In perhaps the most publicly tense moment of this 29-day standoff, Senate Majority Leader John Thune blocked an effort by Democratic Sen. Ben Ray Lujan to move his bill that would have directed USDA to use its contingency funds to fund SNAP.

Two federal judges rejected the Trump administration's argument that it could not fund food assistance during a government shutdown.

The USDA has said insufficient funds exist to pay full benefits to 42 million low-income Americans, as they cost $8.5 billion to $9 billion per month.