Montana Democrats Use SNAP, Food Banks as Political Tool to Cover Congressional Shutdown Tactics

HELENA — As congressional Democrats continue to refuse passing a clean continuing resolution to reopen the federal government, Democratic activist groups in Montana are pressuring Governor Greg Gianforte to use state taxpayer funds to bail out the federal SNAP program with no guarantee of reimbursement.

A letter ostensibly from the Montana Food Bank Network demanding Gianforte tap the state’s $268 million Debt and Liability Free Account reveals the political nature of the pressure campaign, with signatories including Democratic activist organizations such as Missoula Resists and Catalyst Montana alongside legitimate food assistance groups.

The political nature of the campaign becomes even clearer on the Montana Food Bank Network’s website, where they provide an email farming tool urging visitors to “Take action today and urge the Governor to act now to protect Montana families, prevent hunger, and keep our communities healthy.” Rather than directing constituents to contact the Senate Democrats who refuse to reopen the government, the food bank is building its email database while misdirecting public pressure toward state Republicans who have no control over federal appropriations.

The letter comes as 77,679 Montanans face losing their SNAP benefits in November due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services confirmed that “SNAP recipients will not receive their benefits on November 1st due to the ongoing federal government shutdown.”

Political Cover Operation

Rather than pressure their own congressional Democrats to pass a clean continuing resolution, party operatives are attempting to shift blame to state Republicans while creating a precedent that Montana taxpayers should fund federal programs during political standoffs.

The Montana Democratic Party issued a press release claiming Gianforte is “refusing to utilize an available contingency fund that could fully fund November SNAP payments.”

However, in their letter, Democrats appear to have confused Montana’s typical monthly federal SNAP allocation of approximately $14 million with the DLFA reserve, claiming that Gianforte should “utilize $14 million that legislators set aside to make sure Montanans don’t go hungry this November.” The Debt and Liability Free Account contains $268 million, but this money was not “set aside” specifically for bailing out federal programs during Democratic-created shutdowns—it exists to pay down state debt and handle legitimate state emergencies.

The Democratic Party’s press release attacked Montana’s federal delegation, claiming Senators Daines and Sheehy are “selling out Montanans left and right to score points in Washington” while organizing a statewide food drive to address the crisis their congressional allies created.

The political isolation of Senate Democrats has become so severe that even the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest federal workers union and traditional Democratic ally, has called on Schumer to end the shutdown. Rather than pressure their own party to reopen government, Montana Democrats instead choose to attack state Republicans who have no control over federal appropriations.

Fiscal Irresponsibility Without Guarantees

The 2025 Montana Legislature, through House Bill 924 sponsored by Rep. Llew Jones (R-Conrad), expanded the Debt and Liability Free Account to allow it “to replace federal funds that have been reduced or rescinded by the federal government.” However, using these state funds carries significant risks for Montana taxpayers.

With no guarantee of federal reimbursement, Montana could see its $268 million fund completely drained depending on how long Democrats maintain their shutdown. The federal government has provided no assurances that states advancing their own funds would be reimbursed once the shutdown ends.

Montana receives approximately $14 million monthly in federal SNAP funding. If the shutdown continues for multiple months, the state could exhaust nearly its entire debt relief fund covering a federal program over which it has no control.

Republicans Hold The Line

The pressure campaign demonstrates the effectiveness Democrats believe this tactic could have if Republicans don’t maintain unity. By using food assistance as political leverage while refusing to reopen the government themselves, Democrats are attempting to force Republicans into fiscally irresponsible positions.

Governor Gianforte’s office has maintained that “the state cannot fund this federal program” without reimbursement guarantees, showing appropriate fiscal restraint in protecting Montana taxpayer dollars.

The Montana Food Bank Network, while providing legitimate humanitarian services, has allowed its credibility to be exploited by partisan activist groups to provide political cover for the very Democrats who refuse to end the shutdown.

“One of the best things about living in Montana is that Montanans show up for each other,” said Justin Ailport, Interim Executive Director of the Montana Democratic Party, apparently unaware that congressional Democrats could demonstrate this principle by simply reopening the government they shut down.

Republicans Fight Back

Senator Steve Daines’ office pushed back forcefully against Democratic characterizations, calling it a “Schumer Shutdown” rather than a Republican-led crisis.

“Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats have voted 13 times (and we’re still counting) to keep the government closed, despite fully knowing that 42 million Americans (including more than 77,000 Montanans) rely on SNAP to put food on the table for their families,” said Gabby Wiggins, Press Secretary for Senator Daines.

Wiggins emphasized that every Republican senator has voted to fund SNAP benefits, while Democrats continue blocking reopening votes. “Every single one of those votes would fully fund SNAP. Every single Republican Senator voted yes.”

The math is straightforward: with only 53 Republican senators and 60 votes needed to pass a continuing resolution, Democrats must join Republicans to reopen the government.

“All the claims that this is a ‘Republican shutdown’ are blatant lies and it is a disservice to Montanans to report it as such,” Wiggins stated. “Let’s be clear: this is a Schumer Shutdown.”

She pointed to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s own words during the crisis, noting he said “every day gets better” during the shutdown.

The human cost continues mounting. Tuesday morning, the Blackfeet Nation declared a state of emergency because they will not receive SNAP benefits November 1st.

Until Democrats end their refusal to pass a clean continuing resolution, Montana taxpayers should think twice before being forced to cover the tab for federal programs while facing the risk of never seeing their money returned.