(NEXSTAR) – With the government shutdown finally over, states are working to get food assistance flowing again. They're also working to implement new restrictions and cuts to who can qualify for SNAP benefits.

When Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill over the summer, it made several changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, including who qualifies to get help paying for groceries. The changes are expected to squeeze some people out of the program as federal spending on it is cut by an estimated $186 billion over the next decade.

The grace period to comply with the new provisions was set for Nov. 1, but confusion reigned as the program shut down temporarily. Some states scrambled to cover benefits, while others sent out nothing for nearly two weeks.

USDA head says

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