AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday night blocked a lower court ruling that ordered the Trump administration to pay recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program their full benefits.
Last week, two U.S. district court judges ordered the administration to pay out SNAP benefits amid the ongoing government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1. President Donald Trump said he would do so if the courts instructed him on how to pay out the benefits, which the administration said lapsed on Nov. 1 due to a lack of funding. Eventually, the administration made partial payments to recipients. On Thursday, however, U.S. District Judge John McConnell ordered the government to fully fund the program, which last year gave monthly benefits to 42 million Americans.
The administration appealed McConnell’s order before the First Circuit, which declined to issue an immediate administrative stay, but said it would act “as quickly as possible” regarding the request for a stay pending the government’s appeal.
The government subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court, which issued a stay.
The stay was written by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who said the high court’s stay would “terminate within forty-eight hours after the First Circuit’s resolution of the pending motion, which the First Circuit is expected to address with dispatch.”
In October, Senate Republicans and Democrats failed to agree on a bill to fund the government beyond Sept. 30. Although Republicans control the chamber 53-47, 60 votes are needed to advance most legislation. Democrats are seeking an extension of healthcare premium subsidies for beneficiaries under the Affordable Care Act, without which, they will expire on Dec. 31. Republicans have so far refused to budge.
Trump has called on Republicans to eliminate the 60-vote threshold for cloture, but Republicans have so far resisted that demand.
On Oct. 21, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) introduced a bill that would have fully funded SNAP, but Sen. Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has declined to bring it to the floor for a vote.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
