By Nate Raymond

(Reuters) -President Donald Trump’s administration cannot suspend food aid for millions of Americans during the ongoing government shutdown, two federal judges ruled on Friday, saying the government must use contingency funds to pay for the benefits.

The dual rulings by judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, issued within minutes of each other, came in a pair of lawsuits seeking to block the U.S. Department of Agriculture from suspending Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, known as SNAP or food stamps, starting on Saturday.

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. The Trump administration contends the agency lacks authority to pay them until Co

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