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What are the latest developments in the SNAP program and food assistance?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. Two federal judges say the Trump administration must distribute reserve money from a USDA fund to those who get food assistance through the SNAP program. That benefit is set to run out tomorrow because of the government shutdown. In Boston, Judge Indira Talwani says the administration has until Monday
to consider whether to pay at least partial benefits. And in Rhode Island, Judge John McConnell barred the administration from stopping benefits. What's not clear is how his ruling relates to Talwani's order. NPR's Jennifer Ludden has more on the program that supports around 42 million Americans with food assistance.
The federal government usually sends SNAP funding to states well before the first of the month because it takes days to distribute it onto people's debit-like cards. Now, there's an added complication. The Agriculture Department's contingency money falls short of full SNAP funding for November.
The administration has said calculating partial payments would be a logistical nightmare that could take weeks. States and cities across the country have been preparing for a lapse. They're ramping up donations to food banks, offering protections if people fall behind on their bills, even shifting their own budgets to pay some amount of food aid to snap recipients temporarily.
Jennifer Lutton, NPR News, Washington.
The Trump administration is creating a National Guard quick reaction force for nationwide deployment. And Pierce Quill Lawrence reports the troops are expected to be stood up by January.
The National Guard has had a reaction force for decades, ready to deploy in all 50 states in case of natural disasters or other emergencies. But in August, the Trump administration ordered the Guard to create a standing quick reaction force that could be deployed nationwide. A Guard spokesman told NPR those troops have been training and will be ready, equipped with riot gear, by the new year.
President Trump has spoken openly about sending Guard troops and even active duty military troops into U.S. states and cities led by his political opponents. Trump says the troops are needed for immigration enforcement and to control largely peaceful protests. Lawsuits challenging the president's right to do that are working their way through the courts. Quill Lawrence, NPR News.
Medicare drug price negotiation is wrapping up for this year's batch of 15 drugs, and that includes Ozempic. NPR's Sydney Lupkin has more.
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