The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it will not use any of its $6 billion contingency fund to cover food stamp benefits in November should the government shutdown persist, waving off requests from state leaders, including New York Gov. Hochul, who warned that millions of New Yorkers could go hungry ahead of the holiday season.

In a letter penned to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins , Hochul called on her to use every authority at her disposal to ensure New Yorkers who rely on those benefits — most of them older adults, children and people with disabilities — don’t lose access to the critical assistance they need.

“Federal statute authorizes the use of contingency funds to provide SNAP benefits in emergencies,” Hochul wrote. “No New Yorker should go hungry when a legal and

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