food stamps

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack sent out a letter to the governor's of 44 states that are not meeting federal standards for processing SNAP applications.

Republicans in Congress want to cut SNAP funding by 20 percent and transform the program. But proponents, including economists in the White House, say it keeps millions of families out of poverty.

An innovative program seeks to fight persistent poverty by helping a struggling family navigate past some of the day-to-day obstacles that keep many people poor.