Supreme Court Rules Full Snap Food Benefits Can Be Paused for Now.
The US Supreme Court has granted an urgent ruling that permits for now the federal government to withhold billions of dollars for nutrition assistance used by countless needy U.S. residents.
Administration officials appealed to the Supreme Court after a lower court ruled that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food aid, should be distributed completely to beneficiaries by the end of the week.
The programme has been caught in uncertainty by the ongoing federal government shutdown, with the government claiming it could only afford to partially fund it.
Friday's ruling means £3.04bn can be temporarily withheld pending further legal hearings.
Programme Impact
The Snap programme is used by tens of millions of U.S. citizens - approximately 12% - and costs almost $9bn a each month.
On Thursday, a federal magistrate, John McConnell, accused the government of blocking nutrition funds "for political reasons" and said that without the assistance "millions of kids are in danger of facing hunger".
The judge mandated the administration to fund the assistance completely.
Court Proceedings
This decision followed another that ordered the government to dip into reserve money to at least partially fund the programme for November.
This court battle was triggered after the USDA, which oversees the Snap programme, announced benefits would be stopped in the fall due to the budget shortfall over the shutdown.
Before the Supreme Court stepped in, the USDA said it was attempting to follow with the multiple rulings and was making efforts to distribute the complete amount.
Supreme Court Action
Supreme Court Justice Justice Jackson granted the stay late Friday, known as an temporary halt, effectively freezing the lower court's ruling for 48 hours while government lawyer's seek to overturn it.
The row over nutrition program money has become among the most contentious of what is now the lengthiest budget standoff in American history.
Broader Impact
Government workers have been without pay for over 30 days and air travel has been thrown into chaos as Congress members fail to agree a compromise to fund the government.
Several states have used their own budget savings to keep food benefits flowing, which are worth around $6 to recipients via pre-loaded debit cards which can be used in grocery stores.
However, certain states have said they are cannot cover the money which has been cut by the federal government.
