WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) joined National Public Radio’s All Things Considered to discuss the ongoing shutdown fight and his bipartisan efforts to extend funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps feed 42 million Americans.  

The Trump Administration has refused to utilize emergency funding to support SNAP beyond November 1, and Republican leaders in the Senate have, so far, refused to bring Senator Welch and Senator Hawley’s (R-Mo.) Keep SNAP Funded Act to the floor for a vote. Their bipartisan bill would ensure nutrition assistance will continue despite the ongoing shutdown. 

Listen to the interview and read key quotes from Senator Welch’s interview with host Juana Summers:  

Senator Welch on the need to extend SNAP benefits:  

“With these benefits, it’s not a red state-blue state deal. It’s not a Republican-Democratic deal. It’s a hungry family situation. And I think all of us have to demonstrate, by getting on the bill and by making certain the funding continues, that we’re together on representing our folks.” 

“The Congress in the past, bipartisan, passed legislation to fund $5 billion available to go out to SNAP beneficiaries in the event of an emergency or a government shutdown. So that gives President Trump the legal authority and the funds to continue the SNAP payments during the shutdown. Some states, like my own of Vermont, just decided to continue SNAP payments with their own funds for 15 days.” 

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Senator Welch on working across the aisle:  

“I want to thank Senator Hawley. He, and a number of Republicans, have said the obvious, and that is we cannot discontinue the $6 a day that SNAP benefits depend on to put meals on the table. And I’ve been talking to my Democratic colleagues saying, ‘look, we’re for that. Senator Hawley is for it. Let’s work together and see if we can take action that’s going to avert what really is catastrophic for SNAP beneficiaries.’” 

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Senator Welch on the need for the Senate to extend the ACA’s premium tax credits immediately and reopen the government:  

“I’m really, really worried about people losing that $6 a day. I’m really, really worried about farmers and small businesses and families in Vermont losing their health care.  

“I had a woman in Vermont who just put it very well. She is dependent on these tax credits. She’s got two kids, a small business with her husband. And she says, as a mother, she feels utterly irresponsible if she doesn’t have health care for her kids. But with the premium increases, she feels it’s utterly impossible to pay for them. It’s on the U.S. Senate. And that mother that I just described, she’s not just in Vermont. She is in the Republican voting states as well. So, my appeal to the president is use the authority you have, convene us, and then let’s solve this and move on.” 

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Senator Welch on Republicans’ refusal to work with Democrats to lower the costs of health care:  

“What’s frustrating on my end as a Senator is that when I talk to many of my Republican colleagues, they know these premium increases are going to hammer folks they represent and small businesses and farmers. And they have some suggestions on how we could bring costs down. And I say, I am [open to] working with you on that. Let’s sit down. And they tell me unless they get the OK, the approval from President Trump, they can’t. So this could be solved very quickly. But the key person is President Trump who says, ‘hey, let’s solve this.’” 

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