FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 31, 2025
Senator Missy Irvin, Chair
Senate Committee on Public Health
870-740-9694
LITTLE ROCK – Sen. Missy Irvin released the following statement today in response to the Arkansas Department of Human Services’ (DHS) announcement that it will be forced to furlough workers, cease some benefits and grant-funded services, and potentially close offices to public access due to the ongoing federal government shutdown.
“Secretary Janet Mann and her outstanding teams within DHS do remarkable work to support some of our most vulnerable populations,” Irvin said. “It is appalling that they have been placed in a position where they must curtail important services that Arkansans need, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that provides critical food assistance to families all across our state. I’m incredibly frustrated by those in Washington D.C. who are continuing to vote against reopening the government. I applaud DHS for how they are handling this difficult situation, and I will do everything in my power to support an immediate end to this unnecessary federal government stalemate. Arkansans deserve better.”
Additional information on the impacts DHS announced today are posted on the agency website at humanservices.arkansas.gov.
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