Source: TheHill.com

A federal judge on Friday ordered the Department of Agriculture to tap its emergency funds to keep the program feeding millions of Americans afloat amid the government shutdown.

U.S. District Judge John McConnell’s ruling prevents the administration from completely drying up the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for more than 40 million Americans starting Saturday. “SNAP benefits have never, until now, been terminated,” he said at a hearing, ordering $5.25 billion be released.

Meanwhile, on the 31st day of the government shutdown, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) warned against ending the filibuster, an action President Trump insisted the Senate take to pass the government funding bill with a simple majority.

Trump posted Thursday night on Truth Social that it was “time” for the GOP to use the so-called nuclear option to “Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!”

Johnson noted the “important safeguard” the filibuster offers. “If the shoe was on the other foot, I don’t think our team would like it.”

Trump left the White House on Friday morning for a weekend at his Florida estate after returning Thursday from a five-day, three-country swing through Asia and an evening of Halloween celebration at the White House.

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