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On Monday night, the Senate approved a bill aimed at concluding the federal government shutdown, which had persisted for an unprecedented 41 days, surpassing any previous shutdown record by nearly a week.
The legislation passed with a 60-40 vote in the Senate, though it still requires endorsement from the House and President Donald Trump, who has shown support for the proposal. Notably, eight members of the Senate Democratic Caucus joined their Republican counterparts in favor of the bill.
This measure proposes to extend government funding through January while also reinstating thousands of federal employees who were furloughed due to the shutdown.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, representing Louisiana, signaled before the Senate’s decision that the House might consider the Senate’s bill as early as Wednesday.
The shutdown had significant impacts, including the cessation of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food stamps. The Agriculture Department had announced on its website that the program’s funds had been exhausted. In response, a series of legal actions were taken against the Trump administration to restore benefits, leading to court rulings that permitted some states, such as California and New York, to distribute full SNAP benefits for November. Despite these developments, the Trump administration has appealed to the Supreme Court to prevent the disbursement of full benefits.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., indicated prior to the vote that the House could take up the Senate bill Wednesday.
How Has The Government Shutdown Impacted Food Stamps?
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which funds food stamps, was halted at the start of the month, with the Agriculture Department stating on its website “the well has run dry.” A flurry of lawsuits were filed against the Trump administration for the payment of benefits, resulting in court orders that allowed some states like California and New York to issue full SNAP benefits for November. However, the Trump administration has urged the Supreme Court to keep full benefits from being paid out.
