BREAKING: Judges order Trump administration to use emergency reserves for SNAP payments during the shutdown

MA and RI court asked for a response by Monday as to how and when funds will be disbursed to SNAP users

AP News Boston reported at 4:03 pm, that Massachusetts” U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani ruled in a written opinion that the USDA has to pay for SNAP, calling the suspension “unlawful.” She ordered the federal government to advise the court by Monday (Nov. 3) as to whether they will use existing emergency reserve funds to provide reduced SNAP benefits for November or fully fund the program “using both contingency funds and additional available funds.”  

Likewise, in Rhode Island, U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell made a similar bench ruling in response to in “a case filed by cities and nonprofits that the program must be funded using at least the contingency funds.” In total, Democratic state attorneys general or governors from 25 states, as well as the District of Columbia, all ruled and/or agreed that the Trump administration has an obligation to use a $5 billion contingency fund to support SNAP during the shut down, if not an additional $23 billion available in a seperate fund.

ABC News Live at 6pm reported the Trump administration says it “will comply” with rulings by MA and RI judges to use emergency reserves to fund SNAP during the federal shutdown. It is yet unclear how and when funds will be disbursed in the month of November, whether in full availabilty or partial availibilty of food stamps to SNAP. An answer is expected to come down on Monday

Stay tuned on Monday for the advisory to courts on how and when SNAP benefits will land in your account. Remember to check your SNAP balance on DTA Connect. (AP news advises: it could take 1-2 weeks for funds to user hit accounts.)

Read more NYtimes, ABC News, AP Boston

Betsey Taft Kennedy, Managing Editor, betsey@whatsupworcester.com

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