Rhode Island Gov. McKee Declares State Of Emergency Over SNAP Funding Freeze

PROVIDENCE, RI — Gov. Dan McKee declared a state of emergency Tuesday and announced a series of actions in the face of the Trump Administration threatening to halt Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding Saturday.

"In Rhode Island, SNAP delivers about $29 million each month in essential food assistance to approximately 145,000 residents," McKee's office said in a media release.

"SNAP is a crucial federal responsibility that no state can absorb. Under past shutdowns, the federal government had ensured that SNAP benefits were provided using available federal funding sources to prevent a lapse in benefits," the release said.

Related: Rhode Island SNAP Benefits Won't Go Out In November, Officials Confirm

The Department of Agriculture posted a notice on its website after the Trump administration said it would not tap roughly $5 billion in contingency funds to keep benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as SNAP, flowing into November. That program helps about one in eight Americans buy groceries.

“Bottom line, the well has run dry,” the USDA notice says. “At this time, there will be no benefits issued on November 01. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats.”

Related: SNAP Benefits May Change In Rhode Island Due To Government Shutdown

In the release, McKee called Donald Trump "cruel."

“President Trump’s failure to act is cruel and unacceptable,” McKee said.

Related: Trump Freezes $13.4M In RI Funding To Pressure Democrats To End Shutdown: Report

“I’m continuing to call on the President to use all available options to cover November benefits," he said. "But make no mistake, Rhode Island will not stand by and allow families to go hungry. We’re taking decisive action to protect food access wherever possible and strengthen our local food banks.”

The governor "convened a rapid response team of key agencies to coordinate the state’s strategy and held a statewide briefing with municipal leaders to ensure a unified response."

Related: How Government Shutdown Could Impact Social Security Benefits In Rhode Island

That strategy includes deploying up to $6 million in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funding to over 20,000 eligible families with children and directing $200,000 of Social Services Block Grant funding to the RI Community Food Bank.

McKee is also issuing a "statewide call to action for donations to support food pantries," the release said.

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