Bracing for Federal Shutdown Impact

Rep. Danielle Friel Otten October 31, 2025 | 4:27 PM

PA Representative Danielle Otten banner image

Dear Neighbor,

This week, both chambers of the Pennsylvania legislature were back in Harrisburg for session. Although recent reports indicate that negotiations between the Governor’s office, House leaders, and Senate leaders have picked up in recent days, we still remain without a finalized state budget. While discussions appear to be ongoing, critical funding for schools, human services, and community programs continue to hang in the balance.

As we await the outcome of leadership negotiations, it was still a busy week in the House, where we continue to work for the people of Pennsylvania. Several bills that I co-sponsored passed the House this week with bipartisan support and will now head to the Senate for consideration. They include: ?

HB 1123, sponsored by?Rep. Pat Gallagher, requires Pennsylvania insurers to cover colorectal cancer screens at age 45 (adjusted from the previous standard of age 50), keeping PA up to date with the latest American Cancer Society guidelines.

HB 1512, sponsored by?Rep. Kyle Mullins, helps to reduce costs for consumers and mitigate the environmental impacts of e-waste by establishing the Right-to-Repair Act, which would allow consumers to repair their own electronics or have them repaired by independent repair technicians.

HB 1828, sponsored by?Rep. Arvind Venkat, protects access to vaccines in Pennsylvania by requiring private insurers to cover vaccines that are FDA-approved and recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Physicians, or the American Academy of Family Physicians.

And on Monday, Governor Shapiro signed Act 41 of 2025, allowing military veterans to count their service experience towards credits for career and technical education. This legislation helps veterans re-enter the workforce following their military service and also helps to address Pennsylvania’s career & technical education workforce shortage. This new law began as HB 1405 by Rep. Brian Munroe, another bill that I co-sponsored. It passed the House unanimously in June and passed the Senate at the beginning of October.

Bracing for Federal Shutdown Impact

While budget negotiations continue at the state level, Pennsylvanians are bracing for the impact of the federal shutdown. Beginning November 1, SNAP payments will be halted, affecting nearly two million residents across Pennsylvania. This includes hundreds of thousands of children, older adults, and people with disabilities. In Chester County alone, roughly 29,000 SNAP recipients could be impacted. These aren’t people trying to game the system. They’re our neighbors, our coworkers, our grandparents, and the parents of children sitting next to our children in school. Most SNAP recipients are people with disabilities, seniors, or people working full-time jobs that fail to pay a living wage. The benefits they receive are modest and already difficult to qualify for. The federal government’s failure to fund benefits is not about preventing fraud or abuse of the system. It is about denying basic nutrition to people who are doing everything they can to stay afloat.

The USDA has confirmed that no payments will be issued unless Congress acts to restore funding. In response, Governor Shapiro has joined a coalition of 25 states and the District of Columbia taking legal action against the unlawful suspension of benefits. Additionally, Pennsylvania Democrats have introduced legislation to provide emergency support for food banks and nutrition programs to help soften the blow.

This is still a developing situation, evolving even as this newsletter goes to press. Gov. Josh Shapiro has just announced that his administration is releasing $5 million in state funds to Feeding Pennsylvania for distribution through its statewide network of food banks. He also signed a disaster emergency declaration to expedite relief. And two federal judges ruled just this afternoon that the Trump administration must continue financing SNAP during the government shutdown, using federal contingency funds. But their rulings give the administration discretion over whether to provide full or partial funding for the program in November, and the rulings are likely to face appeals.

With less than one day remaining, the stakes could not be higher for families simply trying to put food on the table. We will continue to share updates as they become available.

Make a Plan to Vote in the November 4 Municipal Election

Election Day is just around the corner, and voters across Pennsylvania will have the chance to make decisions that directly affect their communities. On Tuesday, November 4, voters in Chester County will choose leaders for important local positions like school board directors, township supervisors, borough council members, mayors, county offices, and judges for the County Court of Common Pleas. Statewide, voters will also weigh in on judicial retentions and elect judges to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Superior Court, and Commonwealth Court.

These municipal elections typically see low turnout, but the officials we choose make decisions that shape our schools, law enforcement, open space preservation, local taxation, zoning and development, and how justice is administered. With so much uncertainty at both the state and federal levels, showing up to vote is one of the most powerful ways we can advocate for stability, fairness, and care in our communities.

If you still have a mail-in ballot, take it to a secure mail-in ballot drop box by November 4. It is too late to return it by mail. Completed ballots must be received by 8 PM on Election Day, so take yours to one of Chester County’s 13 drop box locations.

If you received a mail-in ballot and have decided you would prefer to vote in person at the polls, be sure to bring your ballot and all envelopes with you to your poling place.

Visit the Chester County Voter Services website for drop-box hours and locations or to confirm your polling place, and make sure you have a voting plan in place.

Whether it’s the state budget, federal food assistance, or the outcome of local elections, the decisions being made right now will shape the future of our communities. These aren’t abstract policy debates, they’re about real people, real families, and real consequences. We have the power to speak up, show up, and support one another. Let’s make sure we’re informed, prepared, and ready to act. And as always, my office is here to help. If you have any questions about state policy, public services, or how these issues affect you, don’t hesitate to reach out.

If you have questions or would like to provide feedback on any legislative or state-related issue, please contact my district office at repotten@pahouse.net.

Upcoming Events

Fall Food Drive

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, so my office has partnered with the Chester County Food Bank for a Fall Food Drive to help support residents of Chester County.

Help support residents of Chester County by donating food items from now until Friday, November 21.

