The Atlanta Community Food Bank, one of the largest in the United States, is facing increased need due to the prolonged U.S. federal government shutdown. Both unpaid furloughed workers and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients are facing looming funding shortfalls. Photo by Erik S. Lesser/EPA
Oct. 30 (UPI) — A federal judge in Massachusetts might order the federal government to tap emergency funds to pay for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in November.
The SNAP program is out of money, which means recipients will start missing their monthly benefits distribution Saturday.
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani said Thursday she is likely to order the Trump administration to use emergency funds to provide SNAP benefits for millions across the country, The Washington Post reported.
“Congress has put money in an emergency fund,” Talwani said during a Thursday hearing. “It is hard for me to understand how this is not an emergency.”
Talwani is presiding over a federal case filed by 23 attorneys general and three governors, all of whom Democrats who are demanding Department of Agriculture officials access contingency funds to cover SNAP benefits while the federal government remains shut down.
Talwani accused the USDA of engaging in “lawyering” instead of “action” regarding funding SNAP benefits.
“We’re not going to make everyone drop dead” due to a lack of food, Talwani said, as reported by CNN.
Although Talwani said she most likely will order the USDA to access emergency funds to cover SNAP costs, USDA officials said no money is available while the federal government shutdown continues in its 30th day.
“Bottom line, the well has run dry,” the USDA said in an unattributed statement posted on its newsroom website.
“At this time, there will be no benefits issued Nov. 1,” the statement continued. “We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats.
“They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance.”
The USDA statement refers to Senate Democrats overwhelmingly voting against a House-approved continuing resolution that would fund the federal government through Nov. 21 while Congress continues negotiating a bipartisan budget bill for the 2026 fiscal year, which started Oct. 1.
All but two Senate Democrats, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada have voted to approve the continuing resolution, along with independent Angus King of Maine, who caucuses with Senate Democrats.
Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky consistently has voted against the continuing resolution, which has been defeated 13 times after failing to muster the 60 votes needed to approve it in the Senate.
Senate Democrats offered an alternative funding measure that would add $1.5 trillion in spending over the next 10 years to extend tax credits for Affordable Care Act premiums and expand access to Medicaid.