Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday that the federal government could begin issuing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by Wednesday, offering a measure of hope to millions of Americans who have gone days without food aid amid the ongoing government shutdown.

The statement came after a federal judge ordered the administration to release emergency funds to restore the program, which had been suspended when federal appropriations expired at the start of November.

Bessent, speaking in Washington, said officials were working “around the clock” to comply with the order and restart payments but emphasized that the process involves multiple agencies and systems.

According to Bessent, the Treasury Department and the Department of Agriculture are coordinating to unlock contingency reserves and distribute funds through each state’s electronic benefit transfer system.

He cautioned that the Wednesday timeline was a target, not a certainty, since the government must still ensure the payments can be processed securely and efficiently. The interruption of SNAP benefits has left more than forty million Americans—many of them families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities—uncertain about how they will afford groceries.

Food banks across the country have reported sharp increases in demand as households attempt to fill the gap left by missing federal aid. Officials inside the administration have been under intense pressure to restore the program quickly.

The shutdown, now entering its second month, has caused widespread disruptions across multiple federal agencies, with social safety net programs among the hardest hit. Bessent’s remarks mark the clearest sign yet that the Treasury is moving toward a short-term solution, even as political negotiations over reopening the government remain deadlocked.

If the restoration proceeds on schedule, beneficiaries could begin to see funds deposited onto their EBT cards by midweek. Some states may issue partial payments first, depending on how quickly their internal systems are reactivated.

Local agencies have been instructed to prepare for potential backlogs and increased inquiries from recipients once the funds begin to flow.

Despite the uncertainty, Bessent said the administration remains committed to preventing a repeat of this disruption. He noted that Treasury and USDA are exploring longer-term safeguards to protect essential benefits from future funding lapses.

For millions of low-income households, the coming days will determine whether that commitment translates into relief—or whether the bureaucratic hurdles of a paralyzed government continue to keep basic food assistance out of reach.

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