"The Trump administration spent Friday fighting to avoid restoring $4 billion in food assistance in jeopardy due to the government shutdown, suggesting it might need to "raid school-lunch money" in order to comply with court orders. The claim was part of a break-neck appeal in the 1st Circuit Friday, where the government hoped to duck a court order that would force it to pay out for food stamps - formally called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP - through November."
""There is no lawful basis for an order that directs USDA to somehow find $4 billion in the metaphorical couch cushions," Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate wrote in the appeal. The administration's only option would be to "to starve Peter to feed Paul" by cutting school lunch programs, Shumate wrote. On Friday afternoon, the appellate court declined to immediately block the lower court's order, and said it would quickly rule on the merits of the funding decree."
The Trump administration appealed in the 1st Circuit to avoid restoring $4 billion in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits that lapsed during the government shutdown. An Assistant Attorney General argued there was no lawful basis to direct USDA to "find $4 billion in the metaphorical couch cushions" and said complying would require cutting school lunch programs. The appellate court declined to immediately block a lower-court order and said it would quickly rule on the merits. Several states, including California, sued to restore benefits as millions faced difficulty affording groceries after Nov. 1.
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