Democrat John Fetterman: ‘Dismayed My Party Is Playing Chicken’ with Food Security in Shutdown

Democrat Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) said he is “dismayed” that his party is “playing chicken” with food security in the Democrat government shutdown, essentially blocking Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from being distributed in the coming days.

Democrats have refused to reopen the government more than a dozen times, holding out for unreasonable demands — including $1.5 trillion in new partisan funding — all the while doing so under the guise of healthcare reform. But some are reaching their wit’s end as the Democrat shutdown reaches day 29.

“As a committed Democrat, I’m dismayed my party is playing chicken with the food security of 42M Americans,” Fetterman wrote on social media.

“I reject a political gamble that exposes a vulnerable constituency to widespread deprivation and chaos,” he added.

This is not the first time he has brought this up, either. He did so on October 22: “Shut our government down and America loses. 2 MILLION Pennsylvanians depend on SNAP to feed their families. For me, it’s hungry Americans over party. Paying our military over party. Paying Capitol Police and federal workers over party,” he said alongside a video. “I choose country over party.”

The consequences of the shutdown are getting all too real for some Americans as the beginning of November looms. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) posted the following on its website, warning of the coming lapse of benefits:

Senate Democrats have now voted 12 times to not fund the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Bottom line, the well has run dry. At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance.

Senate Republicans have also made this point.

“Democrats have blocked SNAP food assistance for 42 million Americans 13 times. On Saturday, funding runs out completely, and families nationwide will go hungry. In their words, they did it to increase their political ‘leverage,'” Senate Republicans said, referencing the comments made by Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA), the number two ranking House Democrat.

“Shutdowns are terrible, and of course there will be families that are going to suffer.  We take that responsibility very seriously. But it is one of the few leverage times we have,” Clark brazenly told Fox News.