Oklahoma leaders approve emergency food assistance funding as federal shutdown carries on

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — With the federal government shutdown threatening to cut off SNAP food benefits for thousands of Oklahomans, state leaders voted Monday to tap emergency funds to keep food assistance going—but only for a limited time.

If the federal government shutdown doesn’t end by Tuesday night, it will become the longest shutdown in U.S. history.

Caught in the crosshairs are funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which helps millions of Americans buy food.

On Monday, Oklahoma leaders approved temporary emergency measures to keep the program alive in the state.

At a special-called meeting of the state Contingency Review Board on Monday evening, Governor Kevin Stitt, House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, and Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton voted to dip into the state’s emergency fund to help cover food aid.

The board approved $1 million per week for Oklahoma food banks using the state’s $7.8 million emergency fund.

That funding will only last seven weeks if the shutdown continues.

“I think all of America, myself, the state leaders I’ve talked to, the Oklahomans I’ve talked to—are asking ‘when is this gonna end?’” Stitt said during the meeting.

The shutdown has halted federal funding for SNAP benefits, which 1 in 6 Oklahomans rely on to get meals on the table.

Stitt called the situation “a federal problem that Congress has got to fix.”

The board also approved $72,000 to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services to help administer the benefits.

“The $72,000 we just authorized allows us now to add money to those EBT cards,” Stitt said.

Oklahoma House Democrats released a statement thanking state leaders for acting, but argued more should be done.

They pointed out that while leaders voted to use the $7.8 million emergency fund, the state’s “Rainy Day” fund contains more than $1.3 billion.

“We reiterate our request to use Rainy Day funds for food banks and want to consider other solutions,” the statement said in part.

Democratic lawmakers also said they want Oklahoma to create a state-funded emergency SNAP program, so benefits don’t hang in the balance during future shutdowns.

Meanwhile, Stitt said the state is preparing contingency plans for other programs—including Medicaid and military-related funding—that could be affected if the shutdown continues into December.