Weeks of uncertainty during the longest government shutdown in American history have left some states struggling to issue payments to food stamp recipients.
The temporary ruling by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, blocking a lower court order to fully fund the aid, added to the uncertainty around the nation’s largest anti-hunger program.
Millions of low-income Americans will see staggering cuts and delays to their food stamps this month due to the government shutdown. Tony Romm, an economic policy reporter at The New York Times, walks us through the last several weeks of chaos around SNAP benefits.
Anti-hunger groups and state officials have warned that the administration’s plans to make partial payments are onerous and could still result in severe harm.
The extent and reach of the looming cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program became apparent in a series of court documents and policy memos.
The president suggested earlier in the day that he would withhold food stamp payments despite a court order mandating the administration pay partial benefits.
Diamonds are mined in various countries but are often cut and polished in India. President Trump used emergency powers to impose a 50 percent tariff on Indian exports in August.
A long line for a food pantry in the Bronx on Wednesday. The fate of SNAP, the nation’s largest anti-hunger program, has been up in the air as the government shutdown continues.
A federal court ordered the government to continue funding food stamps during the shutdown and make full payments by Monday or partial payments by Wednesday.
States, cities and nonprofits had sued to spare millions of low-income Americans from losing benefits starting on Saturday, after the Trump administration said it would not fund them.
The arguments at times appeared to frustrate the judge, who promised to rule soon on a suit filed by roughly two dozen states seeking to ensure people don’t go hungry as a result of a budgetary dispute.
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