Rockland County, NY- Assemblyman Patrick Carroll (D-Rockland) issued the following statement regarding the looming expiration of SNAP benefits on November 1st:

“This Halloween, there is something far scarier than ghosts, witches, or zombies: millions of Americans are about to lose access to the food they rely on. SNAP benefits are set to run out on November 1st, leaving families, seniors, and children hungry across the country.

“The Trump administration is withholding contingency funds that Congress already appropriated to sustain SNAP during emergencies like a government shutdown. This is cruel, unlawful, and unconscionable. Here in New York, three million people depend on SNAP to put food on the table. They are workers, parents, veterans, and seniors. And now, the Department of Agriculture is refusing to release funds it is legally obligated to spend while Congress cannot manage to keep the lights on.

“New York will not stand by. We are stepping up to protect our neighbors and make sure no one in our state goes hungry. But let’s be absolutely clear: we shouldn’t have to clean up Washington’s mess. Hunger should never be a political weapon. Food is not a bargaining chip. And anyone who uses it as one has lost all sense of decency.”