Senators return to work today for the first time since Thursday, and since SNAP benefits were suspended over the weekend.
While lawmakers work to hammer out a deal to fund the government, the president faces a deadline from the courts.
Two judges laid out strict timelines for the president to tap into an emergency fund to pay for food assistance programs.
A Boston judge ruled the Trump administration needs to keep SNAP funded so that the one million residents in Massachusetts and over 40 million nationwide can still access their benefits to put food on the table.
The decision came down Friday, following the lawsuits from more than two dozen states, including Massachusetts.
A federal judge in Boston and in Providence ruled the government must tap into its emergency reserves to continue to fund the SNAP program.
Mayor Michelle Wu's office reports more than 140,000 Boston residents relied on SNAP in September, and the average monthly benefit is $323 per household. Governor Maura Healey, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and House Speaker Mike Johnson went on political talk shows Sunday morning -- and stood along their party lines -- with Democrats wanting emergency funds, while Republicans advocating for the government to reopen first.
"I mean, we cannot continue along this path, which is why he needs to release those funds as at least one court told him to do right now as soon as possible because it takes us time to load up those cards," said Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey.
"The courts keep jamming up things," said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. "Democrats are in the middle of a civil war, and they should just open the government. That is the easiest way to do this."
The Agricultural Department has said it can release about $5 to $6 billion in contingency funds to pay for SNAP--but that would only last for 2 to 3 weeks. House Speaker Mike Johnson says the president has done everything he can, but the government needs to reopen first.
"The courts are now saying you can't go any further, so he's just desperate for the government to open," said House Speaker Mike Johnson. "He's tried everything he can. He's tried to negotiate with them. He's, he pleaded with them. And they're still dug their heels in so this is a reflection of all of our desperation. We're angry about it."
"Do what you're supposed to do, which is use the contingency funds that have been set aside for exactly this purpose when there is a shutdown, among other things, release those funds, continue the payments to our states," said Governor Healey. "I strongly urge that. I hope it happens immediately on Monday."
The deadline to respond to the courts is Monday--and if the Trump administration has a plan to fund SNAP, benefits could be available as soon as Wednesday.