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LATEST UPDATE: SCOTUS issues emergency order temporarily blocking full funding for aid program
WASHINGTON - -------------------------
The Trump administration on Friday asked a federal appeals court to block a judge’s order requiring full distribution of November SNAP benefits during the government shutdown, even as some states moved quickly to get the money out.
Court order challenged
U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. gave the Trump administration until Friday to issue payments through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. But the administration asked a federal appeals court to halt any order requiring it to spend more than what’s available in a contingency fund.
The court filing came as some Wisconsin SNAP recipients had already received their full November payments overnight, Gov. Tony Evers’ spokesperson said Friday.
"We've received confirmation that payments went through, including members reporting they can now see their balances," spokesperson Britt Cudaback said.
The legal fight extended weeks of uncertainty for the SNAP program, which helps about 1 in 8 Americans, mostly those with lower incomes.
Thursday’s federal court order came in a lawsuit filed by cities and nonprofits challenging the Trump administration’s move to cover only 65% of monthly SNAP benefits, a decision that could have left some recipients with nothing for November.
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Navigating higher health insurance premiums
Healthcare lawyer and founder of LeadAI Legal Bryan Rotella joined Fox 5 to break down why your health insurance premium may be rising due to the government shutdown.
States begin payouts
McConnell was one of two judges who ruled last week that the administration couldn’t skip November payments entirely due to the shutdown.
Judges in both cases ordered the government to use a $4.6 billion emergency reserve fund to cover November SNAP benefits, while allowing flexibility to draw from other sources to meet the full monthly cost which is typically between $8.5 billion and $9 billion.
On Monday, the administration said it wouldn’t use additional funds, arguing that only Congress could authorize more money and that remaining reserves were needed for other child hunger programs.
In a court filing Friday, the Trump administration argued that the order to fully fund November SNAP benefits violates the U.S. Constitution.
"This unprecedented injunction makes a mockery of the separation of powers. Courts hold neither the power to appropriate nor the power to spend," the U.S. Department of Justice wrote in its court request.
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Flights cancelled nationwide as shutdown hits major airports
The Federal Aviation Administration’s unprecedented order to reduce flights nationwide amid the record-long government shutdown is taking effect Friday morning.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Associated Press.