Chuck Schumer: “the blast radius of the Republican shutdown grows even larger. This morning, tens of millions of Americans remain in…”

“the blast radius of the Republican shutdown grows even larger. This morning, tens of millions of Americans remain in limbo as this administration continues its crusade against SNAP. The Supreme Court has allowed the administration to withhold benefits as the case makes its way through the lower courts. For this administration to go all the way to the Supreme Court just to get out of having to pay SNAP benefits for hungry kids is pathological levels of vindictiveness. This crisis is in the administration's hands. It is all them. Not anyone else. The minute the administration wanted to, it could find a fix for SNAP and ensure that people don't go hungry. But they are not choosing to act, in what is really a nasty act of hostage-taking against the most vulnerable people in our society. Let me read what the Rhode Island judge said earlier this week about this case: People have gone without for too long, not making payments to them for even another day is simply unacceptable. Now, the administration could have said: OK. We will have to pay it. But that wasn't good enough for them. Of course not. This administration, again, is viciously cruel and will use anybody for a hostage. But the chaos doesn't end with SNAP benefits. Thirty-nine days into the crisis, the FAA has ordered a 10-percent cut of flights at America's busiest airports, and Secretary Duffy warned it could soon reach 20 percent. As of this morning, over 1,000 flights have been canceled.”