Federal Judge Says USDA Must Pay SNAP Benefits in November

A federal judge on Oct. 31 said the U.S. Department of Agriculture is legally required to use emergency funds to pay out food stamps benefits for November. She has given the government until Monday to respond. The Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program’s (SNAP’s) funding was set to lapse on Nov. 1 because of the government shutdown, potentially affecting the food security of more than $40 million Americans. “Congress appropriated $6 billion to SNAP in 2024 as a contingency reserve through 2026, ‘to be used in such amounts and at such times as may become necessary to carry out program operations,'” U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani said in her written order....