The end of the government shutdown means that full SNAP benefits will be restored to recipients, providing crucial food assistance to those in need. President Trump signed a bill on November 12 to fund and reopen the government, ending the 43-day shutdown, the longest in U.S. history. Following the shutdown, the USDA announced that full SNAP benefits may be available in as little as 24 hours.
During the shutdown, SNAP funding was delayed or halted in many states, leaving millions of Americans uncertain about how they would access the food assistance they rely on. The Trump administration paused all funding to SNAP beneficiaries as part of the shutdown, prompting more than two dozen states to sue the administration to release payments using emergency funds. While the states initially won their lawsuit, the Supreme Court blocked full payments just before the shutdown ended.
With the government now reopened, the funding bill signed by Trump allocates $107.5 billion for SNAP through September 2026, representing an approximately 8% increase from fiscal year 2024. The bill also includes an almost 8% increase in funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), bringing its budget to $8.2 billion. Both SNAP and WIC will be reimbursed for the contingency reserves they relied on during the shutdown.
In addition to SNAP and WIC, the bill designates $37.84 billion for the USDA’s Child Nutrition Programs, marking a $4.5 billion increase in budget for programs like the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and Summer Food Programs. This funding ensures that federal food assistance programs remain dependable for those who rely on them during difficult times.
Jennifer Hatcher, the chief policy officer of the Food Industry Association, expressed relief at the end of the shutdown and the full restoration of SNAP benefits. She emphasized that the reopening of the government and the passage of the Agriculture Appropriations legislation provide clarity and food security for families in need. The funding bill ensures that federal hunger and food security programs will continue to support those who rely on SNAP, school meals, and WIC.
According to the Trump administration, SNAP recipients can expect to see their benefits restored quickly, with money potentially appearing in their accounts within a short timeframe. This swift action aims to provide much-needed relief to individuals and families who depend on SNAP for their food needs. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that recipients of SNAP benefits in most states will receive their benefits within 24 hours following the end of the government shutdown. This news comes as a relief to the nearly 42 million Americans who rely on these benefits to put food on the table.
However, the timeline for benefit distribution may vary from state to state. Gina Plata-Nino, the SNAP director at the Food Research & Action Center, explained to CBS News that states that did not issue full benefits earlier will need to resubmit their files to their EBT vendors for processing, which could result in a delay of a few additional days.
According to the Associated Press, 19 states and the District of Columbia were able to issue full SNAP benefits in the short window of time between the court ruling on November 6 and the Supreme Court’s order on November 7 to block full funding. Jessica Garon, a spokesperson for the American Public Human Services Association, stated that most states should be able to issue full benefits within three days, with some potentially taking up to a week.
While the resumption of SNAP benefits is a positive development, it does not undo the hardships that many recipients faced during the government shutdown. Victoria Negus, a senior economic justice advocate, pointed out to CBS News that delays in benefit distribution cannot be rectified retroactively.
Individuals seeking information on when their benefits will be reinstated should contact their state government for updates. The Food Research & Action Center has also provided a government shutdown tracker with information on benefit distribution timelines for each state. This resource can help individuals stay informed about when they can expect to receive their much-needed SNAP benefits.
