No. 25A539

Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture, et al. v. Rhode Island State Council of Churches, et al.

Lower Court: First Circuit
Docketed: 2025-11-07
Status: Application
Type: A
Amici (3) Experienced Counsel
Tags: administrative-procedure-act appropriations executive-discretion judicial-injunction nutrition-programs separation-of-powers
Key Terms:
AdministrativeLaw
Latest Conference: N/A
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the Executive Branch may be compelled by a federal court to reallocate congressionally appropriated funds across federal nutrition programs during a funding shortfall, notwithstanding statutory limitations

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

No question identified. :

Docket Entries

2025-11-13
Application (25A539) withdrawn.
2025-11-13
Letter withdrawing the application filed.
2025-11-12
Brief amici curiae of Massachusetts, et al. filed.
2025-11-12
Brief amici curiae of Local Governments, et al. filed.
2025-11-11
Response of Rhode Island State Council of Churches, et al. to application submitted.
2025-11-11
The application for stay presented to Justice Jackson is referred to the Court. The administrative stay entered on November 7, 2025, is hereby extended until 11:59 p.m. (EST) on November 13, 2025. Justice Jackson would deny the request for extension of the administrative stay and would deny the application.
2025-11-11
Application (25A539) referred to the Court.
2025-11-11
Response to application from respondent Rhode Island State Council of Churches, et al. filed.
2025-11-11
Amicus brief of Local Governments and Local Government Leaders submitted.
2025-11-11
Amicus brief of Amici States submitted.
2025-11-10
Supplemental brief of applicant Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture, et al. filed.
2025-11-10
Letter of applicant Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture, et al. filed.
2025-11-10
Order entered by Justice Jackson: In light of the First Circuit’s order partially denying the motion for a stay and given the exigencies involved in this matter, it is ordered that, by 11:00 a.m. (EST) on November 10, 2025, the applicants shall provide the Court with notice of their intention to continue to pursue a stay of the District Court’s orders from this Court via the pending stay application. If the applicants do intend to seek a stay, it is further ordered, that (1) applicants shall submit any supplemental brief under Rule 15.8 in support of the stay application by 4:00 p.m. (EST) on November 10, 2025; and (2) respondents shall file a response to the application and any of the supplemental arguments by 8:00 a.m. (EST) on November 11, 2025.
2025-11-10
Brief amici curiae of Bipartisan Former Governors filed.
2025-11-10
Letter of Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture, et al. submitted.
2025-11-07
Application (25A539) for a stay, submitted to Justice Jackson.
2025-11-07
Order entered by Justice Jackson: The applicants are seeking a stay of two orders of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island, case No. 1:25-cv-569. See D. Ct. Minute Entry (Oct. 31, 2025) and Docket Number 34 (Nov. 6, 2025). These orders require the applicants to fully fund benefits for the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (“SNAP”) for the month of November, and to distribute that funding by the end of the day on November 7, 2025 (today). Earlier today, the applicants asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to stay the District Court’s orders pending appeal, and to issue an administrative stay to facilitate its consideration of that stay motion. At 6:08 p.m., the First Circuit denied the applicants’ request for an administrative stay, but stated that it “intend[s] to issue a decision on [the stay pending appeal] motion as quickly as possible.” <i>Rhode Island State Council of Churches</i> v. <i>Rollins</i>, No. 25-2089 (CA1 Nov. 7, 2025). The applicants filed an application in this Court this evening, requesting a stay of the two District Court orders “pending the disposition of the government’s appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and, if the court of appeals affirms those orders, pending the timely filing and disposition of a petition for a writ of certiorari in this Court.” Application at 1. The applicants assert that, without intervention from this Court, they will have to “transfer an estimated $4 billion by tonight” to fund SNAP benefits through November. <i>Ibid</i>. Given the First Circuit’s representations, an administrative stay is required to facilitate the First Circuit’s expeditious resolution of the pending stay motion. It is ordered that the District Court’s orders are hereby administratively stayed pending disposition of the motion for a stay pending appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in case No. 25-2089 or further order of Justice Jackson or of the Court. This administrative stay will terminate forty-eight hours after the First Circuit’s resolution of the pending motion, which the First Circuit is expected to issue with dispatch.
2025-11-07
The applicants are seeking a stay of two orders of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island, case No. 1:25-cv-569. See D. Ct. Minute Entry (Oct. 31, 2025) and Docket Number 34 (Nov. 6, 2025). These orders require the applicants to fully fund benefits for the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (“SNAP”) for the month of November, and to distribute that funding by the end of the day on November 7, 2025 (today). Earlier today, the applicants asked the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to stay the District Court’s orders pending appeal, and to issue an administrative stay to facilitate its consideration of that stay motion. At 6:08 p.m., the First Circuit denied the applicants’ request for an administrative stay, but stated that it “intend[s] to issue a decision on [the stay pending appeal] motion as quickly as possible.” <i>Rhode Island State Council of Churches</i> v. <i>Rollins</i>, No. 25-2089 (CA1 Nov. 7, 2025). The applicants filed an application in this Court this evening, requesting a stay of the two District Court orders “pending the disposition of the government’s appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and, if the court of appeals affirms those orders, pending the timely filing and disposition of a petition for a writ of certiorari in this Court.” Application at 1. The applicants assert that, without intervention from this Court, they will have to “transfer an estimated $4 billion by tonight” to fund SNAP benefits through November. <i>Ibid</i>. Given the First Circuit’s representations, an administrative stay is required to facilitate the First Circuit’s expeditious resolution of the pending stay motion. IT IS ORDERED that the District Court’s orders are hereby administratively stayed pending disposition of the motion for a stay pending appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in case No. 25-2089 or further order of Justice Jackson or of the Court. This administrative stay will terminate forty-eight hours after the First Circuit’s resolution of the pending motion, which the First Circuit is expected to issue with dispatch.
2025-11-07
Letter of applicant Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture, et al. filed.

Attorneys

Amici States
Anna E. LumelskyMassachusetts Attorney General's Office, Amicus
Anna E. LumelskyMassachusetts Attorney General's Office, Amicus
Bipartisan Former Governors Janet Napolitano, Jerry Brown, Gray Davis, Bill Ritter Jr., Jack Markell, Pat Quinn, Tom Vilsack, Bill Graves, Kathleen Sebelius, Parris Glendening, Martin O’Malley, Deval Patrick, Bill Weld, Jennifer Granholm, Arne Carlson, Ma
Brian HauckJenner and Block LLP, Amicus
Brian HauckJenner and Block LLP, Amicus
Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture, et al.
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Petitioner
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Petitioner
Local Governments and Local Government Leaders
Jonathan B. MillerPublic Rights Project, Amicus
Jonathan B. MillerPublic Rights Project, Amicus
Rhode Island State Council of Churches, et al.
Catherine Mary Agnes CarrollDemocracy Forward Foundation, Respondent
Catherine Mary Agnes CarrollDemocracy Forward Foundation, Respondent