Overview
- Two federal judges ordered emergency SNAP payments after the USDA moved to hold back funds, with magistrates authorizing a $5 billion contingency draw.
- The orders temporarily shield roughly 42 million recipients, yet states warn of processing delays and uncertainty over whether full benefits will be paid.
- The shutdown reached day 33, leaving about 800,000 federal workers unpaid and placing the duration on the verge of a new record.
- Air travel slowed as unpaid controllers strained staffing, with Newark reporting a ground delay and average waits near two hours and warnings of possible broader halts.
- President Trump pressed Republicans to scrap the Senate filibuster as Democrats held firm on tying a deal to extending enhanced ACA subsidies during open enrollment.