It would be unconscionable for the Administration to go out of its way to threaten millions of children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, parents, and workers with hunger, rather than taking all legal steps available to provide food assistance to people who need it.

Even at this late date, the professionals at the Department of Agriculture and in states can make this happen. And, to state the obvious, benefits that are a couple of days delayed are far more help to families than going without any help at all.

Speaking as a former OMB official, I know from experience that the federal government has the authority and the tools it needs during a shutdown to get these #SNAP funds to families.

Also, the Administration could use its legal transfer authority — the same authority it already used to provide additional funds to #WIC — to supplement the contingency reserves, which by themselves are not enough to fund families’ full benefits.

The Administration itself admits these reserves are available for use. It could have, and should have, taken steps weeks ago to be ready to use these funds. Instead, it may choose not to use them in an effort to gain political advantage. https://t.co/xXbw32PIPG

These reserves contain billions of dollars that Congress provided for use when #SNAP funding is inadequate, funding that remains available during the shutdown.

The Administration is legally required to use contingency reserves to fund November benefits for the 1 in 8 Americans who need #SNAP to afford groceries, despite USDA Sec. Rollins’ claim that the Administration is unable to do so. My statement:

Speaking as a former OMB official, I know from experience that the federal government has the authority and the tools it needs during a shutdown to get these #SNAP funds to families.

Also, the Administration could use its legal transfer authority — the same authority it already used to provide additional funds to #WIC — to supplement the contingency reserves, which by themselves are not enough to fund families’ full benefits.

The Administration itself admits these reserves are available for use. It could have, and should have, taken steps weeks ago to be ready to use these funds. Instead, it may choose not to use them in an effort to gain political advantage. https://t.co/xXbw32PIPG

These reserves contain billions of dollars that Congress provided for use when #SNAP funding is inadequate, funding that remains available during the shutdown.

These are not Democratic or Republican priorities. Both parties have long supported them and they protect kids, trace and contain diseases, and support economic growth in all communities, red or blue.

What is true is that gutting support for children with special needs, readiness for infectious disease outbreak response, financial services in underserved communities, and other vital services makes our country worse off.

Today’s government funding shutdown is fundamentally different than prior funding fights b/c the Administration is acting outside the law. Any funding agreement must put a stop to this pattern of lawlessness & protect affordable health care. My statement: https://t.co/WtdKRY2Y9l

The Trump Admin’s threat to illegally fire more workers if the President doesn’t get his way is blatant extortion: using working people & their families as pawns in a power play with no concern for who gets hurt. My full statement:

Congressional Republicans & the President need to come to the table w/ Democrats to reach a deal that prevents health care cost spikes for millions of people & ensures the Admin can’t unilaterally or illegally undo bipartisan funding laws simply bc the President dislikes them.

Meanwhile, they are doing nothing to address a looming, massive health care cost spike for >20M ppl and have so far refused bipartisan negotiations to prevent families across the country already struggling to afford health care & other basics from taking this hit.

Republicans are claiming this is business as usual but nothing about this is normal. We’ve never seen a President unilaterally and unlawfully ignore bipartisan laws. And then he expects Congress to do nothing to stop him.

Let’s be clear about what’s going on here: The Trump Admin has repeatedly shredded the last bipartisan funding bill- illegally canceling or freezing funding that Rs & Ds agreed to (e.g. for medical research) & keeping it from reaching the people & communities it’s meant to serve.

The Trump Administration’s threat to illegally fire more workers if the President doesn’t get his way is blatant extortion: using working people and their families as pawns in a power play with no concern for who gets hurt.