As the U.S. Supreme Court weighs the issue of funding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits during the federal government shutdown, Pennsylvania has put a hold on sending out benefits after briefly distributing $70 million on Friday amid a flurry of legal decisions and appeals.SNAP payments in Pennsylvania are currently on hold as Gov. Josh Shapiro and other states pursue legal action to release benefits onto EBT cards, while the Supreme Court reviews the matter of fully paying out SNAP benefits. Pennsylvania has not been informed that the $70 million distributed to SNAP cards last Friday is prohibited from being spent, but the ongoing legal disputes between various courts have created confusion, especially as demand at food banks and pantries continues to rise in Pennsylvania.Former federal judge John Jones described the appeal by the Trump administration in the SNAP case as “a form of political gamesmanship.””The administration won’t relent because they want to keep this full-court press on to try to convince lawmakers to end the shutdown,” Jones said. A vote by the U.S. Senate on Monday could allow House lawmakers to end the shutdown and release SNAP benefits this week.However, Jones expressed concerns about the situation, saying, “Even if the deal takes and the government sort of reopens, it’s only a temporary deal. And we could be in January and face another shutdown and a very similar controversy if they can’t come together.”Meanwhile, Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services is informing recipients that the United States Department of Agriculture has not stated that money on EBT cards cannot be spent on food across the state. Shapiro is also suing to block a USDA directive that would require states to reverse any distributed SNAP benefits.Jones commented on the public sentiment, saying, “I think the public is increasingly, not just, lacking understanding what’s happening, but also becoming enraged at the fact that government is so dysfunctional.”

HARRISBURG, Pa. —

As the U.S. Supreme Court weighs the issue of funding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits during the federal government shutdown, Pennsylvania has put a hold on sending out benefits after briefly distributing $70 million on Friday amid a flurry of legal decisions and appeals.

SNAP payments in Pennsylvania are currently on hold as Gov. Josh Shapiro and other states pursue legal action to release benefits onto EBT cards, while the Supreme Court reviews the matter of fully paying out SNAP benefits.

Pennsylvania has not been informed that the $70 million distributed to SNAP cards last Friday is prohibited from being spent, but the ongoing legal disputes between various courts have created confusion, especially as demand at food banks and pantries continues to rise in Pennsylvania.

Former federal judge John Jones described the appeal by the Trump administration in the SNAP case as “a form of political gamesmanship.”

“The administration won’t relent because they want to keep this full-court press on to try to convince lawmakers to end the shutdown,” Jones said.

A vote by the U.S. Senate on Monday could allow House lawmakers to end the shutdown and release SNAP benefits this week.

However, Jones expressed concerns about the situation, saying, “Even if the deal takes and the government sort of reopens, it’s only a temporary deal. And we could be in January and face another shutdown and a very similar controversy if they can’t come together.”

Meanwhile, Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services is informing recipients that the United States Department of Agriculture has not stated that money on EBT cards cannot be spent on food across the state. Shapiro is also suing to block a USDA directive that would require states to reverse any distributed SNAP benefits.

Jones commented on the public sentiment, saying, “I think the public is increasingly, not just, lacking understanding what’s happening, but also becoming enraged at the fact that government is so dysfunctional.”