The most needed food items are:

Canned/Pouch Chicken
Canned/Pouch Tuna
Pasta
Canned Ready to Eat Meals (like Beef Ravioli or Chili)
Breakfast/Granola Bars
Cereal

Other greatly needed pantry items:

Pasta Sauce / Canned Tomatoes
Canned Soup & Stews (pop-top appreciated)
Fruit (in juice), canned & individual cups
Healthy Snacks for Kids (nut free trail mix, popcorn, individual cracker bags, goldfish)
Peanut Butter (no high fructose corn syrup, look for the brown lid)

*low-sodium, low-sugar, no high fructose corn syrup when possible*

PLEASE NO GLASS CONTAINERS OR EXPIRED ITEMS!

Federal Shutdown Impacting SNAP Payments to Pennsylvanians

Due to the federal government shutdown, Pennsylvania residents will not receive their SNAP benefits until the shutdown ends and funds are released to PA.

During this interruption in SNAP benefits, the Chester County Food Bank remains committed to serving any Chester County resident that needs food, and they have asked us to help get the word out about where and how to access food resources.

Visit the Chester County Food Bank website for an interactive map and list of food providers throughout Chester County. There is also a printable PDF on that page listing all the hot meal sites and community partners throughout the county.

Anyone in need of help is encouraged to call the Chester County Food Bank at 610-873-6000 or email contact@chestercountyfoodbank.org. If a community partner is not open in your neighborhood and you are out of food, there is an emergency pantry onsite at the Food Bank. Please call 610-873-6000 to schedule an appointment to visit.

If you are a SNAP recipient, please continue to complete your renewals during the shutdown and report any changes to your income, contact information, or the people living in your home so that there is no interruption in your benefits when payments resume. Please also remember that changes mandated by the federal government will take effect in November. Beginning on November 1, you will be required to report work, school, or volunteer participation to DHS in order to remain eligible for benefits.

If you are in a position to help, please consider donating food items to the Chester County Food Bank, the Lord's Pantry in Downingtown, or the food pantry nearest you. A list of most needed food items and other ways to help can be found here.

You can always drop off food donations at my district office, 631 N. Pottstown Pike, Exton (in the Rocco’s Pizza shopping center), and we will deliver them to Chester County Food Bank.

To urge the federal government to reopen the government and restore SNAP benefits and other essential services, please contact the offices of the Republican elected officials who control all three branches of federal government, beginning with Sen. David McCormick at 202-224-6324.

2025 Property Tax/Rent Rebate Application Deadline Extended

The deadline to file Property Tax/Rent Rebate applications, for rebates on property taxes or rent paid in 2024, has been extended to December 31, 2025. The state will begin to issue rebate checks on July 1, so the sooner you file, the sooner you will receive your rebate if eligible!

Thanks to changes passed in 2023, more people are eligible, with income limits adjusted to keep pace with Social Security cost-of-living adjustments. The Property Tax/Rent Rebate program has made it easier for seniors in Chester County to stay in their homes and afford groceries, medicine, and so much more.

The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians ages 65 and older, widows and widowers ages 50 and older, and people with disabilities age 18 and older.

Please call or stop by my office to find out if you’re eligible and get assistance applying for your rebate. We’d be glad to answer any questions and set up an appointment to help you complete your application online!

For those who prefer to file by mail, paper applications will be available in my office soon, and we will update here when they come in.

SEPTA Senior Key Cards and Card Renewals

If you have a SEPTA Senior Key Card that has expired or will expire within the next month, we can renew it in our district office. To renew your card before it expires, please stop by my district office, or call us to make an appointment.

My office can also process applications and take photos for new SEPTA Senior Key ID Cards, which allow seniors 65 and older to travel for free on all SEPTA Regional Rail and transit routes within Pennsylvania. Just stop by my district office and bring a form of ID with your date of birth on it, such as a PA driver’s license or non-driver ID, U.S. passport, or birth certificate. We’ll enter your information into SEPTA’s online system, take a quick photo, and then SEPTA will mail your new card to you directly.

2-1-1 Southeastern Pennsylvania: Health and Human Services

211 SEPA is part of the national 211 Call Centers initiative that seeks to provide health and human services for everyday needs and those in crisis situations.

2-1-1 works with county governments and provider agencies to ensure important local program information is easily accessible.

Visit 211sepa.org for more information.

Mental Health Resources: Call 9-8-8

Chester County residents experiencing mental-health-related crisis or distress can dial 9-8-8 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.?This system is designed to be a memorable and quick number that connects people in crisis to a trained mental health professional.

Chester County offers additional resources for those in crisis, including Chester County’s warm line, 1-866-846-2722, operated by Certified Peer Specialists, who are individuals in recovery with a lived experience of mental health challenges.

Chester County’s Teen Talk Line ensures seamless referral to Mobile Crisis for youth in need of immediate or higher-level support. The call line is 855-852-TEEN (8336), and the text line is 484-362-9515.

Visit the?Department of Human Services website for more information about the 988 system and other state and local mental health resources.

If you or someone you love is in crisis, please don’t give up hope, and please know that you do not need to walk this path alone. We are here and we will do whatever we can to help.

My office will be closed on Election Day, Tuesday, November 4. We will be back in the office on Wednesday, November 5, and ready to assist you with any state-related services.

My staff and I are here to help make state government work better for you! For assistance with the above programs or any other state-related services, please email?repotten@pahouse.net, call 484-200-8259, contact us through my website, or visit my district office in Exton and let us know how we can help!

Sincerely,