Sen. Chuck Schumer Wednesday hit again exhausting at President Trump over what he referred to as his “heartless” refusal to increase Supplemental Vitamin Help Program (SNAP) funding on Nov. 1 as the federal government shutdown stretches on for ever and ever.
Schumer denounced Trump for selecting to not dip right into a U.S. Division of Agriculture contingency fund to fund meals stamps advantages beginning this weekend.
The Senate Democratic majority chief derided the administration’s declare that it can’t use the contingency fund cash, noting that SNAP advantages have been by no means minimize off in earlier shutdowns and that Trump not too long ago discovered as much as $40 billion to bail out the right-wing authorities of Argentina.
“He’s a vicious, heartless man, an unscrupulous politician who would weaponize hunger,” Schumer added.
Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks with reporters following a closed-door assembly of Senate Democrats on the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (AP Photograph/J. Scott Applewhite)
“To the most needy people in our society who don’t have food right now ….he’s saying to hell with you.” Schumer mentioned.
Schumer vowed Democrats would assist a invoice launched by conservative Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) to fund SNAP for so long as the shutdown goes on. However Senate Majority Chief John Thune (R-S. Dakota) has refused to permit the measure to be delivered to the ground for a vote.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) additionally mentioned he would vote for the invoice to ease the ache for needy SNAP recipients.
“We can’t let politics starve children,” mentioned Booker.
A coalition of Democratic-led states has filed a federal lawsuit in search of to power the administration to proceed funding SNAP.
Thune slammed Democrats for refusing to again a GOP stopgap spending invoice that might reopen the federal government, saying that might be the best and finest approach to make sure SNAP funding is just not minimize off.
He referred to as on sufficient Democrats to affix Republicans to achieve the 60-vote threshold wanted to beat a filibuster and move the spending invoice.
“The real question is: are there five Democrats with a spine?” Thune mentioned.
Schumer countered with the cruel new salvo at Trump because the shutdown, which began on Oct. 1, drags on in the direction of the one month mark. forcing 1000’s of presidency staff to be furloughed or work with out receiving paychecks.
Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York), the Home Democratic chief, are demanding Trump and Republicans negotiate an extension of tax credit for Obamacare medical insurance plans and reverse different well being cuts. Republicans say they are going to solely sit down for talks if Democrats first vote to reopen the federal government.
GOP leaders have even sought to model the standoff because the #SchumerShutdown. Democrats in each the Home and Senate have stayed almost fully unified up to now.
Republicans have additionally principally stood agency, though a couple of rebels like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) have sniped at social gathering leaders for failing to handle the disaster of exploding well being care prices.
Together with the SNAP minimize off, Schumer slammed Trump for doing nothing to forestall skyrocketing Obamacare medical insurance premiums, which hit greater than 20 million People recipients this week and as open enrollment durations for 2026 open on Nov. 1.
“We are just three days away from the biggest health care crisis America has faced in a generation,” Schumer mentioned. “Due to Republican obstruction, they will have to pay tens of thousands more each year for health care…for a basic need like health insurance.”
