A federal judge on Thursday ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to immediately release full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November, criticizing the agency for delaying payments that left millions without food aid.
U.S. District Judge John McConnell Jr. ruled that USDA must use Section 32 nutrition funds to supplement the SNAP contingency account to cover the full amount needed this month.
He rejected the government’s claim that doing so would endanger funding for school meals, calling that argument “incredible” and “contrary to the evidence.”
McConnell said Section 32 isn’t limited to child nutrition programs and noted that about $19 billion would remain after transferring roughly $4 billion to SNAP — enough to fund school meals through spring. USDA had warned that only partial benefits would be available amid budget delays.
The agency filed an appeal to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals shortly after the ruling.
