The U.S. House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed a continuing resolution to fund the federal government through December 11. While most programs are funded at last year’s levels in the continuing resolution, two others received additional funding that are of special interest to Maine.
The federal agency that provides payments to farmers to help offset trade policies and tariffs was given money to replenish its $30 billion fund and several nutrition programs are being bolstered by additional funding through October of 2021.
Democratic 1st District Rep. Chellie Pingree is encouraged that it will help low income families access food under the supplemental nutrition program.
“This actually covers some of that SNAP flexibility so that families themselves get funding to take care of that.”
Pingree says with so many schools doing distance learning during the pandemic, federally subsidized meal programs for poor families are not operating as usual.
“That’s probably the biggest negotiated settlement in there, a little bit here and there, but mostly this is a stopgap measure that gets us through the election, frankly.”
The U.S. Senate has yet to act and President Donald Trump must sign the measure by October 1 to avoid a partial shutdown of the federal government.
