Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency Thursday, warning that more than 850,000 residents could lose access to food assistance within days as he blamed what he called a “Democrat shutdown” for allowing federal SNAP funding to expire Nov. 1.
Gov. Youngkin declared a state of emergency Thursday to prevent federal food aid from lapsing amid the ongoing government shutdown, which has now reached Day 22, making it the second-longest lapse in modern U.S. history.
Youngkin said more than 850,000 Virginians could lose access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by Nov. 1, calling the situation a direct result of Democratic obstruction in Washington.
“The Democrat Shutdown will cause SNAP benefits to run out for over 850,000 Virginians in need starting November 1, 2025. I refuse to let hungry Virginians be used as ‘leverage’ by Congressional Democrats,” Youngkin said in a statement released by his office.
“This is an extraordinary action and is only necessary because of the shamelessness of Congressional Democrats, including every Democrat in our entire delegation, who refuse to pass a clean continuing resolution to open the Federal government.”
SNAP benefits are distributed monthly and are fully administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Without new federal funding, allocations will cease immediately in November, per prior agency shutdown guidance, the USDA said.
Congressional Democrats have refused to back the House-passed spending bill, insisting that any deal must include temporary extensions of Obamacare subsidies.
Republicans counter that subsidy negotiations should occur only after a clean continuing resolution is passed, the same procedural approach used in previous shutdown deals, according to Reuters.
The U.S. Senate failed for the 12th time Wednesday to advance the House-backed funding measure designed to reopen the government. The vote was 54-46, short of the 60 votes required.
It followed a marathon 22-hour, 37-minute floor speech from Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., who accused President Donald Trump of “authoritarianism” during the shutdown.
At 22 days, the shutdown is now longer than every previous federal shutdown except the 35-day impasse of 2018–19, according to the Congressional Research Service.
A 13th vote is not currently scheduled for Thursday.
Youngkin directly thanked President Trump for federal cooperation during the emergency declaration.
“I thank President Trump and his Administration for their help as they continue to provide support to Virginians in need.”
The governor said the state government would step in to guarantee food assistance until federal funding is restored temporarily, but warned the measure is not sustainable indefinitely, and again urged Virginia Democrats in Congress to “end this nonsense” immediately.
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