The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday extended a temporary pause on a lower court ruling that ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), affecting 42 million low-income Americans amid an ongoing federal government shutdown.
The decision allows the administration to continue withholding roughly $4 billion from the food aid program, commonly known as food stamps, at least until Thursday.
The pause was originally issued last Friday by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and has now been extended while the broader legal dispute continues.
Justice Jackson noted in her statement that she would have denied the administration’s request for an additional halt, signaling disagreement within the court over the government’s handling of the issue.
Lawyers for the Trump administration argued that once the government shutdown ends, the need to suspend the judge’s order will be eliminated. The shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, has paralyzed key services, delayed federal paychecks, and disrupted food benefits for millions of vulnerable Americans.
On Monday, the U.S. Senate approved a bipartisan bill aimed at reopening the government, marking a potential end to the weeks-long stalemate that has strained families and federal agencies alike.
SNAP benefits, which lapsed at the beginning of the month for the first time in the program’s six-decade history, have forced many recipients to rely on overcrowded food pantries and make painful sacrifices, including skipping medications to afford food.
The Supreme Court’s pause is set to expire on Thursday, by which time lawmakers are expected to finalize measures to restore funding and resume full benefits to struggling households across the country.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
