Trump Signs Bill Ending Shutdown, Restoring SNAP Aid

President Donald Trump signed a funding bill on Wednesday, ending the 43-day government shutdown and paving the way for the resumption of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for approximately 42 million low-income Americans nationwide. The shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, had disrupted November payments, leaving many recipients uncertain about accessing food assistance amid rising holiday demands.

The impasse began on October 1 when Congress failed to approve federal spending, halting nonessential government operations and entangling the Agriculture Department in legal disputes over SNAP funding. The program, which provides monthly electronic benefit transfer cards for grocery purchases, relies on federal appropriations administered through states. During the shutdown, the administration maintained that reserve funds allowed only partial payments, covering about 65 percent of maximum allotments for November. This led to inconsistent distributions: some states issued full benefits using their own resources, others provided partial amounts, and a few suspended payments entirely.

Federal courts intervened repeatedly. A U.S. district judge in Rhode Island...