ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) – Even as the U.S. Supreme Court debates the legal challenges to SNAP funding, some Missouri residents could see partial payments hit their accounts today — according to officials with the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS).
After requesting more information from the Missouri Department of Social Services, First Alert 4 was told by officials that Missourians may even see partial benefits starting today.
Further, A spokesperson for the Department of Social Services says that those Missouri residents who receive partial payments will be able “to access and use them at that time.”
This stems from a U.S. Department of Food Agriculture guidance update last week, directing states to issue partial November SNAP benefits based on “recent developments,” according to DSS.
The Missouri department’s EBT vendor “has been notified and confirmed that they are prepared to receive and process Missouri’s SNAP file.”
We also reached out to the Illinois Department of Human Services about what’s going on across the river.
“The Trump Administration has not provided Illinois or other states with full funding for November SNAP benefits, despite having the funding to do so,” a state official wrote to First Alert 4.
As of today, “Illinois can only distribute partial funding (up to 65% of benefits) for November. IDHS stands ready to quickly issue full benefits should they become available through this 100% federally-funded program.”
Right now, partial benefits are being paid to some Illinoisans enrolled in SNAP. “As it stands, some customers’ benefits will be reduced to nothing by the Trump Administration,” officials wrote.
“We understand that the uncertainty around SNAP benefits is deeply concerning for families across Illinois,” officials say. “IDHS is committed to keeping families informed and supported as this situation continues to evolve in the courts and at the federal level.”
Trying to navigate SNAP benefits and their current status is no easy job – as the Supreme Court, Congress and states work to try to fill stopgaps and answer questions about what the future of the immense program might be.
We’ve been digging deep in this topic — check out people surviving and thriving because of SNAP support, TANF support for families in Missouri, food banks trying to cover a growing demand and dispelling myths and USDA cuts to food security research.
SNAP, technically titled the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, provides food support for millions of Americans – especially to children, the elderly and single mothers. First Alert 4 has been digging deep into the impacts, and is hoping to provide some clarity on the situation as it stands today – before a potential SNAP ruling.
So, where does SNAP funds and distribution stand in the Bi-State?
That’s a complicated question – because today, different states have different levels of snap funds in their coffers.
The Trump Administration has requested the Supreme Court to freeze all payments by the states of SNAP benefits, even as some try to get dollars into purses. The Administration stopped SNAP due to the government shutdown – which could end soon – but the halt of funds sparked lawsuits and multiple court rulings that contradict each other.
On Halloween, separate judges ordered the administration to pay at least part of snap benefits — around half the regular amount. But until the Supreme Court rules — there’s no clarity about SNAP being paid.
We’ve dug around to find out what we could about Missouri and Illinois.
One notable figure is Illinois Senator Dick Durbin who voted to end the shutdown — catching heat from his own party — after receiving a republican promise to have a health care bill.
Durbin further says the bill passed is not the same one that democrats voted down 14 times — now, he says there’s a plan to put forward three bi-partisan appropriation bills that will fully fund SNAP, WIC and veteran’s programs — And reverse the current administration’s mass firings during the shutdown — and perhaps prevent future ones.
He knows his vote hasn’t been popular with some folks:
“Many of my friends are unhappy – they think we should’ve kept our government closed indefinitely to protest the policies of the trump administration,” he said in the Senate chambers. “I share their opinions of this administration — but cannot accept a strategy which wages political battle at the expense of my neighbor’s paycheck or the food for his children.”
He’s not the only politician representing the Bi-State to speak out on snap benefits.
Representative Bell hasn’t said much specifically about SNAP in his press releases and Tweets. He did post on Nov. 9th about the impact of the shutdown. His website notes a number of SNAP links, and a way to contact his office. It provides St. Louis specific support options.
Representative Wagner, Ballwin, hasn’t said much about SNAP or the current shutdown — beyond retweeting a post made by Senate Republicans on Twitter. She has not issued a press statement since early October.
Representative Onder, St. Charles County, hasn’t put out a press release since September, the last was focused on the Chloe Cole Act. Same for his Twitter.
Representative Alford, MO-04, has focused his last few public statements on soybean deals, tariffs, ranchers and beef producers. Last Twitter post was about the Kansas City Chiefs game in January.
Representative Cleaver, Kansas City MO-05, has spoken about SNAP benefits before — and posted on Twitter about them.
He released a statement on Nov. 10 about the Senate Spending Bill. His statement focused mostly on the cost-of-living crisis, the Affordable Care Act and blaming Republicans for not working with Democratic colleagues.
“Unfortunately, the legislation proposed in the Senate will ensure that tens of thousands of my constituents see their health care premiums skyrocket, some by more than double what they are today,” he said. “That is a heartless way to govern, particularly at a time when the president is giving $40 billion-dollar bailouts to Argentina and spending hundreds of millions to build a gilded ballroom at the White House.”
