Key Democrat Says SNAP Cliff Alone Isn’t Enough to End Shutdown

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said Republicans are “dreaming” if they expect Democrats to fold under the pressure of the weekend’s food assistance benefits deadline — but said there’s bipartisan appetite for a quick fix.

“I’m not seeing much in terms of a willingness to collapse,” Whitehouse (D-R.I.) told Bloomberg Government in an exclusive roundtable on Tuesday. “There probably will be something that emerges from rank-and-file on both sides.”

Key food assistance benefits, called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, are set to halt for millions on Nov. 1 after the Trump administration said it lacks the authority to keep the program funded ...