Spooked about SNAP

As October ends with no end to a federal shutdown, anxiety is growing about whether some families will have to stretch their Halloween candy for a while.

That’s because President Donald Trump’s administration says it will suspend all funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). That could mean 3 million recipients in Florida alone could lose assistance to put food on the table in November.

Rep. Frederica Wilson, a Miami-Dade Democrat, noted that her county has the most significant number of SNAP recipients in the state, just as it has the highest number of Affordable Care Act beneficiaries in the country.

“We must do all that we can to address that need!” Wilson posted on X.

Republicans, though, say Democrats in the Senate continue to stand in the way of reopening the government amid the second-longest shutdown in history. Rep. Jimmy Patronis, a Panhandle Republican, suggested Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, is prolonging the shutdown to turn out the Democratic base in off-year elections Tuesday.

“Americans don’t have the time or money for Sen. Schumer’s political theater,” Patronis posted. “End the shutdown and do your job.”

Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, a Coral Gables Republican, says the least Congress can do is to ensure SNAP is funded even if other services stay closed. She has co-sponsored the Keep SNAP Funded Act (HR 5822), which would allow funding for the food program regardless of how long it takes Congress to reach a deal.

“SNAP keeps families stable during difficult times by ensuring they can buy groceries and put food on the dinner table. It’s not a distant policy; it’s our neighbors’ lifeline,” Salazar said. “That’s why I co-sponsored the Keep SNAP Funded Act. This bill ensures that benefits continue and Miami families don’t lose vital support during the shutdown. Food should never be used as a political weapon.”

But Rep. Lois Frankel, a West Palm Beach Democrat, said Florida officials should not sit quietly as federal funding disappears. She led a letter, co-signed by all Democrats in the congressional delegation, to Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, urging them to join a lawsuit challenging the freezing of SNAP funds.

“The impact of a suspension of benefits would be immediate and severe, forcing Florida’s children, seniors, veterans, and working families to turn to already-strained food banks and local charities for help,” the letter reads. “Florida’s most vulnerable residents should not pay the price for the Trump administration’s refusal to use funds Congress has already made available.”

DeSantis, for his part, suggested the letter instead should have gone to Schumer, “asking him to stop filibustering the spending.”

Regardless, a lawsuit filed by 26 other states may well be successful without Florida’s help. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani of the Massachusetts District Court suggested Thursday that she may delay a complete shut-off of SNAP benefits. “Congress has put money in an emergency fund, and it is hard for me to understand how this is not an emergency,” she said in court, as reported by The Washington Post.

Even without the courts stepping in, Trump himself suggested to reporters on Air Force One that a deal to fund SNAP would be reached before November. That, of course, sets an optimistic deadline of midnight tonight for a breakthrough.

Shipping nightmares

The Consumer Product Safety Commission should be paying particular attention to goods from China, according to Sen. Rick Scott.

The Naples Republican filed the Protecting Americans from Harmful CCP Products Act, his latest attempt to limit trade with entities tied to the Communist Chinese Party (CCP). He would like to expand the Commission’s authority to issue mandatory recalls of any hazardous goods sold in the U.S. that originated in China. That includes items from growing online platforms.

“The Chinese Communist Party has shown time and time again that it has no regard for the safety or well-being of American consumers. Every day, families unknowingly purchase products made in Communist China that can be toxic, defective or outright dangerous, while Communist China finds new loopholes to exploit to keep them coming into our nation,” Scott said.

“My bill puts Americans first by giving the United States government immediate authority to stop Chinese companies from selling products with known product safety issues to American families, whether on our shelves or online. We cannot allow Communist China to deceive our families and put them at risk.”

The Commission does track products that don’t meet U.S. standards and sends notices to manufacturers overseas. A January report noted that dozens of products, including baby rattles and bike helmets, were sold on U.S. platforms while produced in China. International trade groups and the Chinese government can force recalls of goods, but the American Product Commission has no authority over foreign makers of faulty products.

Specter of persecution

As Trump met with Chinese leaders, Sen. Ashley Moody called for sanctions for the country over religious persecution.

“The Chinese Communist Party’s brutal persecution of people of faith cannot be ignored,” the Plant City Republican said.

She also announced that she would co-sponsor the Combating the Persecution of Religious Groups in China Act, introduced by Sen. Ted Budd, a North Carolina Republican.

“I’m proud to co-sponsor this bill to send a clear message that the United States will continue to promote religious freedom around the globe and fight to hold the CCP accountable for its human rights abuses,” she said.

Human Rights Watch reports that China has a poor record when it comes to persecuting believers, including followers of Buddhism and Christianity. That is despite China’s constitution having protections for religious freedom, even though the CCP bars the practice of religion by members of the government.

Tricky trade

A controversial plan to import Argentine beef drew rare criticism of Trump’s foreign policy from three Florida Republicans in the House: Reps. Aaron Bean of Fernandina Beach, Scott Franklin of Lakeland and Greg Steube of Sarasota.

Both signed onto a letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer saying the plan “undermines American carrel producers.”

