The US government has been shut down for five weeks now. Millions of poor people are losing the help they count on to buy food and keep warm this winter. What started as politicians arguing has turned into real trouble for families who were already having a hard time paying bills.
Food Aid Running Out Fast
SNAP is what most people refer to as food stamps. About 42 million Americans use it to buy groceries. This program almost ran completely out of money last week. A judge said the government had to release some emergency money for now. But President Trump wrote online that lawyers told him they might not be allowed to pay for food stamps while the shutdown keeps going. He said he’s trying to find a way to fix it.
There’s additional trouble at large. WIC feeds pregnant women and mothers with babies. Head Start operates schools for young children from 65,000 families. Both may have to close this weekend. The states aren’t getting paid either. Pennsylvania generally receives $200 million from Washington to assist people in heating their homes. They cannot afford to pay that themselves. Therefore 300,000 families will not get any heating assistance until December or later. Minnesota has 120,000 families who wait a whole month for assistance. Connecticut will run out of money by December.
People Blame Each Other
Ordinary people are trying to help because the government isn’t. Kerry Chausmer lives in Maryland. She’s buying food for two families near her who need it. “We’re failing as a country. I’m embarrassed to be an American right now,” she said. Airports are having problems too. People wait a long time at New York airports because not enough workers are there. Health insurance help for 20 million people is ending right when they need to sign up for next year.
Democrats and Republicans in Washington continue blaming the other side. Democrats say they won’t end the shutdown unless they get a deal on health insurance help. Trump says he won’t talk about deals until they end the shutdown first. “We’ll meet very quickly, but they have to open up the country,” Trump said. “It’s their fault. Everything is their fault.” Meanwhile people like Jacqueline Chapman sit at home worrying. Many poor families might have to pick this winter whether to buy food or keep the heat on. They can’t afford both.
News At Glance
- Government shutdown now five weeks old, freezes heating help called LIHEAP for millions of people
- Food stamps for 42 million Americans almost ran out, judge ordered emergency money released
- Pa. delays heating payments for 300,000 families until December at earliest
- WIC food for moms and babies plus Head Start schools for 65,000 families might close this weekend
- Health insurance aid for 20 million people to end while Democrats and Republicans exchange blame
FAQs:
Q: What programs stopped working?
A: Food stamps, heating assistance, food for pregnant women and babies, schools for little kids, health insurance assistance all stopped or are about to stop.
Q: How many people need these programs?
A: About 42 million get food stamps, millions need heating help, 65,000 families use Head Start schools and 20 million have health insurance help.
Q: Why can’t the states just pay for it themselves?
A: States like Pennsylvania say they do not have hundreds of millions of extra dollars lying around to pay for what usually comes from Washington.
Q: When will the shutdown end?
A: Nobody knows. Democrats and Republicans are fighting and won’t agree on how to fix it.
Q: What if it continues this way?
A: Programs run out of money; poor families lack food to eat or heat in their homes; even soldiers might not get paid.
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