Food stamp programs will stay alive through November, but only halfway. The Trump administration told a federal judge it will use emergency funds to pay 50% of normal SNAP benefits, after warning that the government shutdown would otherwise halt the program completely.
That stopgap means roughly 20 million households relying on SNAP will get only half their usual amount, if they get anything at all. The administration says it’s a “bridge” payment until Congress approves full funding, but there’s no timeline for when that might happen.
Democrats tried to push through a single-issue bill to restore full SNAP funding, but Republicans refused to pass it, insisting on a broader budget resolution that includes border security and spending cuts.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the partial payments could go out as soon as Wednesday though state agencies still don’t know how the funds will be distributed or who will be prioritized.
The Department of Agriculture has not issued formal guidance to states, which handle the actual EBT disbursements, leaving food banks bracing for a surge in demand. Many states report they can’t even process benefit renewals until federal systems come back online.
Through all of this, there is absolutely no effort at reforming the program which is used legitimately by some and abused by many.
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