(AFP, Washington) U.S. Democrats have accused President Trump and his Republican colleagues of using hunger as a weapon, saying the ongoing government shutdown has disrupted critical food benefits for millions of low-income Americans.
House Democratic Leader Jeffries told CNN on Sunday (November 2) that Republicans "lack sincerity" in reopening the government. The shutdown, which has lasted five weeks, has cost the economy billions of dollars and sparked partisan accusations in Congress.
Jeffries said it is a man-made crisis, with numerous Republican members of the House deliberately absent in recent weeks, bringing the House to a standstill and disrupting funding for some vital livelihood programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food assistance to more than 42 million Americans.
Jeffries said, "It's extremely unfortunate that Trump and the Republicans have chosen to weaponize hunger by suspending SNAP subsidies. This even violates clear rulings from two federal courts that no one in this country should be deprived of food assistance."
SNAP, which has never been interrupted since its inception 60 years ago, is now forced to suspend. Jeffries angrily stated, "The Trump administration can find funding for other programs, but somehow it can't find the money to ensure Americans don't go hungry."
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He stated that Democrats want to reopen the government and reach a bipartisan spending agreement that will genuinely improve the lives of the American people.
Republicans advocate for a temporary funding bill to temporarily restore government operations until November 21 or later, and to begin negotiations for a long-term solution. However, Democrats refuse to accept this, demanding that any funding bill must include extending subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare). These subsidies will automatically expire at the end of the year if Congress does not act.
White House Press Secretary Levitt, on Fox News, accused Democrats of "holding the government hostage" and attempting to "rewrite the entire healthcare system." She said, "They want to add $1.7 trillion in new spending and once again give taxpayer-funded Medicaid to undocumented immigrants, but that's Trump and the Republicans' bottom line."
