John Cornyn Cosponsors Bill to Protect SNAP Benefits Amid Federal Shutdown

U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R) has cosponsored the Keep SNAP Funded Act, legislation that would provide full and uninterrupted funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the ongoing Federal Shutdown.

The bill ensures benefits remain available for the 3.5 million Texans who depend on SNAP, with funding taking effect at the start of the shutdown.

"Senate Democrats have voted against funding SNAP and reopening the government more than a dozen times already, forcing vulnerable Texans to go hungry as the holidays are fast approaching," said Cornyn. "Democrats' callous apathy towards Texans is sickening, and this legislation would ensure our most vulnerable mothers, children, and families across the Lone Star State have the assistance they desperately need during this senseless."

The legislation is being led in the Senate by U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), with Cornyn and others joining in support to ensure states can continue issuing benefits while Congress negotiates federal funding.

Since the shutdown began on October 1, SNAP has been operating on limited federal resources. According to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, benefits will no longer be issued starting November 1, 2025, unless appropriations are restored. This places millions of Texans at risk of losing critical food assistance.

Cornyn has emphasized that the bill's passage is vital to prevent families from suffering due to political gridlock, urging swift bipartisan action to restore funding and reopen the government.