The recent lapse in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits due to a federal government shutdown has highlighted starkly different approaches by Georgia state and local leaders.
Governor Brian Kemp has refused to release state funds to prevent the lapse, arguing that Georgia cannot legally use state resources to supplement a federally administered program. He cites guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) stating that state funds cannot reimburse federal programs. Kemp maintains that the responsibility to resolve the funding gap lies with Congress, not the state, and contends that using the state surplus to “bail out” the federal government would be legally and fiscally inappropriate. Critics, including Democratic lawmakers and advocacy groups, argue that this stance leaves families at risk, as over 1.4 million Georgians are set to lose SNAP benefits without immediate relief.
In contrast, Mayor Andre Dickens of Atlanta has taken proactive local action to mitigate the crisis for residents. Through the ATL CARES initiative, Dickens has:…