"A federal judge indicated Thursday that she is inclined to order the Trump administration to continue funding the food stamp program, which 42 million Americans rely on. The Republican administration confirmed last weekend that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would run out of funding on November 1 due to the federal government shutdown, which is already the second-longest in history at 30 days, just six days shy of breaking the previous record."
"In announcing its decision to suspend the program that helps approximately one in eight Americans buy food, the Trump administration argued that it could not use contingency funds to keep it running during the government shutdown because that money is reserved for emergencies such as natural disasters. At the same time, it insisted that it does not have enough money to provide the approximately $8 billion needed to fund the program nationwide next month."
"Massachusetts U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani disagreed. I have a hard time understanding how this isn't an emergency when there's no money and so many people need their SNAP benefits, she said Thursday during a hearing in a lawsuit filed by a coalition of 25 Democratic states and the District of Columbia. The judge, appointed by former president Barack Obama,"
A federal judge signaled she is likely to require continuation of SNAP funding amid a federal government shutdown that would exhaust program funds on November 1, affecting 42 million Americans. The administration said contingency funds are reserved for emergencies and that about $8 billion would be needed to fund SNAP nationwide next month, asserting insufficient funds during the shutdown. Judge Indira Talwani characterized the lack of funding as an emergency and said the administration must figure out how to stretch emergency money rather than allowing benefits to lapse. SNAP provides electronic benefits for low-income individuals and families, administered by states and paid monthly by the federal government; a suspension in November would be the first halt in 60 years due to paused federal budget allocations. A lawsuit was filed by a coalition of 25 Democratic states and the District of Columbia.
Read at english.elpais.com
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