Judges Cite Legal Duty to Prevent Hunger as SNAP Funding Battle Intensifies During Shutdown

Following the rulings, both the USDA and the Office of Management and Budget were given until Monday to outline how they plan to implement the court’s directive to disburse November SNAP payments from the contingency reserve.

Judge Talwani emphasized that SNAP is structured by statute as a mandatory benefit, meaning the government must continue to provide aid even during funding lapses. Her order noted that existing law allows reduced-rate payments and temporary transfers from other accounts to maintain program operations.

Judge McConnell, ruling from the bench in Rhode Island, echoed that position. “It’s clear that when compared to the millions of people that will go without funds for food versus the agency’s desire not to use contingency funds in case there’s a hurricane need, the balances of those equities clearly goes on the side of ensuring that people are fed,” he said.

The decisions mark a significant moment in the ongoing shutdown, which has left hundreds of thousands of federal workers unpaid since September and curtailed funding for numerous government services. The SNAP program, created in 1964, remains a vital safety net for families nationwide, particularly during economic downturns.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries praised the rulings, saying they exposed what he called the administration’s “weaponizing hunger.” “We’re thankful for these rulings,” Jeffries said on CNN. “Funds do exist within the administration for exactly this reason — a contingency fund to make sure that no one in America … ever goes hungry.”

The House of Representatives has passed legislation to reopen the government at previous spending levels, but negotiations have stalled in the Senate. Democrats insist any final agreement must address health care and Medicaid provisions altered under the Republican-backed budget earlier this year.

The administration said it is reviewing both court orders and consulting with states to coordinate payment schedules. Officials maintain, however, that Congress must pass new appropriations to ensure long-term SNAP stability beyond November.

For now, the judges’ rulings offer temporary relief to millions of American families facing uncertainty, reaffirming that the government’s legal duty to feed its most vulnerable citizens remains intact even amid a shutdown.