The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday extended a pause on a lower court order requiring President Donald Trump’s administration to fully fund food aid for millions of low-income Americans, even as Congress works toward ending the historic federal shutdown.

The court’s decision allows the administration to continue withholding approximately $4 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps. The extended pause is set to expire on Thursday, leaving millions of beneficiaries in temporary uncertainty.

Justice Jackson, however, stated she would have denied the administration’s request to halt the judge’s order further, highlighting the tension surrounding the program.

Government shutdown disrupts benefits

SNAP benefits lapsed at the beginning of November for the first time in the program’s 60-year history. Recipients have faced significant challenges, relying on already strained food pantries and making difficult sacrifices, such as skipping medications, to manage tight budgets.

The disruption comes amid the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, leaving hundreds of thousands of federal workers unpaid and causing delays in public services, including air travel.

On Monday, the U.S. Senate approved compromise legislation aimed at ending the shutdown and restoring essential government services. If passed, the legislation would ensure that SNAP benefits are fully funded again, relieving the millions of Americans affected.