<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Trump administration has said that it will provide only half of the normal food stamp benefits for November by tapping into the program's contingency fund amid the US federal government shutdown. But recipients are not likely to see the payments immediately.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Some $US4.65 billion ($7.1 billion) from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program's contingency fund will "be obligated to cover 50 per cent of eligible households' current allotments" for November, according to a sworn statement from a US Department of Agriculture official submitted in federal court.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The remaining $US600 million ($917 million) in the fund will be used for state administrative expenses and nutrition assistance for Puerto Rico and American Samoa.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-cnn-poll-worst-disapproval-rating-ever/9de1f1b2-6c22-400e-8e61-f077957599c5" rel="" target="_blank" title="New US poll deals major blow to Donald Trump"><strong><span>New US poll deals major blow to Donald Trump</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The decision came after a federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the USDA last week to either start providing full November benefits to recipients or partial benefits if the agency opts to only draw on SNAP's contingency fund.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In court papers filed on Monday, the administration said it decided against pulling $US4 billion from other sources of money to provide full benefits for November.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Nearly 42 million Americans receive food stamps, providing households just over $350 a month, on average, as of May, according to the most recent USDA data.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/trump-administration-to-cut-food-stamp-benefits-by-half/ee1f4551-e7a8-4f23-a005-d1b6bc7fd20c" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The agency's unprecedented decision to halt benefits has panicked many recipients, driving them to overwhelmed food pantries to help feed themselves and their families. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Millions of SNAP recipients started missing their benefits on Saturday, and millions more could find themselves in the same situation over the course of the month, depending on when payments are made.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/torre-dei-conti-collapse-medieval-tower-in-rome-partially-collapses-during-renovations-injuring-worker/2e0e2ebd-1b3f-4f7c-b582-180e405c39ea" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Medieval tower in Rome collapses during renovations, injuring worker</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h2><span>Delayed payments</span></h2></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Though the USDA will provide guidance on the partial payments to states on Monday, the agency noted that recipients in some states may not see their November benefits for weeks – or even months, Patrick Penn, the USDA official, told the court.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The partial payments will require states to reprogram their systems to adjust for the reduced allotments, which could prove complicated.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Given the variation among State systems, some of which are decades old, it is unclear how many States will complete the changes in an automated manner with minimal disruption versus manual overrides or computations that could lead to payment errors and significant delays," Penn said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>States stopped the process of issuing benefits for November after the USDA sent them a letter on October 10 ordering them to do so. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The agency said that it does not have the funds to pay November's assistance amid the federal government shutdown, which began October 1.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>States send SNAP enrollees' information to vendors every month so they can load funds onto recipients' benefit cards, often days or weeks before the new month begins. Those steps need to take place before SNAP can restart.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Providing full benefits for November would be easier and faster, but Penn said the USDA decided against dipping into a pot of money meant to fund child nutrition programs to help cover that cost because it "would leave an unprecedented gap" in that funding source, which ordinarily provides free or low-cost meals for school children, among other things.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That funding source, which consists of leftover tariff revenue, currently contains nearly $US17 billion.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/uk-train-stabbing-man-charged-with-11-attempted-murder-counts/28bf1f3d-02a2-454a-bd83-97b94fb16b90" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Man charged with attempted murder over train stabbing that wounded 11</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h2><span>Court rulings</span></h2></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In his ruling last week, Judge John McConnell, of the federal court in Providence, Rhode Island, gave the administration until 12pm (US Eastern Time) on Monday to say what it plans to do.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A second federal judge, in Boston, issued a similar order last week, saying the agency was required to use SNAP's contingency fund to pay at least partial benefits.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Both judges said it was up to the agency's discretion whether to access other money to enable it to provide full payments.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The USDA had maintained that it could not tap into its contingency fund, stating in a memo that "contingency funds are not legally available to cover regular benefits." Also, it noted that the contingency funds are meant to pay food benefits in the case of natural disasters.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>US President Donald Trump indicated Friday evening that he wants benefits to resume, posting on Truth Social that he instructed the administration's legal team to ask the courts how it can legally fund the benefits as quickly as possible because the lawyers "do not think we have the legal authority to pay SNAP with certain monies we have available."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-november-4-what-happened-on-this-day/3eb71262-1c04-4a49-bfbd-4a31a63107b5"><strong><span>CIA turns to Hollywood to pull off audacious rescue</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Even if we get immediate guidance, it will unfortunately be delayed while States get the money out," Trump wrote. "If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding, just like I did with Military and Law Enforcement Pay."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The administration has opted to draw on the leftover tariff funds to fund other priorities. The USDA last month transferred $US300 million from that pot in order to temporarily continue providing WIC food assistance for pregnant women, new mums and young children.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The decision to halt benefits prompted a group of Democratic attorneys general and governors from 25 states and Washington, DC, to file a lawsuit in Boston last Tuesday and a coalition of cities, non-profits, unions and small businesses to bring the case in Rhode Island last Thursday.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Democracy Forward, which represents the plaintiffs in the Rhode Island case, said on Monday that it wasn't satisfied with the administration's decision to make only partial SNAP payments and that it is "considering all legal options to secure payment of full funds."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It shouldn't take a court order to force our President to provide essential nutrition that Congress has made clear needs to be provided. But since that is what it takes, we will continue to use the courts to protect the rights of people," said Skye Perryman, the group's president and chief executive, in a statement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Rest assured, we will continue to fight so that people have the full benefits they are entitled to under SNAP."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple App Store</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>.</span></em></strong></div></div>