"BOSTON (AP) - President Donald Trump's administration asked a federal appeals court Friday to block a judge's order that it distribute November's full monthly SNAP food benefits amid a U.S. government shutdown, even as at least some states said they were moving quickly to get the money to people. The judge gave the Trump administration until Friday to make the payments through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program."
"But the administration asked the appeals court to suspend any court orders requiring it to spend more money than is available in a contingency fund, and instead allow it to continue with planned partial SNAP payments for the month. The court filing came even as the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a memo to states that it's working to make funds available Friday for full monthly SNAP benefits."
"Officials in California, New Jersey and Wisconsin confirmed that some SNAP recipients already received their full November payments. "Food benefits are now beginning to flow back to California families," Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. In Wisconsin, more than $104 million of monthly food benefits became available at midnight on electronic cards for about 337,000 households, said Britt Cudaback, a spokesperson for Democratic Gov. Tony Evers."
"The court wrangling prolonged weeks of uncertainty for the food program that serves about 1 in 8 Americans, mostly with lower incomes. An individual can receive a monthly maximum food benefit of nearly $300 and a family of four up to nearly $1,000, although many receive less than that under a formula that takes into consideration their income. For some SNAP participants, it remained unclear when they would receive their benefits."
The Trump administration asked a federal appeals court to block a judge's order to distribute full November SNAP benefits amid a U.S. government shutdown and requested permission to continue planned partial payments from a contingency fund. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said it was working to make funds available for full monthly benefits. California, New Jersey and Wisconsin confirmed that some recipients received full November payments, with Wisconsin issuing more than $104 million to about 337,000 households. SNAP serves roughly one in eight Americans, mostly lower-income, with maximum monthly benefits near $300 for individuals and nearly $1,000 for families of four, though many receive less based on income.
Read at Boston.com
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