COLUMBIA, SC — Brandon Brown, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in South Carolina, released a statement today responding to two federal court rulings ordering the Trump administration to continue funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the ongoing government shutdown.
Brown commended the decisions as a victory for working families while emphasizing the continued hardship many are still facing.
“Today’s ruling is a victory for working families, seniors, and children who deserve the dignity of food on their tables, no matter the chaos in Washington,” Brown said. “The courts have rightly affirmed what most of us already knew in our hearts: no political dispute should ever come at the expense of a family’s next meal.”
Brown noted that the uncertainty surrounding the shutdown and SNAP disbursements will still leave many households vulnerable in the coming weeks.
“While this ruling brings temporary relief, it doesn’t end the uncertainty,” Brown said. “Families are still waiting. Food banks are still stretched. That’s why we can’t wait for Washington to act — we must continue to act ourselves.”
Earlier this week, Brown convened a statewide coalition of more than 13 churches, nonprofits, and local leaders to deliver groceries and essential goods to South Carolina families impacted by the shutdown. The effort is being coordinated in partnership with The SmartBox, founded by Fairfax Councilwoman Phyllis Smart, and Sustaining Way, led by Mike Brown.
“Our coalition is proof that South Carolinians don’t wait to be rescued,” Brown said. “When the government fails the people, the people rise. That’s the spirit that will get us through this moment. And that’s the kind of leadership I intend to bring to Washington.”
The initiative will distribute food to hundreds of families statewide this weekend and over the course of the coming weeks to Anderson, Greenwood, Chester, Richland, Allendale, Charleston, Darlington, and Orangeburg counties.