The U.S. Department of Agriculture will pay about half of the November benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program after a supreme court ruling last week.
A four-page report from the USDA answered U.S. District Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr.’s order that President Donald Trump’s administration pay at least a portion of benefits to the 42 million people who receive assistance through the program by Wednesday, despite the government shutdown. But, the USDA says benefits could take months to flow to recipients.
The Utah News Dispatch reports the USDA did not address what would happen if the shutdown stretches beyond November.
Democrats have expressed dismay that the administration did not fully fund November benefits, with some saying the loss of funding was “entirely avoidable.”
In Utah, Republican Rep. Mike Kennedy voiced support for the use of contingency funds.
However, Kennedy said it is a temporary fix. His remarks repeatedly laid blame on Democrats for the shutdown and emphasized he voted with House Republicans in September in support of a continuing resolution to fund the government.
He said he agrees expiring health insurance tax credits should be discuss, but he says he has not spoken with Democrats in congress on the issue.
The U.S. Government shutdown hit 35 days on Nov. 4, tying for the longest-ever shutdown in U.S. history during Trump's first presidency. The government shut down for 35 days in 2018-2019 over expanding barriers on the U.S.-Mexico border.
