- Ohio AG Dave Yost led a group of 19 Republican AGs in sending a letter to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, asking him to ensure the continuation of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) amid the ongoing federal shutdown. In the letter, the AGs urged Schumer to support a continuing resolution to keep SNAP funded, noting that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has indicated that the program will suspend operations on November 1, 2025, if the shutdown continues.
- Massachusetts AG Andrea Joy Campbell co-led a group of 23 Democratic AGs and three governors in filing a lawsuit against the USDA and Secretary Brooke Rollins to prevent the agency from suspending SNAP benefits during the shutdown. The complaint alleges that, despite USDA’s claim that it lacks funds to maintain SNAP coverage, the agency has access to contingency funds specifically appropriated for SNAP. The plaintiffs argue that the refusal to use the emergency funds violates federal law and is arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act. The lawsuit seeks declaratory and injunctive relief, attorneys’ fees and costs, and other appropriate forms of relief.
- Separately, a group of 23 Democratic AGs, led by Arizona AG Kris Mayes, sent a letter to Secretary Rollins asking for clarity on USDA’s plan to suspend SNAP. In their letter, the AGs emphasized the harms that children, seniors, and veterans who depend upon SNAP will experience as a result of the suspension and questioned USDA’s authority to order states to “hold” their November SNAP files while contingency funds remain available.