Capitol News

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has responded to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) recent decision regarding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November. The USDA informed the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island that it will not transfer all available funding needed to provide full SNAP benefits this month.

“Today, the USDA has agreed to comply with the court’s orders and will fund partial SNAP benefits in November. We are still awaiting more information on how much Michigan beneficiaries will receive, but I am gravely concerned that a delayed, partial payment will not be enough. Roughly 42 million Americans – including more than a million Michiganders – depend on these benefits to feed their families, and now they’ll still have to wait at least a few days to receive even a portion of what they need," said Nessel.

She added: “The delay in partial benefits is entirely of the Trump administration’s own making. The USDA had the authority and resources to act, and my colleagues and I should have never had to sue the federal government to get them to use the contingency funds Congress already approved for this exact purpose. I will continue to work to ensure that USDA fulfills its legal obligations and that Michigan families receive the benefits they need.”

According to court filings, the USDA plans to give more details about how $5.25 billion in contingency funds will be distributed. However, these funds cannot reach SNAP recipients until administrative steps are completed.