I posted either this or similar about judge ordering full benefits and how government can comply.
The Trump administration recently said it would not pay any SNAP benefits, but then offered partial funding of the food stamp program after a judge's ruling.
He ordered Section 32 tariff funds be used.
McConnell, during a court hearing last Friday, blocked the administration from halting SNAP benefits and ordered that it pay benefits from the contingency fund “as soon as possible,” and investigate whether other funds could be tapped to fully fund the program for the month.
No past president has ever not funded SNAP even in shutdowns.
On Monday, the administration told McConnell it would pay 50% of the benefits by using the contingency fund. But it ruled out using at least $4 billion from the Child Nutrition Program, as well as other sources.
On Wednesday night, the administration updated its plan, saying that 65% of the benefits would be paid.
McConnell at Thursday’s hearing blasted the U.S. Department of Agriculture for refusing to use the Nutrition Program’s funds to help fully pay November’s benefits, calling that decision “arbitrary and capricious.”
“USDA had an obligation, beginning ... Oct. 1, when the shutdown began, to prepare to use the contingency funds so that the recipients would get their benefits as expected on Nov. 1,” McConnell said.
“USDA did not do so,” he said. “Even when Nov. 1 came, USDA refused to use the congressionally mandated contingency funds, USDA cannot now cry that it cannot get timely payments to beneficiaries for weeks or months because states are not prepared to make partial payments.”