Two federal judges on Friday ordered the Trump administration to use emergency reserve money to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as the government shutdown continues. But Oregon and Washington SNAP recipients expecting to get benefits the first week of November could still see a delay.

The judges directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use contingency funding appropriated by Congress to fund the food stamp program, which helps more than 757,000 Oregonians and more than 905,000 Washington residents buy groceries. However, they also said the federal government could decide how much money it would use to buoy the program in November.

Some groups expect it will take weeks before the order affects SNAP recipients.

“Assuming access resumes, it’s the best news we have

See Full Page