Further, he says he will not support the legislation if it moves to a vote in the House.
Representative Graves, of Missouri’s 6th District, released two statements in October about the ongoing government shutdown. One on Air Traffic Controllers, the other on what he calls “Schumer’s Government Shutdown.”
His focus in those press releases are set on Border Patrol agents, essential government workers and troops.
“I can’t believe they can sit there with a straight face and demand things like ‘free’ healthcare for illegal immigrants — paid for with your hard-earned tax dollars — in exchange for keeping the government open,” he stated on October 1.
Representative Burlinson, Ozark, issued his last press release on Oct. 1, stating that his office would be open during the government shutdown. He said that Democrats wouldn’t negotiate and “demanded $1.4 trillion in spending that includes benefits for illegal aliens, subsidies for abortion and rolling back the taxpayer savings from rescissions we achieved this year.”
He Tweeted about a forum last night, in a post this afternoon.
Representative Smith, Salem, has recent press releases about the Trump Administration’s plan to expand Argentinian beef imports to the USA. His weekly capitol report spoke about the shutdown, illegal aliens and rural healthcare.
He shared a Tweet about the “Democrat Shutdown” on Halloween, saying it was done to appease “their radical base.”
“While they dig their feet in and continue demanding taxpayer-funded health care for illegal immigrants, the American people are paying the price,” the rep’s Tweet states.
Senator Hawley, a familiar name across Missouri and at times close to the President and his policies, actually wrote an op-ed focused on food benefits. It was published before the effects of SNAP ending on Nov. 1.
“Millions of Americans rely on food assistance just to get by. The program often known as food stamps — officially it’s now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP — is a lifeline that permits the needy to purchase basic food items at the grocery store,” he said. “Last year, SNAP enrollees hit about 42 million. That’s over 12 percent of the American population.”
Senator Schmitt, who has called the shutdown “the longest and stupidest government shutdown in history,” has not said much about SNAP benefits.
He claims the entire situation happened because the Democrats hate Trump.
Governor Mike Kehoe already took some action on SNAP funding, as previously reported by First Alert 4.
“While the State of Missouri cannot fully replace federal SNAP benefits for those who rely on them, we are working to expedite additional funding sources to assist Missouri’s senior population and food banks,” Governor Mike Kehoe said in a statement.
Last week, Kehoe announced $5 million of the TANF funding would be headed to Missouri food banks. This was alongside millions being moved from Senior Services Growth and Development fund to the Missouri Area Agencies on Aging for meals for elderly folks.
The moving of that $5 million is not following a usual schedule, so First Alert 4 looked into why this was happening now.
The Missouri Department of Social Services, or DSS, has actually launched a webpage with common questions about how federal programs might be impacted by the shutdown. Find out more on by clicking here.
This morning, Rep. Brudzinski, who represents IL-13, took to Twitter to talk about the current SNAP situation. She’s tweeted many times in the past 48 hours about the U.S. Supreme Court being involved in the SNAP debates.
represents A press release in October outlined her participation in a congressional letter to the USDA’s secretary about concerns over SNAP and the Big Beautiful Bill. You can read the letter, which was signed by all Democrats in the Illinois Congressional Delegation.
Rep. Bost, who represents Illinois’ 12th district, posted on November 5 and 7th about the ongoing shutdown. His only Twitter post mentioning SNAP came on Nov. 5.
His more recent posts have been about healthcare concerns.
He did issue a press release on Nov. 3, which urged the Democrats to reopen the government — mentioning SNAP.
Senator Durbin, a long-time Democratic senator from Illinois — was one of the Democrats who joined Republicans in pushing a Continuing Resolution funding the government until January.
“This bill is not perfect, but it takes important steps to reduce their shutdown’s hurt,” Durbin said in a statement. “Not only would it fully fund SNAP for the year ahead, but it would reverse the mass firings the Trump Administration ordered throughout the shutdown.”
He is not seeking reelection, and has caught heat from other Democrats for his actions.
He released a statement explaining his vote — and a video snippet of his explanation for his vote.
Durbin mentioned SNAP benefits — and how the President has fought to avoid paying them.
Governor Pritzker has been a vocal opponent of many policies of the Trump Administration. Earlier this year, he issued a statement against Republicans — claiming they were withholding federal funds from the SNAP program.
“Working families across Illinois are about to go without food assistance because Trump and Congressional Republicans want to score political points and refuse to reach a deal that reopens the federal government,” he said in October. “Nearly two million Illinoisans rely on SNAP benefits to put food on the table, including households with children, older adults, and people with disabilities.”
The Governor, back in October, signed an executive order which $20 million of IDHS and BRIDGE funds were directed to food banks across the state on Nov. 1. The state was also going to organize listening sessions with locals, grocery stores and others to help understand the SNAP impacts.
Read more on https://www.firstalert4.com
