We shouldn’t run a government by holding hungry families hostage

The recent government shutdown made one thing very clear: President Trump and his allies are far too comfortable using vulnerable Americans as political leverage. One of the first things they did during the shutdown was refuse to authorize emergency funds to cover food stamps, delaying Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits nationwide. In my district alone, more than 47,000 households — 21.1% of all families — rely on SNAP to put food on the table.

Even after federal courts ordered the administration to release emergency food-stamp funding during the shutdown, they continued to delay SNAP payments. That means 47,000 Valley families had to wonder whether they could buy groceries or whether they needed to ration food until politicians stopped fighting.

No parent should have to choose between feeding their children and keeping the lights on because someone in Washington thinks chaos is a negotiating tactic.

That’s why I voted for a bipartisan agreement that takes food assistance off the table for an entire year. So, when the next shutdown happens (and in this divided Washington, there is always a “next” shutdown) the president cannot use hungry kids as bargaining chips again. This agreement also protects veterans, small-business owners, and federal workers from being turned into political weapons.

It guarantees that federal employees laid off during the shutdown are rehired and receive back pay. It blocks agencies from mass firings while this funding framework is in effect. 

It keeps SBA lending authority open so small businesses, including the 16,560 small businesses in my district, can continue to access support. 

It funds VA medical care, mental health services, toxic exposure care, and women veterans’ health. In our district, that matters to 15,734 veterans.

Is this a perfect deal? No. But lasting policy in this country is not born of hostage‑taking. It is born of compromise.

Some critics have asked why I supported the bill when it did not include an immediate extension of the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits. Here’s why: Protecting families from hunger today does not prevent us from lowering health care costs tomorrow.

This summer, I introduced the Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act of 2025 legislation to restore Medicaid funding for community health centers and permanently extend the enhanced premium tax credits on which millions of Americans rely to afford coverage. In my district, nearly 417,800 people, including 146,200 children, rely on Medicaid. If Congress fails to act, premiums will spike overnight by as much as 200% for many working families.

Republicans have already put their commitments to support extensions in writing. A group of House Republicans recently sent a letter to their leadership saying, “We will not take healthcare away from families who depend on it. This is our opportunity to demonstrate that commitment through action.”

Those are their words. Now they need to keep their promise.

Shutdowns don’t punish politicians. They punish parents who rely on federal food assistance, veterans waiting on VA appointments, small-business owners depending on SBA loans, and federal workers who simply want to do their jobs.

Shutting down the government does not make anyone more free, prosperous, or secure. It just makes life harder for people already carrying too much.

This agreement takes hostages off the table. It protects school meals and food assistance programs for working families, Medicaid and Medicare hospital funding, SBA loans, FEMA flood insurance, and veterans’ health care and services.

This compromise solution took the pain off working families and put the pressure back where it belongs: on Congress.

Going forward, my focus is simple: lower health care costs and protect the people I represent from becoming pawns in political games. I will work with any Republican or Democrat who is serious about doing the same.

Governing requires difficult choices. Congress could have rejected this deal, kept the government closed, and watched families go hungry while we make a point. Instead, I accepted an imperfect compromise that protects the most vulnerable for a whole year while we keep working to save health care.

Governing is not about winning arguments. It’s about fixing problems and improving people’s lives.

Rep. Adam Gray (D-Merced) represents the 13th Congressional District, which includes portions of Turlock and Hilmar, as well as Denair and Keyes.