- Delaware provided state funds to households to supplement federal food benefits during a government shutdown.
- Federal courts ordered the USDA to release contingency funds, but an appeal has resulted in only partial payments for now.
- Delaware Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester introduced legislation to reimburse states that use their own money to cover SNAP benefits.
In time for weekend shopping, thousands of Delaware households saw extra funds appear on their Electronic Benefit Transfer cards as the state moved to protect residents’ access to food during the ongoing federal government shutdown.
On Nov. 7, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services deposited roughly $5.2 million in First State Food Relief Funds into eligible EBT accounts. The payments, about 25% of a household’s typical monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit, are intended to function like SNAP benefits and can be accessed through the same cards, according to the governor’s office.
The aid follows the State of Emergency declared Oct. 29 by Gov. Matt Meyer in response to the shutdown, allowing the state to redirect funds to DHSS for short-term food relief. Officials said the aid is temporary and could continue weekly through November if federal SNAP funding is not restored.
The latest in the federal fight over SNAP funding
Nationwide, about 42 million Americans, including nearly 120,000 Delaware residents, depend on SNAP benefits each month. But the federal government said, due to a congressional impasse, it would not release funds for November, creating widespread uncertainty for families and states.
The Trump administration notified states in October that it would not use existing contingency funds to continue SNAP payments during the shutdown, despite having more than $4 billion available. In response, 23 state attorneys general, including Delaware’s Kathy Jennings, filed a lawsuit arguing that the administration is legally obligated to distribute those funds.
Federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island ruled on Oct. 31 that the U.S. Department of Agriculture must use contingency funds to cover November benefits. On Nov. 6, the Rhode Island judge ordered full payments to be made within 24 hours, but on Nov. 7, the administration appealed, and the Supreme Court later paused that order, allowing only partial payments for now.
According to the USDA, about $4.65 billion in contingency funds remain available — roughly half the estimated $9.2 billion needed to fund SNAP for a full month. On Nov. 8, the department instructed states not to send full payment files for processing and to continue issuing benefits at reduced levels until further notice.
Delaware’s congressional response
Delaware’s congressional delegation has been vocal about the impact of the shutdown on families. U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester introduced legislation on Oct. 29 that would reimburse states using their own funds to maintain SNAP benefits while the federal government is closed.
Her bill, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits and Compensation for Keep-Up (SNAP BACK) Act would ensure states are repaid for using their own money to continuing the food assistance program while federal operations are suspended.
Blunt Rochester said the measure is designed to prevent states from diverting money from other essential services to sustain SNAP. She also criticized the federal government for allowing the shutdown to continue and for earlier cuts to SNAP benefits.
While Delaware’s temporary program has softened the immediate impact of the food assistance program cuts, it is not clear how long the state can shoulder the extra costs if the federal impasse drags on. Food security advocates warn that any lapse in federal benefits could strain local food banks and social-service networks.
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