Congresswoman Brown Calls Out Trump’s SNAP Shutdown: Cruel, Callous, Careless, Immoral, and Illegal

Washington, DC — Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11) spoke today at a press conference hosted by Assistant Democratic Leader Joe Neguse (CO-02) on Trump’s illegal SNAP shutdown. The Trump Administration has announced they will suspend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits beginning November 1. Brown blasted this decision, “I am going to call it out for what it really is. It is cruel. It is callous. It is careless. It is immoral and it is illegal.” 

Last week, Congresswoman Brown joined House Democrats in calling on the Trump Administration to release USDA contingency funds already appropriated by Congress to support benefits during emergencies. 

Congresswoman Brown’s office remains in close contact with local governments and nonprofits and has more information for affected constituents available on her website.

Congresswoman Brown’s Remarks as Delivered (Video)

Good afternoon everyone. 

Thank you to our Assistant Democratic Leader, Congressman Neguse for organizing this press conference and for inviting me to be here. 

I am Congresswoman Shontel Brown – proudly representing Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. 

I serve as Vice Ranking Member on the House Agriculture Committee, where we’ve been on the front lines fighting attacks on basic food benefits all year. 

Now, we are here today, because the President is illegally blocking $6 billion in emergency SNAP funding … money available and intended for moments exactly like this. 

Why? In some cynical attempt to increase leverage so they don’t have to fix the health care crisis they’ve created. 

They’re forcing American families to go hungry rather than lowering health care costs.

I wish I could say I was surprised … 

But this is the same President and Republican Congress that made the largest cuts to SNAP and Medicaid earlier this year to pay for tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans…

That made those tax breaks for billionaires permanent but refuse to extend Enhanced Premium Tax Credits for even one year…

And that found $20 billion for a bailout for Argentina but is freezing the $6 billion sitting in the SNAP contingency fund.

21% of the people in my district rely on SNAP to keep food on the table. That’s one-in-five.

So when it comes to Trump’s illegal SNAP shutdown…

I take this personally. 

Because the people I represent do not deserve the pain and stress and anxiety and hunger that this is going to cause. 

Last week, we held an event in my district at a local grocery store. 

And a woman there named Diane spoke about what SNAP means to her. 

She’s not just a woman, she’s a pillar in the community. Spending many of her days advocating for others. 

And I have not been able to stop thinking about what she said. 

She’s 75 years old, lives in public housing, and gets $63 a month in SNAP benefits for food -- and she needs every dollar of that to survive. 

Standing at the supermarket, she looked at food laid out – a package of ground beef, some canned food, some fruit and a loaf of bread. 

She pointed out she already isn’t able to afford that much on her budget. 

Diane does not deserve this.

And somebody in the White House… somebody in Speaker Johnson’s office… they may think this is a brilliant strategy that they have. 

To threaten Diane… and to take from Diane.

But I am going to call it out for what it really is. 

It is cruel. It is callous. It is careless. 

It is immoral and it is illegal. 

This is what happens when the people in power, only care about the people with perceived power.

It is time for the White House to release the funds. 

It is time for Republicans to take the locks off the doors of the House Chamber.

And instead of doing the extreme right wing thing for Donald Trump, it is time for my Republican colleagues to do the right thing for the people we represent. 

Reopen the government. Release the funds. And cancel the cuts. 

###