The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it will provide half of the normal monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to over 42 million Americans by accessing $5.25 billion in emergency funding. This decision follows federal court orders and addresses the program's lack of federal funding due to an ongoing government shutdown that began on October 1.
Background on SNAP Funding
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, is a federal program designed to assist low-income Americans with grocery purchases. While individual U.S. states administer the benefits, the program relies on funding from the federal government. The federal government has been unfunded since October 1, impacting the distribution of SNAP benefits. SNAP typically incurs costs of approximately $8 billion per month.
Court Rulings and Administration's Response
Federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island had given the Trump administration until Monday to present a plan for distributing SNAP benefits. These judges ruled that the USDA was required to use $5.25 billion (approximately £4 billion) from emergency funds to facilitate at least partial payments to SNAP recipients. They affirmed that the administration could utilize money reserved for contingencies for this purpose.
In response, the USDA confirmed in a court filing that recipients would receive half of their regular monthly allotment by accessing emergency funds. President Trump had previously stated he instructed government lawyers to seek court guidance on legal methods to fund SNAP. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent further explained that President Trump sought court clarification on legally reallocating funds, indicating benefits could be distributed as early as Wednesday, pending the determination of the correct process.
Impact and Distribution Details
More than 42 million Americans receive food assistance through SNAP. A family of four typically receives an average of $715 per month, equating to less than $6 per day per person. With the new directive, recipients will receive half of this amount. States, which administer the benefits, are expected to receive clarity on distributing the reduced funds by the end of Monday.
Legal Actions and State Initiatives
Late last month, the USDA had indicated it would not distribute food assistance funds starting November 1 due to the shutdown, citing unavailable funding. This led to lawsuits against the administration by half of the U.S. states and the District of Columbia. These plaintiffs argued they had a legal obligation to maintain the program within their jurisdictions. Separately, cities and non-profit organizations also filed lawsuits. Some states had announced intentions to use their own funds to cover SNAP benefits.
Program Functionality
SNAP provides recipients with reloadable debit cards to purchase food.