Schumer Caves on Key Issue Amid Ongoing Democrat Shutdown

Democrats in the U.S. Senate have announced support for Republican Sen. Josh Hawley’s proposal to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funded as the government shutdown drags into its fourth week.

“Today, tomorrow, if [Senate Majority Leader] John Thune would put it on the floor, it would pass overwhelmingly,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters Wednesday at a Capitol Hill press conference, according to The Hill.

Hawley’s bill, the Keep SNAP Funded Act of 2025, would ensure uninterrupted food assistance for low-income Americans until Congress resolves the funding stalemate.

The Department of Agriculture has warned that millions of Americans could lose access to benefits as soon as Saturday if lawmakers fail to act.

The legislation currently has ten Republican co-sponsors: Sens. James Lankford (Okla.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Susan Collins (Maine), Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.), Bernie Moreno (Ohio), Kevin Cramer (N.D.), Bill Cassidy (La.), Katie Britt (Ala.), Jon Husted (Ohio), and John Cornyn (Texas).

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has argued that Democrats could end the shutdown immediately by passing the House-approved GOP bill that maintains current spending levels temporarily while negotiations continue.

In a counter move, Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced a rival measure—the Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025—which would extend funding not only for SNAP but also for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Every Senate Democrat has co-sponsored the bill.

According to USDA data, about 41.7 million Americans received SNAP benefits each month during fiscal year 2024 at a total cost of $99.8 billion, or roughly $187 per recipient monthly. Meanwhile, 6.7 million individuals participated in WIC, covering around 41 percent of U.S. infants at a cost of $7.2 billion.

USDA officials reaffirmed this week that the department will not draw from its $5 billion contingency reserve, noting that the funds are reserved for natural disasters and other emergencies — not government shutdowns. Next month’s SNAP payments are expected to total $9.2 billion nationwide.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins underscored the point Tuesday, telling CNN that USDA “cannot legally use the contingency funds” to issue November benefits.

Tempers flared on the Senate floor Wednesday as Thune accused Democrats of repeatedly rejecting efforts to reopen the government.

“We tried to do that 13 times! You voted ‘no’ 13 times,” Thune shot back when Sen. Luján requested a standalone vote on SNAP funding. “You all just figured out, 29 days in, that there might be some consequences.”

Despite the tension, Thune told reporters later that private talks between party leaders have ‘ticked up significantly,’ according to Axios. “It will happen pretty soon,” he added when asked when formal negotiations might resume.

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) acknowledged that bipartisan discussions are becoming more frequent. “There are more senators, both Republicans and Democrats, talking to each other about what it would take,” Coons said. “What does the path forward look like?”

Republican Appropriations Chair Susan Collins noted that Democrats are starting to realize the limits of their strategy. “If they want to retain the ability to influence spending decisions, it means we have to pass appropriations,” she said.