Summary: US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will be fully restored by next week, following the end of the record-breaking 43-day government shutdown. The move promises relief for millions of Americans who rely on food assistance, though officials caution that distribution may vary across states.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins confirmed Thursday that SNAP benefits will resume in full by Monday, November 17, 2025, after weeks of disruption caused by the nation’s longest government shutdown. Speaking on CNN, Rollins said federal officials began processing payments immediately after the shutdown ended, but emphasized that the rollout depends on state-level systems.
“We immediately began moving out, making sure the program continues unabated. By the end of this week, most recipients should see benefits, and at the very latest by Monday,” Rollins stated Yahoo Malaysia CNN Yahoo News UK.
The announcement comes as relief for the 42 million Americans who rely on SNAP, many of whom faced food insecurity during the shutdown. While some states managed to issue partial payments using contingency funds, others halted benefits entirely, leaving families dependent on food banks and community aid Yahoo Malaysia Newsweek.
Rollins acknowledged the complexity of restoring payments, noting that SNAP is federally funded but administered through 50 different state infrastructures, creating a patchwork system that slowed distribution. She reassured recipients that “good news is on the way” as agencies work to normalize operations Yahoo News UK The Fiscal Times.
The restoration marks a critical step in reopening federal programs after the shutdown, which disrupted not only food assistance but also housing aid, museum operations, and transportation services. Analysts warn, however, that the economic impact of the shutdown may linger, with families still recovering from weeks of uncertainty.
The full reinstatement of SNAP benefits underscores the urgency of stabilizing federal programs after the shutdown, offering millions of households renewed access to food security as the government returns to normal operations.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins Picture by US DoA
Sources: Yahoo Malaysia Newsweek CNN Yahoo News UK The Fiscal Times
