Federal Court Orders Partial SNAP Benefit Restart Amid Government Shutdown Impacting 42 Million

Following court rulings, the Trump administration has decided to partially restore Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November by tapping into a $4.6 billion contingency fund, covering about half of eligible households' current allotments. Two federal judges mandated the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use emergency funds to pay SNAP benefits during the ongoing government shutdown, with the administration complying and choosing not to appeal these rulings. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that benefits could resume as early as midweek, while President Trump publicly urged for SNAP funding to prevent hunger amid the shutdown. However, the administration declined to use the Section 32 Child Nutrition Program funds to fully fund SNAP, citing concerns about jeopardizing child nutrition programs. The partial funding leaves concerns about no reserves for new applicants or disaster assistance. This decision comes as the government shutdown continues into its 34th day, impacting millions of Americans reliant on food assistance.