Guam Legislature approves up to $13.1 million to cover SNAP and WIC during federal shutdown

The Guam Legislature on Friday approved an emergency appropriation of up to $13,100,000 to the Department of Public Health and Social Services to fund November 2025 benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) if federal SNAP/WIC funding remains paused.

The appropriation, passed as Bill No. 14 S with amendments, draws from fiscal year 2025 net unobligated excess revenue and directs DPHSS to use federal funds first if federal funding is restored, to reimburse the general fund for any local advance, and to publicly report the households served and any federal reimbursements within 30 days of issuance.

Why it matters: The department told the Committee of the Whole it received a USDA Food and Nutrition Service notice on Oct. 10 that November SNAP disbursements may be delayed because of a U.S. federal government shutdown. DPHSS, which does not directly hold federal SNAP benefit funds, said it needs local money to load EBT cards through its vendor and to keep WIC redemptions and operations running while federal officials remain unavailable.

Acting DPHSS officials and program managers told senators the local ask was based on recent average usage and added sources of one-off funds. "On Oct. 10, we received notification from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service that instructed all states and territories to pause on the release of…