NEW YORK - A federal appeals court in New York has temporarily blocked a judge's ruling that found it was unconstitutional for Congress to halt federal funding of activist group ACORN.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan issued a 1-page order Wednesday, a day after the government argued that the stay of the ruling was necessary.

The government had argued that it was necessary to block the ruling by a Brooklyn judge to ensure that federal agencies were not required to commit funds that have not been appropriated by Congress.

A lawyer for ACORN said it may appeal the decision to the Supreme Court because the cutoff of funds was crippling ACORN and jeopardizing housing for poor people.

A lawyer for the government declined to comment.