House, Senate Democrats call for special session to fund SNAP benefit lapse
OKLAHOMA CITY – Friday, Oklahoma House Democrats and Oklahoma Senate Democrats held a press conference urging the Governor to declare a state of emergency and call a special session to help fund lapses in SNAP benefits due to the government shutdown. A few funding avenues were mentioned during the press conference, such as dipping into Oklahoma’s rainy day fund and helping food banks meet their goal of doubling their efforts. “We are calling on the Governor to act and help the nearly 700,000 Oklahomans–most of whom are children, veterans, and seniors–as SNAP benefits lapse starting tomorrow,” said House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City. “We have avenues to enact real solutions for Oklahomans. We can access up to $300M of our Rainy Day Funds, funds the Governor has bragged that we cannot add another dollar into because they are so full. Both the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma and the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma have said that an additional $5.5M to each organization would help to double their efforts. There is one solution right there. We understand that we do not have the means to completely make up for the lapse of SNAP benefits, but there are ways to provide a temporary fix that could help buy Oklahomans time. Other states with Republican leadership are coming up with solutions. Now is not the time to cling to White House talking points. It is time for Oklahoma leaders to stand up, lead, and serve Oklahomans.” Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, is urging Republican colleagues to act. “Our state’s Republican leaders had time to prepare for this crisis, and they did not,” said Kirt. “We have reached out with temporary solutions to help feed Oklahomans, and Republicans have not acted fast enough. We must come into a special session and appropriate as many dollars as we can to feeding our children while we wait on the President and Congress to act. We cannot allow hungry children to be political pawns.” Chair and Vice Chair of the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus (OLBC) joined to push for action and explain the impact SNAP benefit lapses have on their districts. OLBC Chair Rep. Ron Stewart, D-Tulsa, says his district will be hit especially hard by the lapse in SNAP benefits. “House District 73 will be among the hardest hit—simply by nature of our demographics in northwest Tulsa,” said Stewart. “Our community is made up of diverse families who rely on SNAP benefits at a disproportionately higher rate. The lone grocery store in this food desert is a small, privately owned business that will undoubtedly feel the impact of reduced sales. The challenges facing District 73 mirror those of many rural communities across Oklahoma—different in geography, but nearly identical in struggle. Families throughout our state are going to feel the same pain. With November 1st on the horizon, time has run out. We cannot afford to wait for more harm before taking decisive action. While this is clearly a humanitarian crisis, it is also a matter of public safety. Oklahomans will suffer, and we must recognize that the ways some may respond to food insecurity carry broader implications for our communities. This reality should concern every legislator in our state.” OLBC Vice Chair Sen. Nikki Nice, D-Oklahoma City, says we cannot rely on food banks and non-profits alone. “It is irresponsible to ask 211, food banks, and non-profit agencies to meet this need when they were already underfunded and stretched thin before this crisis,” said Nice. “People in the community are already doing everything they can, and they are counting on their tax dollars to take care of people when there is a need, not to sit idle in bank accounts while the President and Congress use hungry children as bargaining chips.” The entire press conference can be viewed on the Oklahoma House Democrats Facebook Page. -END-