Chuck Schumer Snaps at a Reporter Over a Question on SNAP Benefits

reporter: “Irrespective of the dispute on whether USDA contingency funds can be used for SNAP benefits — “

Schumer: “It is not — wait a minute. Excuse me, it is not a dispute, it is fact they can use it and the Republicans say it.”

reporter: “Okay, but there is, you know, only $5 billion or $6 billion, and it’s now cost $8 billion monthly just to administer. I mean, if anything, it would only last —“

Schumer: “It does not cost $5 billion or $6 billion to administer. There’s enough money to start feeding people right away. $6 billion is a lot of money and they’re using it for other things. $20 billion for Argentina, hundreds of millions for Kristi Noem’s plane. Who are we kidding here? Yes.”

NAPIER: “What happens once it runs out? If it only lasts two, three weeks, do Democrats fold then?”

Schumer: “The bottom line is, they can fund it just as in 2019, just as in other shutdowns, for a long period of time.”

Klobuchar: “And they also —“

Schumer: “Go ahead.”

Klobuchar: “— if the contingency fund, which is $6 billion, which gets you nearly a month, three weeks runs out, then they can pass Senator Lujan or Senator Hawley’s bill, both of which we support. We know that there will be 60 votes for that. Why aren’t they calling it up? They’re not calling it up because the House isn’t here to pass it. That’s the way it works. The House would have to come here. They probably would have to vote on the Epstein files, but they’re choosing to let kids go hungry instead of having to vote on the Epstein files, there’s no doubt about it. They have been out for six weeks on vacation.”

Schumer: “Just think, if they have all this money for Argentina and all this money for other things, they have enough money to keep funding SNAP. And they know it. And I just want to say what Lujan said. Johnson just lies. He lied about on immigration, on the undocumented, he’s lying about this. He just outright lies, plain and simple. It is not illegal and his own president has done it. Yes?”

reporter 2: “Are talks ticking up, as Thune indicated? Is there any conversation, any negotiation whatsoever happening behind the scenes? And if so, can you (inaudible)?”

Schumer: “Yeah. There have been, there are occasional talks between Democrats and Republicans on this issue, but our Republican colleagues don’t seem to be offering anything different than what their leadership has had so far. We hope that will change. Yes?”

reporter 3: “Thank you, Mr. Leader. Understanding what you’re saying about Republicans’ options here for SNAP and the contingency funds, are you saying Democrats have no responsibility for the fact that (inaudible) — is not funded?”

Schumer: “We are saying the — we are saying the Republicans can fund it now and they’re using these people as hostages, plain and simple. Next. That’s the answer. The answer is, they can fund it right now. Okay? Right now.”