Republican Sen. Ryan Fattman shut down the Senate’s session after just a few minutes Monday morning, saying he hoped to “send a message” about the Healey administration pointedly blaming President Donald Trump for a lapse in SNAP benefits in official state communications.

With SNAP benefits at risk of lapsing lapsing for about 1.1 million Bay Staters starting Saturday as a result of the federal government shutdown, the DTA website says that “President Trump is currently choosing to not issue November SNAP benefits that help you and many families put food on the table” and the same language went out in emails and text messages to SNAP recipients.

After the abbreviated session, Fattman told the News Service that he has been trying to help constituents access SNAP benefits and started seeing the department’s messaging over the weekend as state-funded emails and text messages started going out.

“The message has been, you know, blame the president, blame the Congress. It’s very specific about who they’re blaming. And to me, that type of resource — when it’s paid for by taxpayer money — shouldn’t happen,” Fattman said. “To be fair, it’s happened on the federal level. The president has put out that message. It’s wrong, it’s not mature, it needs to end. And I’m very disheartened with the fact that we’re doing it here in Massachusetts. It’s wrong, it’s immature, it needs to end.”

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Fattman brought about an early end to Monday’s Senate session by doubting the presence of a quorum. Because a quorum of senators was not on hand and could not be rallied in about 10 minutes, the branch adjourned until Thursday. Sen. Sal DiDomenico of Everett was presiding over Monday’s session and Millbury Sen. Michael Moore arrived in the chamber about 10 minutes after Fattman’s motion.

Republicans and Democrats in Washington have been unable to agree on bills to fund government operations for the last four weeks and leaders of the two major parties have blamed each other for the shutdown.