October 29, 2025
The Honorable John Thune
The Honorable Charles Schumer
The Honorable Josh Hawley
The Honorable Ben Ray Luján
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senators,
On behalf of parents and families across the nation, the National Parents Union extends our deep gratitude to the ten Republican senators who have stepped forward to support Senator Josh Hawley’s bill to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the government shutdown. In a moment of deep uncertainty for millions of American families, your willingness to come to the table to keep food on the table exemplifies the kind of leadership families need right now.
More than 42 million Americans rely on SNAP, including one in five children. These are working parents, caregivers, and grandparents doing everything they can to feed their families and keep them healthy. As this shutdown continues, the risk of frozen benefits on November 1 would create a humanitarian crisis and deepen economic instability in communities across the country. Families cannot wait for Washington to find its footing; they need action.
We are also grateful to Senator Ben Ray Luján and members of the Democratic Caucus for introducing legislation that would fund both SNAP and WIC, protecting families with infants and young children who rely on these critical supports. With bipartisan efforts now underway, the path forward is clear: it is time to bring these coalitions together.
We urge Leader Thune to immediately schedule a vote on bipartisan legislation that ensures the uninterrupted continuation of SNAP and WIC benefits for all families. This moment calls for unity, not gridlock. Families should not be caught in the crossfire of a political impasse. The Senate has before it an opportunity to show that protecting children’s basic needs transcends partisanship.
Finally, we call on the House of Representatives to be ready to follow suit and act swiftly once the Senate advances this measure. The American people expect their leaders to rise above politics when it comes to feeding hungry children.
Parents across this country are watching, and they are counting on Congress to do what’s right. Let’s make sure that not a single child in America goes hungry because of a shutdown.
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ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARENTS UNION
With more than 1,800 affiliated parent organizations in all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, the National Parents Union is the united, independent voice of modern American families. We channel the power of parents into powerful policies that improve the lives of children, families and communities across the United States. https://nationalparentsunion.org/