Supreme Court keeps a block on SNAP payments, as shutdown potentially nears an end

The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended an order blocking full SNAP payments, amid signals that the government shutdown could soon end and food aid payments resume.

The order keeps a chaotic situation in place at least for a few more days. People who depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to feed their families in some states have received their full monthly allocations, while others have received nothing.

President Donald Trump‘s administration chose to cut off SNAP funding after October due to the shutdown. That decision sparked lawsuits and a string of swift and contradictory judicial rulings that deal with government power — and impact food access for about 1 in 8 Americans.

The Senate has approved a bill to end the longest shutdown in U.S. history and the House of Representatives could vote on it as early as Wednesday. Reopening the government would restart the program, which helps 42 million people buy groceries, but it’s not clear how quickly full payments would resume.