US food stamp program could run out of funding if shutdown continues

NEW YORK -- The partial government shutdown could soon impact the millions of Americans who rely on the nation's food stamp program.

The program is run by the US Department of Agriculture, which is one of the agencies that has been unfunded during the shutdown.

Congress recently issued $3 billion of emergency funds for the program.

However experts say the funding could run out sometime next month.

According to the nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 42 million Americans received benefits in 2017 under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

More than 68 percent of the recipients were in families with children.