Judge orders administration to distribute SNAP contingency money amid shutdown

The crux remains "is this the kind of emergency that Congress authorized Disaster SNAP (DSNAP) funds to be disbursed?"

It is in US Code 2027(a)(2):

- https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/7/2027

Let me expand ...

A shutdown due to insufficient vote is not considered a national disaster enough to trigger DSNAP disbursrment.

President, by Congressional law, are not authorized to disburse SNAP nor DSNAP during shutdown.

I know what you are thinking "but, But, ... BUT it's emergency SNAP", but it isn't: it's for a DISASTER SNAP.

So, my bet is a criminal judge making a administrative ruling will most likely be remanded by SCOTUS as to rewrite it (in which that renegade judge will be unable to do so), then get batted down by SCOTUS.

Emergency - https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/5122

DSNAP - https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/part-280/section-280.1

> establish temporary emergency standards of eligibility for the duration of the emergency for households who are victims of a disaster which disrupts commercial channels of food distribution

I thought we are all victims of a disaster, including with commercial food distribution, hence the need for these emergency tariff actions? (Half tongue-in-cheek)

But on a more serious note, it’d be interesting to see what happens when emergency actions start interfering with interpretation of other emergency actions.

Natural disaster is one Federal definition.

I think we await the appelate to chime in as to whether Congressional shutdown qualifies as "natural disaster".

I think that is a reach, and by design.