Things Are Getting Real For Democrats As Food Cliff For Millions Approaches

Democrats wanted a fight over health care, but it's the millions of people who rely on food assistance that could suffer the immediate consequences of a government shutdown.

WASHINGTON ― Democrats have succeeded in elevating health care as the defining issue of the government shutdown, putting Republicans on defense over their demands to prevent insurance premiums from skyrocketing for more than 20 million Americans next year.

As the shutdown enters its second month, however, Democratic lawmakers are grappling with a more immediate problem: Federal food assistance for more than 40 million Americans will not be distributed beginning Nov. 1 due to a lack of funding.

The lapse of food benefits seems to be prompting soul-searching within the Senate Democratic caucus, most of which has refused to fund the government without an extension of subsidies for people enrolled in the Affordable Care Act. Democratic senators are essentially juggling the needs of two key constituencies ― people who need help affording health insurance and people who need help affording food.

“How am I supposed to choose between those two constituencies?” asked Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) in an interview with HuffPost. “I care about all those people.”

The shutdown’s impacts are mounting, with the Federal Aviation Administration potentially halting more flights due to staffing shortages, as federal workers go unpaid, and food bank directors prepare for a surge of demand in the coming weeks. States issue Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits on debit cards near the beginning of the month for most participants.