There are two days left until food aid runs out for 42 million people. And 12 days have passed. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court extended a lower court order blocking full SNAP payments amid Congressional proceedings to lift the government shutdown that would allow food assistance program payments to resume.
This order will maintain the chaotic situation for at least two more days. People who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to support their families are receiving their full monthly allotment in some states that help pay for it, but in others they are receiving nothing because the states are not making an effort to improve their image or image of the White House.
The order is three sentences long, provides no explanation of the court’s reasoning, and expires just before midnight Thursday.
The Senate approved a bill to end the government shutdown on Monday, and the House is preparing to vote on the bill this Wednesday afternoon.
Once the government reopens, the program that helps 42 million Americans buy food will resume, but it’s unclear when full payments will resume.
Anticipating that the federal government shutdown would soon end, the Supreme Court justices took the easiest route to avoid a legal ruling on the validity of a lower court’s order to maintain full payments for the duration of the shutdown.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the only one of the nine justices to say he would immediately reinstate the lower court’s order, but he did not explain his vote. Jackson was the judge who signed the first order temporarily freezing payments last Friday.
Beneficiaries in some states have received their entire monthly allotment, while in others they have received nothing. Some states are offering partial payments.
fierce legal battle
The Trump administration chose to suspend SNAP funding starting Nov. 1 in response to the government shutdown. The decision sparked lawsuits and court rulings over government authority and access to food for about 1 in 8 Americans.
The government followed two Oct. 31 rulings by judges that said the government must at least partially fund SNAP.
Finally, it was announced that beneficiaries will receive up to 65% of their regular aid.
But one of the judges ruled last week that the program should be fully funded in November, instead of using money the government says should be kept for emergencies.
An appeals court ruled Monday that full funding must be reinstated, a requirement that was to take effect Tuesday night before the Supreme Court extended an order blocking full SNAP payments in anticipation of a legislative agreement.
In fact, the Senate approved a bill this Monday that would replenish SNAP funds and reopen the federal government.
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