Fate Of SNAP Payments In Question

The Senate voted to move toward passing a stopgap funding bill Sunday night. A tentative deal seeks to reopen the government after the longest shutdown in U.S. history. One of the top concerns in the shutdown fight has been Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, which have seen a back-and-forth in the courts over payments during the last few days. The U.S. Department of Agriculture overnight released new guidance to states that have already processed full SNAP payments to millions of people. The Trump administration is directing states to stop issuing full SNAP benefits and take steps to undo the action to make payments for November. The USDA said existing payments were “unauthorized,” adding that states that fail to comply could suffer serious consequences, including the cancellation of future federal money. The USDA did not explicitly say how states should take back the money already distributed to millions of people. On Friday, a judge’s ruling opened the door for Gov. Josh Shapiro to rush out SNAP benefits to people who get them during the first seven days of the month. “They immediately processed the batches of Pennsylvanians who were owed money on SNAP through our vendor that sends those federal dollars out and started to get that money flowing again,” Shapiro said. But just a day later, a Shapiro spokesperson told CNN the state had since paused issuing full allocations to additional people, presumably, those who get their benefits after the seventh of the month. That spokesperson also tells CNN that Pennsylvanians who received their benefits are still able to spend them. The governor on Friday said he and his legal team plan to push back against any attempt to stop the flow of snap benefits. “My appeal to the Trump administration is, just do the right thing. Give up. You’re gonna lose again in court,” Shapiro said.