With the federal government shutdown threatening Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding, Arkansas State Senator Jamie Scott (D-North Little Rock) has called on Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders to issue a statewide disaster proclamation to protect vulnerable residents from potential food insecurity.
In a letter sent Tuesday, Scott noted that more than 350,000 Arkansans rely on SNAP benefits each month — including over 150,000 children whose only consistent meals often come through the program. She warned that any interruption or delay in federal funding could have an immediate and devastating impact on families already struggling with high costs of food, utilities, and housing.
“These are not abstract numbers; they are our neighbors, students in our schools, and families working tirelessly to make ends meet,” Scott wrote. “Without swift action, we risk seeing families forced to skip meals, students unable to concentrate in school, and caregivers choosing between paying rent or buying groceries.”
Scott’s letter urges Governor Sanders to use her executive authority under Arkansas Code §12-75-114 to declare a temporary disaster and authorize emergency measures to sustain food access. The move, she said, would allow the state to coordinate with the Department of Human Services and local food banks to deploy emergency funds, expand capacity, and ensure that no Arkansan goes hungry due to administrative or funding delays beyond their control.
Calling the issue “not a partisan issue — but a moral one,” Scott emphasized that hunger affects families across political and economic lines. “Hunger doesn’t distinguish between political parties, income brackets, or zip codes,” she wrote. “We have the ability — and the responsibility — to prevent that.”
The senator concluded by invoking the state’s motto, Regnat Populus — “The People Rule” — saying it serves as a reminder that true leadership requires compassion in times of crisis.
“In moments like this, that compassion must be visible through decisive action,” she wrote.
