U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston indicated on Oct. 30 that she will require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to tap into a contingency fund to partially cover Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, which are scheduled to shut down on Nov. 1, leaving more than 40 million people nationally without their monthly food stamps to support their food supply.
The judge said in court that the government must determine “an equitable way of reducing benefits” amid the ongoing government shutdown. She will issue a ruling later on Thursday, Oct. 30. “If you don’t have money, you tighten your belt, You are not going to make everyone drop dead because it’s a political game someplace.”
