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A federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration to use contingency funds to pay Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, just before funding was set to lapse on Saturday (November 1). U.S. District Judge John McConnell's ruling came after another federal judge in Boston deemed the administration's plan to withhold benefits "unlawful" but did not mandate fund distribution.
Judge McConnell emphasized the necessity of using the approximately $6 billion contingency fund to ensure food assistance for over 40 million Americans, arguing that the ongoing government shutdown did not eliminate SNAP, only its funding. He stated, "There is no doubt that the contingency funds are necessary to carry out the program’s operation," according to The Hill.
The ruling requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to distribute the funds "as soon as possible" and provide a court update by Monday. However, the contingency fund is insufficient to cover all November benefits, which total about $9 billion. The administration has the option to use Section 32 funds, derived from customs receipts, to bridge the gap, but judges noted that this decision remains at the administration's discretion.
The decision follows lawsuits from 25 Democratic-led states and a coalition of cities and organizations, arguing the administration's refusal to use the fund violated federal procedures. The Trump administration had expressed concerns about using the contingency fund, citing potential future needs like hurricanes, but the judge prioritized immediate food security needs over hypothetical future scenarios.