Obama Judge Drops Bombshell On Trump Admin Over Shutdown
Two federal judges on Friday directed the Trump administration to release November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits using existing contingency reserves, providing relief for millions of Americans as the partial government shutdown extended into its fourth week.
In separate rulings, U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island and U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Massachusetts — both appointed during the Obama administration — determined that federal law permits the use of billions in contingency funds to sustain food assistance payments during a lapse in appropriations.
“Defendants erred in concluding that USDA is statutorily prohibited from using the contingency reserve to fund SNAP benefits during the pendency of the lapse in appropriations,” Talwani wrote in her opinion.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, provides assistance to roughly 42 million low-income Americans each month. Administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), it ensures that eligible households can purchase food through electronic benefit cards.
At the center of the dispute was whether the USDA could legally tap into the $6 billion contingency fund allocated by Congress for emergencies. The Office of Management and Budget previously used $750 million from that reserve, leaving more than $5 billion still available.
The Trump administration argued that while the reserve exists, the department cannot access it during a shutdown because the program lacks an active appropriation. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stated, “It’s called a contingency fund, and by law, [the] contingency fund can only flow when the underlying fund is flowing.”
However, both judges rejected that argument, ruling that the program’s design and existing statutory authority compel the government to use the funds to prevent hunger among millions of Americans.
The court decisions ensure that at least partial benefits will continue through November, temporarily blunting one of the shutdown’s most severe effects.