Donald Trump’s administration said Monday it would provide partial relief to recipients as the U.S. government shutdown drags on. The Department of Agriculture said it will use contingency funds to allow states to issue partial Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) rations for the month of November.
In a statement filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, Patrick Penn, the Department of Agriculture official who oversees SNAP, said the administration “intends to completely exhaust SNAP contingency funds and provide reduced SNAP benefits for November 2025,” CBS News reported.
How much will Americans get?
According to reports, funding for SNAP officially ran out on Saturday as a result of the U.S. government shutdown — now in its 34th day — reportedly showing no signs of ending as Republicans continued their impasse with Democrats.
Officials from the Department of Agriculture – which oversees the program – told a federal court in Rhode Island that they will not cover the shortfall from other funding sources. That means only “50%” of the usual benefits would be paid to SNAP-eligible households, according to the AFP report.
The average monthly benefit is typically about $190 per person, according to the AP.
How many people are under SNAP?
According to a report by The Guardian, nearly 42 million people are on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
When would the aid be distributed?
The administration said it would provide states with details on how to calculate the partial household benefit on Monday.
Loading SNAP cards is a multi-step process — one that involves steps by state and federal government agencies and vendors and can take up to two weeks in some states.
But in a court filing, the USDA warned that it could take weeks or even months for states to make all the system changes to send the reduced benefits, the AP reported.
Rhode Island officials said Monday that SNAP recipients, who also receive benefits from another federal program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, received payments Saturday of one-quarter of what they typically receive from SNAP.
Long queues, state of emergency declared
According to The Guardian, long lines were seen at food banks across the country. In California and Texas, stadium parking lots have been converted into distribution sites amid uncertainty over the continuation of SNAP.
Some states, including New York, Oregon and Virginia, even declared states of emergency last week to provide funding to keep benefits available. However, the amounts provided were expected to be a fraction of the regular federal government funding.
