Millions of Americans have their food aid cut off.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will disburse about 50 percent of the budget for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, according to a report filed in federal court in Rhode Island on November 3. However, beneficiaries may have to wait several months to receive the money.

In late October, U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell of Rhode Island ordered the USDA to use its $4.65 billion reserve fund to partially offset the SNAP budget, or to pay a full month of benefits from other reserves such as the Child Nutrition Program (CNP). He ordered the administration to report on its implementation plan by November 3.

Judge McConnell noted that calculating the subsidies takes time, so he extended the enforcement deadline for the USDA through November 5.

President Donald Trump. Photo: White House

But the administrative procedures to calculate and pay monthly SNAP benefits during that period were “nearly impossible,” in part because some states’ benefit processing systems were outdated, said Patrick A. Penn, a senior USDA official.

The federal government would have to provide states with updated benefit levels based on the reserve fund, Mr. Penn explained. States would then be able to send the updated data to providers, who would then charge beneficiaries' benefit cards.

It’s unclear at this point how much food stamp benefits recipients will receive, or when exactly. Penn said the process could take “weeks to months” to complete. The USDA has also not clarified how it will respond if the government shutdown extends into November.

There are currently about 42 million Americans who receive SNAP, at an average of about $188 per person per month. The main beneficiaries include seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families with children.

To qualify for SNAP in 2025, a household's net income after certain expenses must not exceed the federal poverty threshold. For a family of four, that threshold is about $32,000 per year.

Source: https://congluan.vn/hang-trieu-nguoi-my-bi-cat-vien-tro-luong-thuc-10316551.html