California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a statement celebrating today’s decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island ordering the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide full SNAP benefits by tomorrow. The lawsuit in the District of Rhode Island was brought by a coalition of local governments, nonprofit organizations, small businesses, and workers’ rights organizations. Earlier today, as part of a coalition of 23 attorneys general and three governors, Attorney General Bonta filed a reply brief in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, requesting an order directing USDA to award full November SNAP benefits. In the brief, the coalition argues that USDA’s decision to award reduced benefits, rather than full benefits, is unlawful and continues to cause irreparable harm to the states and SNAP beneficiaries.
“More than 41 million low-income Americans rely on SNAP benefits to put food on the table, and to date, the Trump Administration has failed them miserably. Carrying out USDA’s directive to award reduced benefits has been nothing short of an administrative nightmare in many states,” said Attorney General Bonta. “We continue to believe that the Trump Administration is legally required to pay full November SNAP benefits, which would also be far easier to get out the door. And it’s great news that they have now been ordered to do precisely that. Instead of simply focusing on getting vital food assistance to millions of people, however, USDA has appealed this latest order. It’s unconscionable. Californians, and people across this country, can’t afford any more delays or excuses.”