A federal judge ordered President Donald Trump to unleash emergency funding for a critical food assistance program on the brink of running out of money to help feed millions of Americans.
Another federal judge has ruled that the government is likely illegally blocking emergency funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), hours before those funds are cut off.
But the president says he first wants the courts to “clarify” how he can legally fund the program “as soon as possible.”
“If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding,” he said.
It will be delayed in any case because it takes time to get it out.
The judges are giving Democrats cover, making it look like Trump is the problem. They have no right to make these orders. It also allows Democrats to continue this outrageous shutdown before the welfare recipients start stealing and rioting.
Even if the administration could use the $5.25 billion, they need $9 billion for November alone.
Sec. Rollins Doesn’t Have Money for SNAP
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins denied reports on Oct. 31 that her agency has money to pay for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that will be cut or suspended for beneficiaries starting Nov. 1.
Speaking to reporters in Washington, Rollins said that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a contingency fund, but it doesn’t cover “even half” of what’s needed to provide funding for SNAP beneficiaries.
Also, “it is only allowed to flow if the underlying program is funded,” Rollins said.
She added that the suggestion that the USDA has the money to pay for the program “is a lie.” Democratic-led states have argued in a lawsuit against the federal government that not only can that contingency money be used, but it must be. They also said a separate fund with around $23 billion could be tapped.
Lawyers for the federal government argued that dispersing the full benefits would violate a law that bars the government from paying for programs without a congressional appropriation. In court papers, the federal government said partial payments would require complicated recalculations of benefits that could take weeks.
“If there’s no appropriation, there really is no program,” Justice Department attorney Tyler Becker said at the hearing on Friday. “The government cannot just add funding when no program exists.”
“Such a partial payment has never been made — and for good reason,” the administration said in court filings. “It would require each State to recalculate the benefits owed based on the reduced funds available. USDA estimates that such a calculation, involving complicated system changes and processes dictated by statute and regulation, would take weeks, if it can be done at all.”
The problem lies with the GOP. They refuse to negotiate at all with Dems. Our government can’t function like that. They need to include the minority party. That’s the way our government works. This nonsense of, open government with a clean CR then we will negotiate healthcare,” is a smokescreen. Once opened, they won’t negotiate. They never do, and THAT’S… Read more »
Congress has to approve funds which they haven’t just another rogue lib judge.
Funds are appropriated and there are funds there for it. Trump refuses to release them because he doesn’t care about people, only himself. He thinks he will own the Dems. He won’t. This is needlessly cruel.