding amid the government shutdown. 

In an Oct. 27 letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Hobbs requested the administration use the federal government’s $6 billion Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program contingency fund to continue payments before Arizonans lose access to food assistance on Saturday.

“Vulnerable Arizonans cannot afford to be used as leverage by Washington Republicans,” the Democratic governor said in a news release about her letter.

Nearly one million Arizonans relied on SNAP benefits in 2024.

Hobbs said she can relate to concerns about food availability. When she was growing up, her family relied on food stamps.

“We were not looking for a handout, we were looking for help during tough economic times,” wrote Hobbs in her letter. “I urge the administration to take action to deliver much needed support by continuing SNAP benefits for as long as possible during this shutdown.”

The letter from Hobbs comes after an Oct. 10 letter that USDA sent to state SNAP directors informing them that "if the current lapse in appropriations continues, there will be insufficient funds to pay full November SNAP benefits” for the 42 million people enrolled nationwide. 

Attorney General Kris Mayes responded to that with an Oct. 24 letter expressing concerns about a possible lapse in issuance of SNAP benefits.

Mayes, who did not respond to The Center Square’s requests for comment, said in a press release that she wants clarity and additional information on how USDA plans to proceed.

“In addition to causing health insurance premiums to skyrocket as open enrollment begins, the GOP-controlled Congress and the Trump administration are now risking the health and safety of tens of millions of Americans, including 900,000 Arizonans who rely on SNAP benefits each month,” said Mayes in the press release. “As Donald Trump demolishes portions of the White House to build his golden ballroom, families all across Arizona are about to go hungry because of the incompetence and failure of the leadership in Washington.”

President Trump has stated on social media that the new ballroom will come at “zero cost to the American Taxpayer!" The White House said 37 donors, including large technology companies, are paying for the $300 million ballroom.

U.S. Rep. Abe Hamadeh, R-Arizona, disagrees with Hobbs and Mayes. Hamadeh said it is the Democrats who are using vulnerable Arizonans as leverage.

“They have admitted that they are doing that,” Hamadeh told The Center Square, answering questions by email. “On the other hand, Republicans are fighting for vulnerable Arizonans and passed a clean CR (continuing resolution), which would have prevented any interruption in government assistance.”

Hamadeh said Senate Democrats have now voted down the CR over a dozen times.

“They aren’t serious about helping people,” said Hamadeh. “They appear to be intent on playing games with people’s lives.”

The first-term representative added he is not the only one calling for an end to the shutdown. On Monday, the head of American Federation of Government Employees, a union that regularly donates money to Democratic federal candidates, called on Congress to pass a clean continuing resolution, as reported previously by The Center Square.

“The path forward is clear,” said Everett Kelley, AFGE national president in a statement posted on the union’s website. “Reopen the government immediately under a clean continuing resolution that allows continued debate on larger issues.”

Hamadeh told The Center Square that this should send a message to these “radical” attorneys general and "Schumer Democrats" - Arizona's U.S. Sens. Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly - to stop using the pain of struggling working families as "leverage" to subsidize healthcare for illegal immigrants. ("Schumer Democrats" is a reference to Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York.)

“This is just another example of Democrats putting Americans last,” Hamadeh told The Center Square.

Gallego’s office did not respond to emails seeking comments. Kelly’s office directed The Center Square to an Oct. 22 letter from Kelly and Gallego to Rollins stating that they were “deeply disturbed” about the SNAP situation.

“Democrats remain at the table ready to renegotiate reopening the government,” wrote the senators.

Hamadeh said these are “lies.” He urged Democrats to stop playing games and start putting Americans first.

“Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego should listen to the people,” said Hamadeh.