By Steven Allen Adams for The Intelligencer
CHARLESTON — Congress is one step closer to ending the federal government shutdown that is heading into day 42 with a vote on a continuing resolution now moving through the process. But West Virginians relying on the program formerly known as food stamps may have to wait longer for relief.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced Monday during a press conference at the State Capitol Building that issues between two different state vendors used by the Department of Human Services are preventing the state from re-calculating the partial Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits that a federal court ordered President Donald Trump’s U.S. Department of Agriculture to pay out.
“This is another moving target in that there seems to be changes in what’s occurring,” Morrisey said. “Obviously, it’ll be easier to just get the cards back in place, and that’s important. But we’ve looked at every single way…I can promise you I have challenged our contractor to move like the wind, and we’ve been very clear. We need to be able to do this.”
Image: On Friday, the West Virginia National Guard delivered more than 80,000 pounds of food to 12 different locations, including Covenant House in Charleston. (Photo Courtesy of W.Va. National Guard)