Overview
- The administration told federal courts it would use roughly $4.65 billion from SNAP’s contingency reserve to cover about half of November benefits while refusing to transfer money from other nutrition accounts.
- USDA said Tuesday it sent guidance to states for recalculating reduced payments, warning the process could delay EBT deposits for days or weeks and leave no funds for new applicants or disaster assistance.
- Plaintiffs in the Rhode Island case filed emergency motions seeking enforcement to compel full November benefits, arguing the partial plan violates prior court directives.
- Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic measure that sought to force full SNAP funding for November as the shutdown reached day 35.
- States are deploying stopgaps, with Maryland committing $62 million to make recipients whole and Virginia launching a state replacement program, while others boost food banks or provide partial aid.