Candelora Statement on Federal Shutdown Threatening SNAP Benefits

HARTFORD—House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora on Monday released the following statement regarding the federal government shutdown and SNAP benefits:

"The state's Rainy Day Fund isn't a lockbox—it's a crisis tool. And when people can't feed their families because of the SNAP benefits crisis created in Washington, that qualifies as a crisis.

Connecticut has $4.3 billion sitting in that fund. Our overtaxed residents are asking the obvious question: why aren't we preparing to use it?

Instead, Democrats in the General Assembly are ignoring the straightforward solution right in front of them. They're working with the State Treasurer to create a new slush fund—a scheme to maneuver around our state's financial controls. They're choosing politics over immediate action when families may need help within days.

If Democrats truly view this as a crisis, and their repeated news conferences and statements suggest that, then the Governor should declare an emergency and solve this problem. To do otherwise leaves families in limbo simply for the sake of extending the time they can try to blame President Trump and Republicans at all levels of government for a problem that Democrats in Washington—including our own congressional delegation—refuse to take responsibility for or fix.”