A federal judge in Rhode Island granted an emergency temporary restraining order on October 31, blocking the Trump administration’s suspension of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and ordering the immediate release of federal funds to continue food assistance for millions nationwide. U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. ruled […]
Author: Dani Tietz
Central Illinois Faces Rising Food Insecurity as SNAP Benefits Set to Expire
Nearly four in ten households across Illinois are struggling to afford the basics, and their hardship is about to deepen as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are scheduled to expire on November 1, 2025. According to United Way’s latest data, 12% of Illinois households live below the federal poverty […]
Federal Reserve Cuts Interest Rates by Quarter Point, Signals Pause on Further Reductions Amid Economic Uncertainty
The Federal Reserve lowered its benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point on Wednesday, shifting its federal funds target range to 3.75–4 percent. Federal Reserve officials cited recent indicators showing moderate economic growth but noted that job gains have slowed and unemployment, while still low, is trending upward. Inflation, […]
Illinois Governor Declares Statewide Agricultural Trade Crisis Amid Continued Tariff
Governor JB Pritzker declared an agricultural trade crisis in Illinois Wednesday, signing Executive Order 2025-07 in response to mounting farm financial distress that state officials blame on ongoing federal tariff policies. Since February 2025, the United States has imposed steep tariffs—some reaching 145%—on Chinese imports, prompting China to retaliate with […]
Community Rallies to Support Families During SNAP Funding Delay in Champaign-Urbana
As the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) experiences a temporary funding shutdown, community members across Champaign County are stepping up to help families facing potential food insecurity. Food pantries and small businesses are mobilizing immediate support to make sure no one goes hungry while benefits are on hold. Mom’s […]
Senators Hawley and Luján Introduce Competing SNAP Bills as 42 Million Americans Face Food Insecurity
As the government shutdown approaches its fifth week, millions of Americans are confronting a historic crisis in food assistance. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP or food stamps, is set to lapse for the first time in modern history on November 1, 2025, threatening benefits for approximately […]
Congressional Amicus Brief Challenges Trump’s Tariff Authority in Supreme Court
A bipartisan group of 207 members of Congress has filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to rule that President Donald Trump exceeded his constitutional authority by imposing tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The 31-page brief, filed October 24, 2025, in the consolidated cases Learning Resources, […]
Senate Votes to Block Trump’s Tariffs on Brazil in Bipartisan Rebuke
The U.S. Senate voted Tuesday to overturn President Donald Trump’s 50 percent tariffs on Brazilian imports. The resolution passed 52-48, with five Republican senators (Rand Paul of Kentucky, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky) […]
U.S. Consumer Confidence Edges Lower in October as Expectations Stay Subdued
The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index® inched down by 1.0 point to 94.6 in October, a modest retreat from the revised September reading of 95.6. The Present Situation Index, a measure of consumers’ assessments of current business and job market conditions, climbed 1.8 points to 129.3, suggesting Americans see slightly […]
25 States Sue Trump Administration Over Suspension of SNAP Food Benefits
Twenty-six states filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Trump administration, seeking to restore food assistance benefits for more than 42 million Americans amid an ongoing government shutdown. The coalition of states, led by Massachusetts, California, Arizona and Minnesota, alleges the USDA’s decision to […]
