The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended an order that temporarily blocks the full disbursement of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments. This extension occurs amidst indications that a resolution to the federal government shutdown may be imminent, which could allow food aid payments to resume.
Current Status of SNAP Benefits
Under the current order, which is set to expire just before midnight Thursday, beneficiaries nationwide are experiencing varied access to SNAP funds. Some states have distributed full monthly allocations, others have provided partial payments, while some recipients have not received any funds.
SNAP assists approximately 42 million Americans in purchasing groceries.
Legislative Developments
The Senate has approved legislation aimed at ending the government shutdown. The House of Representatives is expected to vote on this bill as early as Wednesday. A reopening of the federal government would reactivate the SNAP program; however, the timeline for the full resumption of payments remains undefined.
States and advocacy organizations suggest that full payments are logistically simpler to issue quickly than partial ones. Carolyn Vega, a policy analyst at Share Our Strength, noted potential technical challenges for states that have issued partial benefits in disbursing the remaining amounts.
Judicial Rationale and Divergent Views
The Supreme Court's decision maintains the existing situation without issuing a substantive legal ruling on the correctness of lower court orders that had mandated continued full payments during the shutdown. This approach is interpreted as anticipating an imminent end to the federal government shutdown.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the sole justice who indicated a preference to immediately revive the lower court orders for full payments but did not provide further explanation for her position. Justice Jackson had previously signed the initial order that temporarily froze the payments.
Impact on Beneficiaries
For example, in Pennsylvania, some individuals received full November benefits on Friday. Conversely, Jim Malliard, 41, of Franklin, reported not receiving any funds by Monday. Malliard, a full-time caregiver for his wife and daughter, indicated his household relies on SNAP's $350 monthly payment. He reported having $10 remaining in his account and relying on existing pantry supplies.
In response to the situation, Ashley Oxenford, a teacher in Carthage, New York, established a community food pantry in her front yard to support vulnerable neighbors.
History of the Dispute
Following the October cutoff of SNAP funding by the federal administration due to the shutdown, a series of lawsuits commenced. These legal actions resulted in several rapid and conflicting judicial rulings concerning governmental authority and access to food for a segment of the American population.
The administration initially complied with two October 31 rulings by judges requiring at least partial SNAP funding, leading to a plan for recipients to receive up to 65% of their regular benefits. However, the administration later objected when one judge ordered full funding for November, even if it required utilizing funds designated for emergencies.
The U.S. Supreme Court subsequently paused this order. An appeals court ruling on Monday had mandated the resumption of full funding, set to begin Tuesday night, but this requirement was superseded by the Supreme Court's extended order blocking full SNAP payments.
Congressional and Administrative Stances
The U.S. Senate passed legislation Monday to reopen the federal government and replenish SNAP funds. House Speaker Mike Johnson advised House members to return to Washington to consider this agreement, which was negotiated by a small group of Senate Democrats and Republicans.
President Trump has not publicly confirmed whether he would sign the legislation, though he stated on Sunday that a resolution to the shutdown appeared near.
In a Supreme Court filing Monday, the Trump administration asserted that resource reallocation during such a crisis should not be determined by federal courts. Solicitor General D. John Sauer stated, "The answer to this crisis is not for federal courts to reallocate resources without lawful authority. The only way to end this crisis — which the Executive is adamant to end — is for Congress to reopen the government."
Attorney General Pam Bondi responded to Tuesday's ruling on social media, stating, "Thank you to the Court for allowing Congress to continue its swift progress."
A coalition of cities and nonprofit groups, who initiated the legal challenge against the SNAP payment pause, attributed the confusion to the Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s actions. In a court filing Tuesday, they stated, "The chaos was sown by USDA's delays and intransigence, not by the district court's efforts to mitigate that chaos and the harm it has inflicted on families who need food."