Governor Moore Releases $62 Million To Protect Maryland SNAP Benefits
Maryland Governor Wes Moore has released $62 million in state funds to guarantee residents receive their full November SNAP benefits, his office announced Monday.
The move follows rulings from two federal judges who ordered the federal government to continue providing SNAP aid nationwide after the U.S. Department of Agriculture claimed it lacked authority to use contingency funds to maintain payments. Both judges rejected that argument, paving the way for states like Maryland to intervene.
“One of the first and most basic priorities of governing is to ensure that families do not go hungry,” Moore said in a statement. “We will continue to do everything in our power to protect our people in these difficult times. But no state can fill the enormous gap created by Donald Trump and his administration. It’s time for the federal government to do its job and fully fund food assistance.”
Initially, Moore had been reluctant to use state money for SNAP, citing that Maryland was reimbursed for similar federal program costs during previous government shutdowns. However, he noted that President Trump’s administration offered “zero assurance” of reimbursement this time, calling it part of “targeted attacks on Democratic priorities.”
Last week, the governor declared a state of emergency while visiting a food bank in Anne Arundel County, where he announced $10 million in state support for food banks and partner organizations.
The newly released $62 million supplements that earlier allocation, with both funding sources coming from Maryland’s Fiscal Responsibility Fund. Together, the investments aim to ensure no Maryland family goes hungry amid ongoing federal uncertainty.
Governor Moore Releases $62 Million To Protect Maryland SNAP Benefits was originally published on wolbbaltimore.com
