Amid shutdown, Manchin says he'll donate salary to food banks
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sen. Joe Manchin on Tuesday revealed his intention to donate any paychecks he receives during the ongoing partial government shutdown to food banks in his home state. (AP/File)
Sen. Joe Manchin on Tuesday said he plans to donate any paychecks he receives during the ongoing partial government shutdown to food banks in his home state.
The West Virginia Democrat took the stance that Congress should not be compensated if they cannot pass a bill to fund the government.
PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN COULD DELAY FOOD STAMP BENEFITS IF NOT RESOLVED SOON
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“If Congress cannot do our job, we should not get paid,” Manchin said in a news release.
Due to the “reckless shutdown,” 340,000 people in West Virginia who use food stamps would have to get by without them, he said. This would affect children, expecting women and the elderly, Manchin added.
“This is unacceptable,” he said in the news release. “In West Virginia, we look out for one another and I know food banks across the state will be doing their best to fill this void. I applaud them for always stepping up to serve their communities.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Food stamp benefits could be delayed if the partial shutdown continues into February.
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Eligible recipients for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will continue to receive benefits throughout January, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}While the SNAP program is automatically renewed, it still requires annual funding from Congress – thus leaving it in limbo should the partial government shutdown continue without a fix for SNAP into February. Past disbursements indicate SNAP’s emergency reserves funding would not cover all of February’s financial needs, according to The Washington Post.
Fox News’ Mike Emanuel and Kaitlyn Schallhorn contributed to this report.