Food stamps could be delayed if Congress doesn’t end threat of shutdown, Jeff Merkley says, By Jeff Mapes, September 22, 2015, The Oregonian: “Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley and Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow said Tuesday that federal food assistance to the needy could be delayed unless Congress quickly ends the threat of a government shutdown on Oct. 1. The two Democratic senators said the U.S. Department of Agriculture is ordering states to hold off for now on reloading debit cards used by recipients in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps…”