All Research
Op-Ed
How Helpful Are Cash Payments to New Mothers Really?
Michigan has become an unlikely testing ground for debates over universal basic income programs. Since 2024, new mothers participating in Rx Kids can receive up to $7,500 in unconditional cash…
Commentary
SNAP and Americans’ Health
In 1964, when Congress passed the Food Stamp Act, the country faced a problem of inadequate nutrition among low-income Americans due to insufficient food. In response, the Food Stamp Program—today…
Commentary
The Empty Threat That States Will Stop Operating SNAP
Last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) gave states a choice: Either limit improper payments in their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, the program formerly known as food stamps)…
Multimedia
Overview of the American Social Safety Net with Angela Rachidi
In the season premiere of Cardinal Direction, host Jessi Troyan sits down with American Enterprise Institute senior fellow Angela Rachidi to examine America’s social safety net and why programs intended…
Blog Post
Why Congress Shouldn’t Change SNAP’s New Payment Error Approach
Payment errors in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) have received considerable attention in recent months. While much of the debate has revolved around the One Big Beautiful Bill…
Op-Ed
30 Years of Welfare Reform And the Path Forward
Thirty years ago this month, President Bill Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), popularly known as welfare reform. When the legislation was signed, no one could have…
Blog Post
Welfare Reform 30 Years Later: How Has Government Assistance Changed?
This month marks the 30th anniversary of welfare reform legislated with bipartisan support by a Republican-controlled Congress and a Democratic President. No piece of social policy legislation has since passed…
Op-Ed
The Path Ahead for Welfare Reform
In the years since the landmark 1996 welfare reform law — which marks its 30th anniversary today — policymakers have missed opportunities to apply its lessons and expand its reach to…
Report
Wisconsin Childcare Subsidies, Regulations Fail for Families
Executive summary While parents play the most important role in early childhood development, having reliable and affordable childcare is another crucial component to helping working families thrive. This chapter explains the current…
Commentary
SNAP’s New Cost Share Requirement Is a Blunt, But Necessary Tool
Last month, the US Department of Agriculture released the most recent Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payment error rates. The report found that 10.62 percent of SNAP payments in Fiscal…
Report
The End of the Food Security Supplement in the Current Population Survey: Next Steps
Abstract Since 1996, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published an annual report on household food insecurity in the United States, which policymakers, program administrators, the media, and researchers…
Report
How to Strengthen the Climb From the Safety Net
Executive summary Wisconsin has long benefited from low poverty rates and relatively high labor force participation relative to the national average. But the state’s safety net faces important challenges. There…