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Under court pressure during the shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will drain its SNAP contingency fund so states can issue partial November benefits. Officials said about $4.6 billion—roughly half of what’s needed—will cover 50% of eligible households’ allotments. Justice Department lawyers told the court states will get guidance Monday to calculate payments. Judge John McConnell, overseeing a Rhode Island case by nonprofits and municipalities, and a Massachusetts judge in a multistate suit both rejected administration arguments. McConnell added that payments cannot be delayed beyond Wednesday. More than 42 million Americans rely on SNAP.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.