Washington, D.C., November 4, 2025 – Today, House Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee Chairman Brad Finstad (MN-01), House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA), House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK), and House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee Chairman Andy Harris (R-MD), released a statement on how continued Democrat obstruction in reopening the federal government has denied full, uninterrupted Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to vulnerable Americans:
“Democrats are denying full SNAP benefits to vulnerable Americans. For the first time in the history of the program, SNAP funding has lapsed—leaving those who depend on this lifeline at risk of going hungry. This outcome was entirely avoidable. Republicans voted to fully fund nutrition benefits and keep the entire federal government open. Had Senate Democrats joined us, full SNAP benefits would have continued, our troops, air traffic controllers, and federal workers would be paid, and every government service would be operational.
“Instead, they voted fourteen times to let families go without. The Trump Administration has taken great lengths to mitigate harm across the nation. Yet, Democrats are acting as if contingency funds are an acceptable substitute for full benefits. They aren’t. The emergency reserve is not enough to cover a full month of benefits.
“As Chuck Schumer and his caucus deflect blame in every direction, their voting record is undeniable: they chose politics over feeding families. The American people are not leverage. It’s past time for Senate Democrats to reopen the government and end the needless pain they’ve inflicted across the nation.”
Background
- Republicans voted to fully fund the entire federal government.
- Republicans voted to ensure critical operations and programs, including SNAP, remain uninterrupted for Americans.
- Democrats have continually voted to shut it all down – and keep it closed.
- On October 10th, USDA warned that SNAP would run out of funding in November if the Democrat-led shutdown continued.
- Emergency contingency reserves can’t sustain even one month of SNAP benefits.
- To end the lapse and restore SNAP benefits immediately, Senate Democrats must vote to reopen the federal government.
Sincerely,
Brad Finstad
Member of Congress
Anonymous says
Where are the Fillmore County Journal’s (FCJ) articles describing Finstad appearing at local town hall meetings to present the case that the Republicans are making their lives better than ever? If one has something wonderful to sell, why not make as many public appearances as possible to advertise and promote those unprecedented successes?
During those public appearances, Finstad could explain how the following developments are measurably improving the lives of people who reside in FCJ coverage area…
This updated article, first published by Reuters and republished on the Successful Farming website, dated September 24, 2025, describes Argentina’s suspension of export taxes for soybean sales to China, which resulted in a huge sale to China. Those are soybeans raised by U. S. farmers that China will not need. Here’s the link to that article: https://www.agriculture.com/partners-china-buys-argentine-soybeans-after-tax-drop-leaving-u-s-farmers-sidelined-11815158
Apparently, pulling out the rug from under U. S. based soybean farmers was just fine with the White House.
On October 14, 2025, The New York Times (NYT) published an article, entitled, “Trump Dangles $20 Billion Lifeline for Argentina, With Strings Attached”, which can be read here, if you’re able to clear the paywall: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/14/us/politics/trump-argentina-leader-bailout.html
Of course, the “strings attached” were dependent upon the people of Argentina supporting one of Trump’s favorite foreign leaders, then incumbent Argentinian president, Javier Milei, during the upcoming October 26, 2025 mid-term elections. Otherwise, that financially support would be commensurately reduced, if not eliminated.
In the event that you cannot clear the paywall for the New York Times article, this updated story published by the Associated Press on October 15, 2025, can be read here: https://apnews.com/article/trump-argentina-financing-economy-milei-billion-peso-fd38553ae03f4c33ce1288999469f7fb
Just so U. S. based beef farmers don’t feel left out, on October 23, 2025, this article, updated by Reuters on the following day, describes an early holiday “gift” to them from the White House: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/trump-quadrupling-argentina-beef-tariff-rate-quota-80000-metric-tons-2025-10-23/
To those who might wonder why the United States is bailing out Argentina, Encyclopedia Britannica has the long answer: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Why-Is-the-US-Bailing-Out-Argentina
Surely the soybean farmers and those who feed/sell beef in FCJ’s readership area must be marching in the streets, overjoyed with the aforementioned developments?
Lest anyone doubt that Trump loves the Argentinian president Javier Milei, have a look at this brief clip on Halloween at Mar a Lago, five days after Milei’s party enjoyed resounding success at the polls, only days after Trump offered the $40 billion lifeline conditional upon voters supporting Milei’s party on October 26th: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1rWpQf1w-Uc
So, why is it, exactly, why Finstad did not make multiple appearances at Town Hall events during his extended seven-week fully paid vacation? Surely, he could make the case that helping out Argentina is going to improve the lives of Southern Minnesota farmers, as well as those businesses in the small towns in the FCJ readership area, whose fortunes depend to a significant extent upon the success (or failure) of the area’s farmers?
In fact, in keeping to the spirit of the YouTube video linked in the preceding paragraph, perhaps Finstad could ask the overflow crowds of his supporters to join him in dancing to the Village People’s 1970s hit song, “YMCA.”
Greg Rendahl says
All Democrats were asking for was a one year extension of health insurance for lower income folks. The Trump/Republican Big Beautiful Bill also cuts Medicaid a year from now. Trump is still asking the courts to allow him to withhold full SNAP benefits. Since cruelty is an obvious integral part of ICE immigration policy, it’s crystal clear that Trump enjoys inflicting pain on lower income folks and anyone who opposes him of course, and Republican Congresspeople do whatever King Trump decrees.
Anonymous says
Thank you for your sensible reply
To Finseth’s propaganda. Trump had the power to fund Snap benefits, the money was there and he even went before the Supreme Court to deny the releasing of the funds.