New York Senators Charles “Chuck” Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand are calling for the Federal government to release the contingency fund to pay for SNAP.
They are supporting a bill introduced by Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico) titled the Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025.
This bill is straightforward. It authorizes the Department of Agriculture to use any unappropriated funds to fund SNAP and WIC benefits, including back payments, and to provide the block grants given to states. It will expire on September 30, 2026.
It will also require the Secretary of Agriculture to reimburse states for costs under SNAP, but makes no provision to assist states with money donated to food banks or distributed under state-level systems.
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The bill will also reimburse the funds when SNAP funds are appropriated, meaning that the contingency funds used will be restored.
However, the House remains in recess, with Speaker Mike Johnson stating that he will not allow the House to reconvene until a CR is passed, meaning that the Senate alone cannot pass a bill to fund SNAP.
John Hawley (R-Missouri) has proposed a competing bill, co-sponsored by Peter Welch (D-Vermont). His alternative, the Keep SNAP Funded Act of 2025, is less comprehensive as it does not guarantee funding for WIC. At present, WIC is being funded from tariff income, but it is unclear how long that funding will last. Otherwise, it is a similar bill, and Schumer has said he will vote for it if it hits the floor.
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It is co-sponsored by James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Bernie Moreno (R-Oklahoma), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Jon Husted (R-Ohio), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Peter Welch (D-Vermont).
Again, the problem is the refusal of the House to return to session, making these Senate bills closer to political gestures than practical solutions. Additionally, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) is generally opposed to standalone funding bills and may not allow either to come to the floor.
However, they do show that there is a political will to end the crisis and may demonstrate progress in a standoff that has now lasted almost a month at the time of writing. While neither bill is likely to pass, or even to come to a vote, some Senators at least are willing to take bipartisan steps towards a solution for America’s working families.
