By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — U.S. Representative Terri Sewell (D–Ala.) is calling out the Trump Administration for what she describes as a “cruel and unnecessary decision” to cut off Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for millions of Americans beginning November 1, amid an ongoing government shutdown.
In a statement released Wednesday, Sewell accused the administration of choosing to let families go hungry despite having the financial means to prevent it.
“Don’t let the Trump Administration fool you. They have the ability to fully fund SNAP benefits for the month of November,” Sewell said. “Instead, they are CHOOSING to cut off benefits on Nov. 1 and let families go hungry.”
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP, provides critical food aid to low-income families across the country. In Alabama, more than 750,000 residents—including thousands of children—depend on the program to put food on the table.
According to federal data, SNAP benefits were made available to eligible individuals in October, but due to the Agriculture Secretary’s unwillingness to use her statutory transfer authority—along with the roughly $5 billion SNAP contingency fund—to deliver benefits in November, 42 million Americans, including over 750,000 Alabamians, now risk losing access to essential food assistance.
A potential lapse in benefits would be felt by Americans of all ages and reach every corner and congressional district in the country. As the nation’s largest food assistance program, SNAP currently serves 42 million people, including 16 million children, 8 million seniors, 4 million people with disabilities, and 1.2 million veterans.
Sewell, who represents Alabama’s 7th Congressional District, said the administration’s actions reflect a pattern of indifference toward struggling families.
“These are the same people responsible for making the largest cut to SNAP in American history just four months ago,” Sewell said. “If the Trump Administration won’t work with Democrats to reopen government, they need to immediately release the $5 billion in SNAP contingency funds approved by Congress.”
The congresswoman emphasized that failing to act would have devastating consequences for Alabama families and small grocers who rely on SNAP dollars circulating through local economies.
“We cannot let our fellow Alabamians go hungry,” Sewell said.
Hunger advocates across the state have echoed Sewell’s concerns, warning that a lapse in benefits could push thousands of households into food insecurity ahead of the holiday season.
Opposition and Broader Debate
While Democrats like Sewell have condemned the cuts as unnecessary and cruel, Republicans and fiscal conservatives are framing the move as part of a broader debate about government spending and accountability within federal assistance programs.
Some Republican lawmakers argue that the current structure of SNAP needs reform to curb long-term costs and encourage employment among able-bodied adults. Budget hawks in Congress have proposed reforms that would tighten work requirements, shift administrative costs to states, and reduce total federal spending on SNAP by as much as $300 billion over the next decade.
However, opposition to deep cuts is not uniform. Several senior Republican leaders have publicly distanced themselves from sweeping benefit reductions. According to The Washington Post, key committee chairs said they were “not in favor of reducing benefits” but were open to discussing program reforms that promote work and reduce fraud.
In Texas, Rep. Tony Gonzales (R) went further, warning his colleagues against “putting programs that are helping hard-working Americans in the same category as someone stealing from the government.”