A U.S. Representative from Northeast Ohio wants the Trump administration to release all the November funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, not just the planned partial release. Cities and nonprofits suing the Trump administration filed a new motion Tuesday as benefits remain in limbo.
SNAP funding ran out Saturday, as congressional Republicans and Democrats still have not come to an agreement on a budget bill.
In court filings Monday, the Trump administration said it would use contingency funds to partially fund SNAP in November, but Rep. Emilia Sykes is not sure if that will happen, she said.
“We are not clear about what is going to happen and what direction the administration is gonna go," she said.
Sykes and Ohio’s other congressional Democrats had previously called on Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost to sign onto a lawsuit over the Trump administration’s refusal to use contingency funds to pay for SNAP benefits. Ohio so far has not, but Columbus has.
“The fact that they continue to withhold these funds really is mind-boggling, and the president is acting as though it is his personal money," Sykes said. "These dollars are taxpayer dollars.”
In a post on Truth Social Tuesday, President Donald Trump wrote that SNAP funds "will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up the government." White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified to reporters that the administration is still sending partial food aid benefits this month. Cities and nonprofits that are suing the administration filed a new motion Tuesday demanding the administration fully fund November benefits.
"We are now still in this limbo, in limbo," Sykes said, "because the court said, 'Release the funds,' the president is saying no, and now we're back in court."
Budget talks are still at a complete standstill in the House, she said, meaning her office still cannot help constituents with their Social Security cases. Social Security payments themselves are not impacted by the shutdown, but more than 6,000 Social Security Administration employees have been furloughed, which prevents congressional offices from assisting constituents with their cases.
Last week, Sykes introduced the Guaranteed Uninterrupted Access to Retiree Disbursements, or GUARD, Act with Pennsylvania Rep. Rob Bresnahan, which would ensure the Social Security Administration remains fully operational and responsive during government shutdowns.
"The number one thing that we get emails for and top concerns from constituents is related to Social Security," Sykes said, "and right now during the shutdown, the Social Security Administration has directed the staff that is not furloughed to not open up congressional inquiries."
Since the shutdown began, Sykes' office has been unable to advance 51 open Social Security casework requests, according to a press release from her office.
Sykes reacts to Ohio's new congressional map
Sykes' district will still be competitive under Ohio’s new map approved Friday by the Ohio Redistricting Commission, she said.
Sykes represents the 13th district, which currently covers all of Summit County and parts of Stark County, including Canton. It was redrawn to include Kent and Streetsboro and eliminate parts of Stark County. Those changes push the district further to the left, causing Sykes’ likely Republican opponent, Kevin Coughlin, to drop out of the 2026 race this week.
"I'm looking forward to running for reelection, getting to know the new parts of the district and reemphasizing my commitment to the folks that remain," Sykes said.
Gerrymandered maps, like Ohio’s, create unearned majorities, Sykes said.
“I see what it looks like when you have a body made up of people that only wants convenience and easy races," she said. "They are not responsive. They are not willing to do the hard work. They are not willing to cross the aisle and compromise with individuals.”
The new map pushes districts in Toledo and Cincinnati further right. Democrats still have a chance of holding those seats by continuing to run hardworking candidates, Sykes said. The map is thought to split the state's districts into 12 safe Republican or leans Republican districts and three safe Democrat or leans Democrat district.
"We have a 12-3 map today, and we'll have one the next election cycle," she said. "But what we have is five Democrats, because we've had some exceptional candidates. And Republicans haven't been able to field candidates who can win."
