Summary
Many people in the U.S. are experiencing delays in receiving their food assistance benefits, known as SNAP, because of a government shutdown. There is a legal issue about whether emergency reserve funds can be used to pay these benefits. State leaders have sued the federal government, claiming that money is available to keep the benefits going.
Key Facts
- Americans are facing delays with their SNAP benefits due to a government shutdown.
- There is a legal dispute over using contingency funds to pay SNAP benefits during the shutdown.
- State leaders from 25 Democrat-led states and Washington D.C. have sued the federal government on this issue.
- SNAP benefits help about 42 million people in the U.S. buy groceries.
- The USDA holds contingency funds that might be used when regular funds are not available.
- The lawsuit suggests these funds could cover a significant portion of the SNAP benefits for November.
- USDA has redirected funds to keep some services running during the shutdown but hasn’t done so for SNAP.
- Lawmakers are disagreeing over how the contingency funds should be used during the shutdown.
