Sen. Lesser Applauds Court Order to Release November SNAP Benefits

Senator Lesser speaks at a press conference with Attorney General William Tong, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes and State Representative Eleni Kavros DeGraw announcing the lawsuit on Tuesday.

Today, State Senator Matt Lesser, Chair of the Human Services Committee, welcomed two separate rulings from federal judges that order the Trump administration to continue Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments, despite the administration’s efforts to cut off food assistance to over 40 million Americans.

This week, many Democratic governors and attorneys general, including Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, sued the administration in order to keep payments flowing. Today, two federal judges have ruled that withholding the funds is unlawful.

It is unclear whether the Trump administration will comply with the order and when or if funding will ultimately be reinstated.

“I am incredibly grateful to Attorney General Tong for immediately taking up this fight and delivering a win for Connecticut residents and those across the country. The verdict is clear – when we fight, we win,” said Sen. Lesser. “That said, we don’t yet know whether the President will comply with this court order, but our state needs to step up to do more to protect our residents from starvation. I have heard from Type 1 diabetics, home-bound individuals and parents of developmentally disabled adults who are fearful of what the next few days will bring. Connecticut needs adequate contingency plans to prepare for the emergency. People in my district are scared right now and looking to the state and Governor Lamont for leadership.”