WASHINGTON – It’s not clear when millions of families will receive their November food aid benefits, even after two federal judges ruled last week that the Trump administration needs to make at least partial payments for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as the government shutdown continues.
The payments appeared set to stop at the beginning of November, as shutdown has stretched on into a new week. But federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island ruled Oct. 31 that the U.S. Department of Agriculture needs to use $5.25 billion in contingency funds to make at least partial payments.
Both judges also said the Trump administration has the option to use certain discretionary money to provide the benefits in full for November. They gave the administration a limited number of days to provide an update on what it’s doing.
Keep up with the latest updates from the USA TODAY Network.
Are flights impacted by the government shutdown?
It’s complicated. TSA officers and FAA air traffic controllers are considered essential employees. So they’re required to work during the shutdown, even as they don’t receive paychecks.
While delay numbers have been fairly low overall, staffing at some air traffic control facilities have led to issues. Earlier this month, the FAA had to delay flights into Burbank, California, because the tower there was unstaffed for a few hours in the evening.
It’s important to note that not all delays during the shutdown are attributable to the funding lapse. Weather is still a major driver of flight delays, regardless of what’s happening in Washington.
Still, in previous shutdowns, these essential workers have eventually started to call out from work in increasing numbers, which has led to longer security lines and delays at some airports.
– Zach Wichter and Kathleen Wong
WIC and school lunches could be affected
SNAP is the largest food assistance program in the country, accounting for about 70% of USDA’s nutrition assistance spending in fiscal year 2024, according to the agency.
However, there are also many other food assistance programs run by the government, such as:
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The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free lunches to children.
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According to the USDA, NSLP provided more than 4.8 billion lunches in fiscal year 2024.
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The impacts of the government shutdown on programs like WIC, NSLP and the many others backed by the government vary depending on the program.
– Fernando Cervantes Jr. and Melina Khan
What have judges said about SNAP benefits for November?
Massachusetts federal Judge Indira Talwani said in a written decision that the government is required to use its contingency funds to the extent they’re needed to keep the SNAP program funded. She also said the administration is allowed to transfer other funds that come from charges on imports to supplement the contingency funds.
Talwani ordered the administration to tell her by Nov. 3 whether it will authorize at least reduced benefits for November and, if it does, its timeline for determining whether it will also authorize full benefits using the combination of the contingency funds and the other money.
Meanwhile, in a short written entry on a case docket Oct. 31, following a court hearing, Rhode Island federal Judge John McConnell ordered the administration to distribute the contingency funds and update him by noon on Nov. 3 on the status of that distribution. The administration followed up on that order with a motion stating that the judge needed to include reasons and better explain what’s required.
McConnell responded with a written order Nov. 1, saying the government needs to use the contingency funds to at least partially fund the November benefits, and has the option of using other available funds. McConnell told the administration to make full payments by Nov. 3, if it plans to use discretionary funds to make that possible. He said if the administration chooses to only make partial payments with the contingency funds, it needs to do that by Nov. 5.
McConnell may have provided an extended deadline for partial payments because the government has said implementing partial payments for the country would require re-working existing systems.
Why is there a government shutdown?
Large segments of the federal government shut down on Oct. 1 because Congress failed to pass a new spending bill to fund the government.
The congressional fight centered on health care. Democrats wanted a bill that would extend subsidies that reduce health insurance premiums for millions of Americans. The subsidies are set to expire at the end of 2025.
A man holds a sign reading “SNAP Feeds Families,” as food aid benefits will be suspended starting November 1 amid the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, during “A Rally for SNAP” on the steps of the Massachusetts Statehouse in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., October 28, 2025.
When did the shutdown begin?
The federal government shutdown started on Oct. 1, after Congress failed to pass a bill continuing to fund government operations. Roughly 700,000 federal workers have been furloughed. Hundreds of thousands more are working without pay.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Government shutdown live updates; latest on SNAP benefits
