WASHINGTON — Millions of Americans were set to go hungry this weekend after Senate Democrats blocked a government funding bill 13 times in six weeks — keeping vital food programs offline ahead of the New York City mayoral election and gubernatorial votes in New Jersey and Virginia.
“They’re setting everything up for next week. They know they’ve got to get out,” Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) predicted to Politico Friday of the Democratic strategy. “If they do it before Tuesday, then their base may not show up because it looks like they caved … That’s why they’re setting everything up to open next week. We’ll be open next Wednesday, or Wednesday night, or Thursday.”
The real-world pain coming to nearly 42 million poor Americans enrolled in the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the result of Democrats refusing to drop their demands to extend ObamaCare subsidies due to expire at the end of this year.
“Democrats have instigated a disgusting dereliction of duty unlike anything I have seen in all my years doing this work,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said at a Capitol Hill press conference alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).
Rollins added that she was “embarrassed” for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who has been the shutdown’s driving force.
“He is going out of his way to please the likes of [NYC mayoral candidate] Zohran Mamdani, a man who is polarizing America with his socialist rhetoric and anti-American principles,” she said.
“The very essence of government responsibility is to the citizens who live and work here, to protect their interests first — unless you are a Democrat in the United States Senate.”
The standoff was deepened Friday by a pair of court rulings from federal judges appointed by Democratic former President Barack Obama.
In Rhode Island, US District Judge John McConnell ordered the Trump administration to redirect $6 billion in unallocated emergency funds toward SNAP, despite the White House insisting those funds can only be touched in the event of catastrophes such as hurricanes.
In Boston, US District Judge Indira Talwani similarly ruled that the administration could not let SNAP benefits run out once the calendar flip to November.
The Justice Department was expected to appeal, but had not done so by close of business Friday.
Democrats breathed a sigh of relief in response to the rulings, with one congressional source telling The Post: “The court order puts more heat on the GOP to negotiate.”
Moments later, President Trump said he had “instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible.
“It is already delayed enough due to the Democrats keeping the Government closed through the monthly payment date and, even if we get immediate guidance, it will unfortunately be delayed while States get the money out,” Trump added on Truth Social.
“If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding, just like I did with Military and Law Enforcement Pay. The Democrats should quit this charade where they hurt people for their own political reasons, and immediately REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT.”
Even prior to Friday’s courtroom drama, a Democratic Capitol Hill source had said no end was in sight to the second-longest shutdown in American history.
“There has been some outreach by GOP members from the House and Senate in states that have now gotten health insurance premium increases, but it hasn’t yet meant GOP leaders are willing to listen to that,” this person said. “The weekend seems status quo but talks continue.”
Republican leaders have offered some off-ramps in the form of a bill to separately pay military service members or fund the SNAP benefits.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has also proposed a separate bill negotiated on a bipartisan basis to extend Obamacare subsidies, but insisted that Democrats first vote on a continuing resolution to restore government funding.
“If something was going to happen, Thune would’ve kept them there over the weekend,” the source added.
The House narrowly passed the funding legislation on Sept. 19, with Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) breaking ranks to vote with Republicans.
A significant number of congressional GOPers have signed on to legislation that would extend the more generous health insurance subsidies.
Open enrollment for ObamaCare plans starts Saturday, meaning the continued impasse could have effects next year for those with policies bought on the health insurance exchanges.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) — who voted against the stopgap bill in the House — pushed party leaders this week to embrace some sort of “deal” with the GOP.
“I think it’s a very fair deal,” Gottheimer said Wednesday on Fox News‘ “America’s Newsroom.”
“Open the government and let’s just vote on extending these premiums for a year or more,” he added.
“I don’t understand what’s so hard about that. And, by the way, Senator Thune has offered that … we can actually have a vote on extending these premiums.”
