Alabama Families Can Access Full November SNAP Benefits Now
Passage of the compromise federal government spending bill in the U.S. House last night has opened the way for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to receive their full November benefits.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) had ordered states to only allocate a portion of the November funds. But with the passage of the stopgap funding bill and President Trump's signing of the measure, that order was rescinded.
USDA sent notice to the states earlier this afternoon that, “State agencies must take immediate steps to ensure households receive their full November allotments properly.” States were informed that the federal government is transmitting the necessary files to the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card vendor so they can begin placing allotments on cards of all SNAP users whose regular issuance date has passed and to approved November applicants.
“Benefits should be available today after processing of the files is completed, provided there are no unforeseen problems. Recipients whose issuance date is Nov. 14 or later should receive benefits on their regular issuance day of the month,” says DHR.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a statement of relief and criticism, “It is about time Congress did their job to reopen the federal government. In Alabama, SNAP recipients were some of the most impacted during the shutdown period, and I am pleased that DHR will work to quickly provide normal, full benefits. Our state government in Alabama, as well as our local governments, do not operate in such a reckless way, and I hope Congress has learned from their failure to meet their responsibility to the people across the country.”
More than 750,000 Alabamians, 20,000-plus in West Alabama, had been struggling to feed their families with the assistance of community support organizations, food banks, United Way, Salvation Army and faith-based groups.
According to the Alabama Department of Human Resources, the EBT cards should be loaded and available for use this afternoon.
The temporary spending bill only runs through the end of January with concern about the possibility of another collision between Republicans and Democrats over healthcare funding leading to yet another shutdown.
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