“We believe strongly that the path to lower prices and stronger competition lies in continued investment at home — expanding U.S. processing capacity by supporting small and medium processors, lowering costs for ranchers and processors, and increasing access to grazing lands — rather than in policies that advantage foreign competitors,” the letter states.

“Maintaining a level playing field for America’s producers will reinforce the Trump administration’s broader efforts to rebuild rural prosperity and strengthen U.S. food security.”

A total of 14 House Republicans signed the letter, led by House Ways & Means Chair Jason Smith.

The message was sent days after the Florida Cattlemen’s Association blasted the Argentina effort, saying it “threatens American cattle producers.”

Demasking the disloyal?

Anyone who holds dual citizenship shouldn’t be allowed to hold federal office, according to Rep. Randy Fine. The Atlantic Coast Republican just introduced the Disqualifying Dual Loyalty Act, which would require anyone with foreign citizenship to renounce it to serve in Congress.

“I think it’s a fair argument to say you can only swear allegiance to one country, and if you’re in Congress, that allegiance should be to America,” Fine said. “This bill ensures that the people making laws for our citizens are themselves fully committed to our country, not divided between two.”

The Pew Research Center reported in February that 19 members of Congress, including two Senators and 17 Representatives, were born abroad. That’s a number that includes Rep. Carlos Giménez, who was born in Cuba. Other Republicans, like Canadian-born Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, have already renounced their foreign citizenship.

But the majority of immigrant members of Congress, including Ukraine-born Rep. Eugene Vindman of Virginia and Somalian-born Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, are Democrats.

“The Constitution sets basic requirements for office,” Fine said. “In a globalized world, dual citizenship is more common than ever, and while that’s fine for private citizens, it’s not acceptable for lawmakers entrusted with America’s national interests.”

Treating veterans

Rep. Gus Bilirakis will hold a Veterans Resource Fair, an annual event that connects veterans with benefit providers and assistance for health care and other programs.

“Throughout my tenure in Congress, I’ve made advocating for veterans and their families a top priority,” the Palm Harbor Republican said.

“Each year, through the Veterans Resource Fair, we help link veterans in need with available services provided through government agencies and nonprofit organizations. My casework team will also be on hand to help veterans who are experiencing difficulty with a federal agency.”

The event will be held on Saturday at Challenger K-8 School of Science and Mathematics from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Ghosts of history

While the German intelligence community now classifies the Alternative für Deutschland party as an extremist far-right movement, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna calls them allies.

The Pinellas Republican met with German Bundestag member Anna Rathert, a former deputy spokesperson for the party, who afterward touted the “great meeting.” Luna said it was just the first meeting between her and party leaders.

“I look forward to hosting you all in D.C. in December!” she posted.

The pro-AfD account Heimatgefühl, in a post about the meeting with a photo of the two politicians, called Luna “sympathisch” — which translates to friendly or sympathetic — to the German nationalist cause.

Luna seemed to demonstrate that herself after a meeting with Naomi Seibt, a 25-year-old conservative activist who has applied for asylum in the U.S., claiming she received death threats and fears imprisonment in Germany for speaking her views. Luna said she will help Seibt with that process.

“I will be personally assisting with her case and writing to the Secretary of State regarding what she is facing, as well as the German government’s prosecution of its own citizens for fighting Western ideology and their culture. What is even more alarming is that she was targeted by German intelligence and government officials for advocating on behalf of the German people and supporting the AfD,” Luna posted.

“The very same German government that claims to fight Nazism is acting like the secret police. If you share a meme, you may go to jail. If you criticize a politician, you could face retribution or imprisonment.”

Seibt became internationally notorious after posting a YouTube video following a synagogue attack where she complained Jews were considered “at the top” of German society while “ordinary Germans” were “at the bottom.” German media have since branded her as an “anti-Greta Thunberg,” a reference to the famous German progressive activist.

Pitchfork mobs

Violent protests erupted in Cameroon following a presidential election after a Constitutional Council announced President Paul Biya had won re-election. The decision came five days after the vote and immediately prompted supporters of opposition candidate Issa Tchirola Bakary to protest the results, as reported by Jurist News.

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Miramar Democrat, said the violence was unacceptable.

“I commend the people of Cameroon for their continued commitment to democracy, as shown by their participation in the recent presidential election. The U.S. partnership with Cameroon is rooted in shared values of democratic governance, the rule of law and respect for human rights,” she said.

“However, I am deeply concerned by the deteriorating security situation and reports of human rights violations across Cameroon. There is no place for violence in a democracy. I strongly condemn acts of violence, killings, destruction and arbitrary arrests. The right to peaceful protest and free expression are fundamental and must be protected.”

She suggested that the conflict over results could create instability and urged the country’s political leadership to maintain calm.

“Cameroon’s unity and stability depend on an inclusive, peaceful post-election environment that reflects the will of its people,” she said. “I urge the government and all political actors to exercise restraint, respect human rights, and engage in dialogue to preserve peace.”

