Representative Cyndi Munson

D

District 85

Hi, I’m Cyndi Munson and I represent the people of Oklahoma’s 85th District.


representative

Leadership

Minority Leader

59th Legislature

Minority Leader

60th Legislature

Minority Caucus Chair

58th Legislature

News & Announcements

Nov 3, 2025

House, Senate Democratic Leaders respond to GOP Leaders vote to make funds available to food banks amid SNAP benefit lapse

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, and Oklahoma Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, released the following statements in response to a vote from Oklahoma GOP leaders to make funds available to food banks amid SNAP benefit lapse.  State GOP leaders announced they will vote to make $1M per week available to Oklahoma’s food banks serving all 77 counties for up to seven weeks, contingent upon lack of federal funding for SNAP during the federal shutdown. “We appreciate the targeted emergency support being voted on by Oklahoma Republican Leaders, but we know that it is still not enough. It is unfortunate that it took so long for those in the highest positions of power in Oklahoma to act on behalf of hungry Oklahomans. House and Senate Democrats gave clear ideas for temporary solutions for funding for our state’s largest food banks. We reiterate our request to use Rainy Day Funds for food banks and want to consider other solutions. According to a guidance from Conduent sent to Governors across the country, one solution would be creating a state-funded emergency SNAP benefits program to put money on EBT cards like we have seen other states do. It may be a complicated process, but when Oklahomans are in need, they deserve every effort from those who serve them. We stand ready to work together on furthering efforts to support Oklahomans who rely on SNAP benefits and other programs that are affected by the federal shutdown. We cannot control the dysfunction in Washington, but we can continue to support the Oklahomans we were elected to serve.” –  House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City “This is a start, but one million dollars will not make up for the 30 million dollars normally sent weekly to Oklahomans by the SNAP program. We need solutions to the magnitude of the problem. I am grateful that our food banks are well organized and able to scale up in times of emergency, but we can't expect private organizations to fill our public responsibility to each other. The state must step up. “We reiterate our call for a special session to ensure Oklahomans don’t go hungry. We need to come in, get to work and make sure we have funds ready for these big challenges immediately.”  – Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City The funding will be deployed from the State Emergency Fund, which currently holds $7.8M. -END-

Oct 31, 2025

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-

Oct 29, 2025

House, Senate Democratic Caucus Leaders respond to Governor’s address on Federal Government Shut Down

OKLAHOMA CITY – House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, and Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, released the following statements after the Governor addressed Oklahomans on what to expect as SNAP benefits lapse starting Nov. 1. “It is long overdue for the Governor to act and help the nearly 700,000 Oklahomans—most of them children, veterans, and seniors—as they prepare to lose SNAP benefits in three days. Food banks, churches, and nonprofits are stretched thin on a normal day. We cannot expect them to supplement everyone’s needs during the crisis that is the longest government shutdown. I am thankful for our food banks pledging to double their efforts, but we know that still won’t be enough.  “The Legislature needs to convene for a Special Session to allocate state funds to the places doing real work to meet the needs of hungry Oklahomans. Governors across this country have managed to set up funding for food banks and EBT cards for their citizens—our Governor could do the same. Standing in front of an organization doing the work and asking for assistance while providing no real solutions is offensive. There are solutions that we can enact if we come together. I will put forth every effort to make sure that happens. This need will only grow if state and federal officials continue to place blame instead of act.”  –House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City “We cannot allow children to starve or be traumatized trying to find their next meal. The federal government must find a solution and end the worry and confusion of the many Oklahoma families who rely on SNAP for their groceries. We cannot expect charity to fill this huge public safety gap. We have an obligation to protect children. The solutions offered by the governor today are inadequate. He needs to call the legislature into a special session to work on real and immediate solutions.” –Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City -END-