Summary
The Trump administration asked a federal appeals court to block a judge's order to release full November SNAP benefits due to a government shutdown. The administration argued that it shouldn't have to spend more money than available and emphasized the need for Congress to allocate additional funds. Some states, like Wisconsin, have already started distributing the benefits.
Key Facts
- The Trump administration sought to block a judge's order to distribute full SNAP benefits for November.
- The request came amid a partial U.S. government shutdown.
- A federal judge had ordered full payments due to lawsuits from cities and nonprofits.
- The administration argued they couldn't spend more than was available in the contingency fund.
- SNAP serves about 1 in 8 Americans, mostly with low incomes.
- States like Wisconsin confirmed some SNAP benefits were already distributed.
- The administration said only Congress can provide additional funding.
- The Justice Department claimed the court's order violated the U.S. Constitution's separation of powers.
