WASHINGTON — The Trump administration returned to the Supreme Court on Monday, looking to keep Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ( SNAP ) payments partially frozen as the federal government shutdown enters its 41st day.

The SNAP program helps buy groceries for 42 million Americans and costs the government around $8 billion monthly.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) previously said about half of the normal benefit amount for November would be paid by tapping into a more than $4 billion contingency fund.

But U.S. District Judge John McConnell directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fully fund SNAP payments during the shutdown, rather than send out partial benefits. On Sunday night, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld McConnell’s order.

The appeals court

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