Overview
- SNAP payments that were set to stop on Nov. 1 will continue in November after a federal judge ordered the administration to unlock emergency funds.
- More than 42 million people rely on the program, and food banks report preparing for longer lines and potential shortages.
- Over twenty Democratic-led states have sued to compel use of federal reserves, making the courts a central arena for short-term relief.
- The shutdown that began Oct. 1 has furloughed hundreds of thousands of federal workers and disrupted services including air travel and national parks.
- The political standoff persists as Senate rules require 60 votes for a budget, President Trump urged scrapping that threshold, and health-insurance subsidies now face heightened uncertainty.