MADISON, WI – Yesterday, Senator Melissa Ratcliff (D-Cottage Grove) along with State Representative Sheila Stubbs (D-Madison), Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton), U. S. Representative Mark Pocan (WI-02), and other Democratic Dane County legislators, sounded the alarm at a press conference held at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul – Madison on recent federal disruptions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — known in Wisconsin as FoodShare —highlighting the catastrophic impact of government shutdowns and benefit cuts on households throughout the state.
“Cuts to SNAP benefits aren’t just policy—they are the difference between a meal at the table or going hungry. When the federal government shuts down or delays funding, it’s families in District 16 who are hurt,” Senator Ratcliff stated. “Our residents should not be caught in the middle of the Republicans’ disarray and inability to negotiate or work with Democrats.”
Further, Senator Ratcliff affirmed that access to adequate food is both a moral and legal obligation: “Ensuring food security is not optional. Its what’s right—and what the law demands. We stand with Governor Tony Evers and his lawsuit holding the federal government accountable when essential services like SNAP are jeopardized.”
Senator Ratcliff urges state and federal lawmakers to prioritize restoring full SNAP benefit levels, ensuring continuous funding of critical food-security programs, and enacting protections so that government shutdowns do not endanger the most vulnerable.
While Democrats continue to push for bipartisan negotiations that can get our federal government back open and operating, Senate Ratcliff is encouraging those who are able to donate food items or financially to food pantries and for those residents of the 16th Senate District and surrounding areas, who need food assistance, to turn to the attached trusted organizations for food assistance.
