Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey urged the Trump administration to release SNAP funding “as soon as possible” after the weekend’s court rulings during a high profile appearance Sunday on CBS’s Face the Nation, warning that it takes states time to distribute the food aid benefits.

“We cannot continue along this path, which is why (President Trump) needs to release those funds, as at least one court told him to do, right now, as soon as possible,” Healey said, asked how quickly SNAP benefits could turn back on. “Because it takes us time to load up those (SNAP) cards.”

Trump himself acknowledged it would take some time to get program running after the funding interruption.

“Even if we get immediate guidance, it will unfortunately be delayed while States get the money out,” Trump said Friday as he asked the court for more information on how to proceed.

“If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding.”

After the SNAP program is funded, Healey said, it will take states “anywhere between two to five days” to load up cards and get the food aid benefits distributed to recipients.

On Nov. 1, monthly SNAP benefits were delayed for around 42 million people in the U.S. as the federal government shutdown continues. The stoppage of U.S. food stamp benefits is unprecedented, as presidential administrations have always tapped into emergency funding to continue the program during prior government shutdowns.

Heading into its 34th day Monday, the current government shutdown is nearing the 35-day historical record of the 2018-2019 shutdown during Trump’s first term.

As of Saturday, two federal judges have ruled the Trump administration must use the USDA’s emergency funds to at least provide partial food stamp benefits as the shutdown drags on. Massachusetts was one of several Democrat-led state that sued the administration to release funds.

On Friday, Trump said the administration was seeking “appropriate legal direction” from the court to provide funding.

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston gave the federal administration to Monday to decide how to use the USDA’s contingency funds or other sources to at least partially cover the November benefits.

On Saturday, Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island ruled the administration must release a partial payment to SNAP beneficiaries using the rainy-day funds by Wednesday or find full SNAP funding sources to make the payment Monday.

The Trump administration could appeal either ruling.

In an appearance on CNN on Sunday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the the administration continues to await direction from the courts.

“The best way for SNAP benefits to get paid is for Democrats– for five Democrats to cross the aisle and reopen the government,” Bessent said, referring to the stalemate in the Senate where the margin requires Democrats to vote in favor of the funding resolution and break a filibuster.

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Asked if Democrats bear responsibility for “some of this pain” caused by the shutdown, Healey sidestepped and argued that what Democrats in Congress “did is stand with hundreds of thousands, millions of Americans right now who are seeing their (health) premiums go up.”

“At the end of the day, the President and Republicans control the House, the Senate and the White House,” said Healey. “And Mike Johnson hasn’t had these guys back in session, I think, but for 12 out of 100 of the last days. So get back to Washington, get back to the table. Sort this out. Americans want to see that people are fed. They want to make sure that they have access to child care, because Head Start’s getting turned off too, and they don’t want to see their health premiums go up.”

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Since Oct. 1, Democrats in the Senate have voted 13 times against reopening the government, pushing for negotiations to extend health care subsidies scheduled to be cut off at the end of the year. Republicans have stated they will not negotiate until the government is reopened.

The president has called on Republicans in the House and Senate to move for an end to the filibuster, allowing the party to reopen the government without 60 votes needed to overcome objections in the Senate, a tactic the Republican leaders have so far rejected.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., closed his chamber for the weekend after bipartisan talks last week failed to achieve significant progress.

Thune said he is hoping “the pressure starts to intensify, and the consequences of keeping the government shut down become even more real for everybody that they will express, hopefully new interest in trying to come up with a path forward.”

The annual sign-up period for the Affordable Care Act health insurance also began Saturday, and there are sharp increases in what people will have to pay for coverage. Enhanced tax credits that help most enrollees pay for the health plans are set to expire next year.

Democrats have rallied around a push to extend those credits and have refused to vote for government funding legislation until Congress acts.

“Millions of Americans in every state across this country are waking up to drastically higher premiums for the same health care coverage they’re already on.” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., in a statement.

If Congress does not extend the credits, subsidized enrollees will face cost increases of about 114%, or more than $1,000 per year, on average, health care research nonprofit KFF found.

Some Republicans in Congress have been open to the idea of extending the subsidies, but they also want to make major changes to the health overhaul enacted while Democrat Barack Obama was president.

Thune has offered Democrats a vote on extending the benefits, but has not guaranteed a result. And he is demanding that Democrats first vote to reopen the government.

— Associated Press contributed

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, left, speaks to reporters as President Donald Trump, right, listens aboard Air Force One last week. Bessent said Sunday that all that needs to happen to end the shutdown is for Democrats to join Republicans in the Senate and vote to reopen the government. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)