Some 42 million Americans who rely on federal food benefits have become the latest political flash point of the government shutdown as November approaches and funding runs out for the nationwide program.

People in the U.S. who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP) — more commonly called “food stamps” in the past — will be those impacted, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) warned in a memo to state agency directors.

The memo , obtained by several news outlets, begins:

As stated in our lapse of appropriation correspondence dated October 1, 2025, SNAP has funding available for benefits and operations through the month of October. However, if the current lapse in appropriations continues, there will be insufficient funds to pay full November SNAP benefits for

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