The Trump administration said Monday that it will pay out 50% of food stamp benefits this month amid the government shutdown, but delays and other issues are expected as states rush to reconfigure their systems to make partial payments.
Once the contingency money is gone, officials said, they won’t be able to pay any more.
An Agriculture Department official rejected judges’ suggestions that the government tap money in the school lunch program to spend on food stamps. The department said it is up to Congress to reopen the government and resume all regular spending.
The decision to pay partial benefits is a reversal for the White House. It was made at the prodding of two federal judges who challenged the administration’s initial decision to withhold all food stamp money starting this month.
Deputy Undersecretary Patrick Penn said the Agriculture Department has $4.65 billion in a contingency fund that can be used for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, despite the partial government shutdown.
The program disburses approximately $9 billion monthly to SNAP recipients for grocery purchases.
Maybe, just maybe, a few of them will have to think about getting jobs! Horrors!!!