Washington, D.C. – With the government shutdown grinding into its 28th day, Republicans seized on a stark scorecard Tuesday: Senate GOP members have voted 13 times to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), only for Democrats to block those efforts the same number of times, imperiling food aid for 42 million Americans come November 1. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., hammered the point during a fiery floor speech, accusing Democrats of “starving families to score political points” amid their demands for Affordable Care Act subsidies.
The tally stems from repeated procedural votes on a House-passed continuing resolution—a “clean” bill extending funding through November 21 without Democratic add-ons. Republicans, holding a 53-47 edge, have mustered 54 “yes” votes each time, including three Democrats: Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), and independent Angus King (I-Maine). But the filibuster-proof 60-vote threshold eludes them, as the Democratic caucus holds firm, rejecting the measure for the 13th time in a 54-45 cloture failure.
Democrats counter that the GOP bill is a “Trojan horse” for Trump’s border wall and agency trims, refusing to budge without healthcare protections. “We’re not blocking SNAP—we’re demanding a real solution,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., retorted, blasting the Trump administration for nixing a $5.5 billion USDA contingency fund despite legal mandates. A coalition of 25 Democratic-led states sued Tuesday in Massachusetts federal court, arguing the funds must flow to avert catastrophe. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins fired back: “The well has run dry—Democrats own this.”
The human toll mounts. Food banks in red states like Oklahoma and West Virginia—home to high SNAP reliance—brace for surges, with Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) warning of “new hardships” for working families. President Trump, fresh from Asia, amplified the GOP line on Truth Social: “13 votes to SAVE SNAP—Dems say NO 13 times! End the games!” A standalone SNAP bill from Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) gained 10 GOP co-sponsors but stalled.
As midterms loom, the blame ballet exposes fractures: Republicans paint Democrats as obstructionists; Dems finger Trumpian cruelty. With EBT cards set to flatline, one Oklahoma mom told reporters: “Politics over plates—my kids can’t eat filibusters.” Will the 14th vote break the deadlock, or deepen the divide?
