Judge set to rule on whether to force feds to pay for SNAP
A federal judge is set to rule on whether the Trump administration has to fund the nation's low-income food program, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP.
A lawsuit brought by 25 states was heard by Judge Indira Talwani on Thursday, who said at the hearing a ruling could be expected within the day, according to WCVB .
The Trump administration — amid an ongoing government shutdown — claimed that money was set to run out for the program, which provides money for food for low-income individuals across the country, by Nov. 1.
More than 1 million Massachusetts residents are enrolled in SNAP benefits with Gov. Maura Healey releasing $4 million for local food banks on Thursday to help them ride out the stoppage of the program.
College communities were also expected to suffer greatly under the cuts to the SNAP program.
At Thursday's hearing, Judge Talwani seemed to express skepticism about claims by the Trump administration that the program could not be continued by using emergency reserves, according to the New York Times .
"Congress has put money in an emergency fund," she said, the Times wrote. "It's hard for me to understand how this isn't an emergency, when there's no money, and a lot of people are needing their SNAP benefits."
The complaint, filed Tuesday, stated that federal SNAP benefits have never been interrupted by a lapse in appropriations, but that the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the Trump administration had suspended SNAP benefits for November.
It said that the federal government has funds available sufficient to fund all or at least a substantial portion of November's SNAP benefits.
"Suspending SNAP benefits in these circumstances is both contrary to law and arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act," the lawsuit stated.
The latest from MassLive
Read the original article on MassLive . Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