Horror in Darfur

Meanwhile, Rep. Brian Mast, a Stuart Republican chairing the House Foreign Affairs Committee, had his eye on violence in Sudan.

The United Nations this week condemned paramilitary forces killing more than 460 people in a hospital as Rapid Support Forces leader Mohammad Hamdan Daglo seized el-Fasher, as reported by Daily Sabah. Mast issued a similar bipartisan call against the violence, along with House Foreign Affairs Ranking Democrat Gregory Meeks.

“We condemn what amounts to the horrific conclusion of an 18-month siege in el-Fasher, Sudan, where the genocidal campaign waged by the Rapid Support Forces has reached a terrifying peak,” the statement from Mast and Meeks reads.

“Credible video and reports show summary extrajudicial mass executions, targeted ethnic cleansing against non-Arab communities — including the Fur and Zaghawa people — and the wholesale slaughter of civilians. This is not war; it is calculated, systematic genocide, perpetrated by the same Janjaweed forces responsible for genocide in Darfur 20 years ago. Those responsible must face real accountability. The RSF must grant safe passage to civilians and allow the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance to those in need.”

Death of diplomacy

Amid continued U.S. attacks on alleged drug trafficking boats from Venezuela, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz convened a roundtable with Venezuelan American leaders. She slammed the Trump administration for failure to pursue a peaceful transfer of power in the nation.

The Weston Democrat focused on the poor treatment of U.S. refugees fleeing Venezuelan Nicolás Maduro’s regime. Many of those individuals voted from the U.S. in the Venezuelan presidential election last year, a contest international observers say Maduro lost before judicial allies declared him the winner anyway.

“Trump’s presidency has been an unending nightmare for Venezuelan Americans here and around the country. He has ripped away temporary protected status from law-abiding Venezuelans and thrown countless families into terror through raids conducted by agents in masks. He has characterized all Venezuelans as criminal dirtbags and alien enemies,” she said.

She held a news conference, making statements in Spanish and English, as she stood alongside Venezuelan American Caucus co-founders Adelys Ferro and Luis Fernando Atencio.

She also focused on the legal questions around the administration’s strikes on boats, many of them vessels in the Caribbean. She joined many in questioning publicly whether Trump has the legal authority to attack ships.

“He has killed at least 57 people, most of whom were Venezuelan, with airstrikes on boats, with no evidence, due process or congressional authorization,” Wasserman Schultz said.

“Anyone who believes that Trump will promote democracy in Venezuela should look at what he’s done to democracy here.”

Farm maze fears

Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, a Hialeah Republican and dean of Florida’s congressional delegation, said a failure to reopen the government threatens not only the SNAP food assistance program, but the nation’s food security altogether.

At a roundtable with Florida farmers in South Florida, Díaz-Balart said the shutdown has slowed processing of H-2A visas and restricted access to seasonal workers.

“Florida growers are moving into peak season, and every day of processing delays of H-2A certifications risks unharvested crops, unrecoverable investments, and jeopardized food supply for millions of Americans,” he said. “Food security is national security. It is outrageous for Senate Democratic leadership to allow a government shutdown to trigger a preventable food crisis.”

Representatives from the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association participated in the roundtable and echoed the Congressman’s concern.

“We are grateful to Congressman Díaz-Balart for his willingness to engage and see firsthand the challenges Florida growers face,” said Jamie Fussell, the association’s Labor Relations director.

“As we have said before, shutdown-caused delays in H-2A certifications imminently threaten Florida agriculture and H-2A processing must resume. We urge the Office of Management and Budget to deem H-2A certifications essential and allow processing to resume during the ongoing shutdown. In the absence of a budget or continuing resolution, this step is vital to ensure Florida growers have the workforce needed to harvest the fruits and vegetables that feed Americans through the winter months.”

On this day

Oct. 31, 1776 — “King George gives address after Declaration of Independence” via History.com — In his first speech before British Parliament since the leaders of the American Revolution came together to sign the Declaration of Independence that Summer, King George III acknowledged that all was not going well for Britain in the war with the United States. In his address, the king spoke about the signing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence and the revolutionary leaders who signed it, saying, “for daring and desperate is the spirit of those leaders, whose object has always been dominion and power, that they have now openly renounced all allegiance to the crown, and all political connection with this country.”

Oct. 13, 1968 — “Lyndon Johnson halts bombing in Vietnam” via WNYC — President Johnson announced the bombing operation in North Vietnam, known as Operation Rolling Thunder, would halt in anticipation of peace talks in Paris between South and North Vietnam. He asserted the U.S. does not recognize the National Liberation Front, though they will be in attendance and that the U.S. has no intention of dictating the future of the people of South Vietnam. Johnson cautioned Americans to be wary of the promises made by North Vietnam and asked for support in what he expects will be a lengthy and deliberate process. He mentioned his refusal to seek another term as President.

Happy birthday

Best wishes to Rep. Salazar, who turns 64 on Saturday, Nov. 1.

___

Peter Schorsch publishes Delegation, compiled by Jacob Ogles, edited and assembled by Phil Ammann and Ryan Nicol.