Sen. Lesser Reacts to Alleged Release of SNAP Funds

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Matt Lesser, Chair of the Human Services Committee, reacted to news that the federal government has said it will reverse course and will fund SNAP for the month of November.

After a full week of Americans going without benefits, the federal government has informed the state Department of Social Services (DSS) that funds will be released today and will be loaded on SNAP cards by tomorrow, Saturday.

“I’m relieved that President Trump’s administration has backed down and has decided to follow the courts, the law – and basic human decency in funding food for low income Americans covered by the SNAP program. In my neighborhood, the impact has been devastating – many families have gone without food for a week. In the event that the President wriggles out of his commitment, I am glad that Governor Lamont has committed to use state funds to make up any shortfall as we have been asking. We still need to go further to assure 40,000 additional residents – whom President Trump and Republicans in Washington cut off from SNAP as part of their HR1 budget disaster – that they won’t go hungry either. It is absolutely unacceptable that in the wealthiest country in the world, we have money for many silly things, but not for low income seniors, veterans and single mothers.”