In an ongoing saga at the federal level of government, Democrats continue to dig in their heels and refuse to allow a continuing resolution that would fund federal programs and agencies. Despite a bipartisan effort, most U.S. Senate Democrats refused to budge on funding the federal government earlier this month. While this may seem on the surface like more of an issue for Northern Virginia or Hampton Roads – where the economies heavily rely on the federal government – we are starting to feel the effects in the New River Valley as well. The fallout from this inability to pass legislation is serious, and it is beginning to affect federal programs that the Commonwealth administers, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Congressional Republicans have put forward solutions that will end this shutdown and will allow federal funding to once again flow to those who need it. This includes federal employees, as well as Virginia residents that rely on federally funded benefits, such as SNAP. Instead, Democrats insist on standing in the way due to their desire to overturn changes made to Medicaid and SNAP – specifically, the work requirement and twice-yearly eligibility verification. Another sticking point is their desire for nearly a half billion dollars to be set aside for public broadcasting.
As a refresher, SNAP is funded by Congress and administered by the United States Department of Agriculture. Virginia is responsible for the day-to-day management of this program, which includes such tasks as determining the eligibility of applicants, as well as the process of distributing monthly benefits paid to the state from the federal government. If no money is received by the Commonwealth from the federal government for this purpose, then it stands to reason that the Commonwealth will have nothing to distribute. In 2024, Virginia received nearly $1.8 billion in federal funds in 2024 for the purposes of SNAP funding alone.
As a stopgap, Governor Glenn Youngkin declared a State of Emergency last Thursday that will allow the Commonwealth to expend emergency funds under sum sufficient authority to provide food benefits and protect the health, welfare, and safety of Virginians. But the bottom line is this: until U.S. Senate Democrats come to the table and work with Republicans to pass a federal spending bill, critical services will continued to be delayed and vulnerable Virginians will suffer.
Unfortunately, a shutdown is the only leverage that federal Democrats have at the moment, and the onus is squarely upon them to end it. Instead of worrying about scoring political points that they can say is some sort of “victory” against President Trump, they should focus on the real-world effect that this shutdown is having on real-life U.S. citizens. The Commonwealth of Virginia will do whatever it can to help those in need that have been affected by this situation, but it is imperative that federal funding begin to flow once again to those who need it.
As the Delegate representing the 42nd House District in the Virginia General Assembly, your concerns are my greatest priority. If ever I may be of assistance to you and your family, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at DelJBallard@House.Virginia.Gov. You can also follow me on Twitter @JasonBallardVA or like my Facebook page, Jason Ballard for Delegate, to keep up to date with what I am doing in Richmond and in our community on your behalf.
