Judge Orders Trump’s Administration to Continue Paying for SNAP Benefits
USA – A federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump’s administration to continue paying for the (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) SNAP benefits during the government shutdown.
Judge Indira Talwani of the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts said the government is required by law to use contingency funds to pay for at least partial SNAP benefits, which are designed to feed 42 million poor Americans.
She rejected the Trump administration’s argument that a $5 billion contingency fund cannot be used during the government closure, which began Oct. 1.
“At core, Defendants’ conclusion that USDA is statutorily prohibited from funding SNAP because Congress has not enacted new appropriations for the current fiscal year is erroneous,” Talwani wrote. “To the contrary, Defendants are statutorily mandated to use the previously appropriated SNAP contingency reserve when necessary and also have discretion to use other previously appropriated funds.”
The 42 million Americans who depend on SNAP benefits to buy food receive an average of $187 a month on a prepaid card. Many families rely on the benefits as their main source of money for food.
In their lawsuit, individual states argued that the administration’s decision to cut off food stamp payments was unlawful and threatened to deprive millions of Americans of essential food benefits that help protect against food insecurity and hunger.
“Shutting off SNAP benefits will cause deterioration of public health and well-being,” state officials wrote. “Ultimately, the States will bear costs associated with many of these harms.”
“The loss of SNAP benefits leads to food insecurity, hunger, and malnutrition, which are associated with numerous negative health outcomes in children, such as poor concentration, decreased cognitive function, fatigue, depression, and behavioral problems,” said the lawsuit.
Talwani gave the administration until Monday to tell the court whether it plans to continue allocating money to fund the SNAP program during the shutdown.
