Leslie Ford

Oct 30, 2024 | aei.org | Angela Rachidi |Leslie Ford

Key Points The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) needs reform to remain an effective safety-net program that decreases food insecurity and supports self-reliance through employment and good health.

May 22, 2024 | aei.org | Leslie Ford |Angela Rachidi |Julia Cataneo

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson’s proposed Farm Bill reauthorization, The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024, heads to committee markup today. The Farm Bill is a tough reauthorization normally, and even more difficult in a tightly divided House. While there are provisions that would improve the program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) needs overarching reform and the proposed bill misses important opportunities.

Mar 18, 2024 | aei.org | Leslie Ford

AbstractLocal lawmakers are currently piloting their desired next nationwide expansion of the welfare state. Dozens of guaranteed income pilots are running across the country at the local and state level, sometimes funded by COVID-19 relief funds, to encourage federal policymakers to implement cash grants without work requirements, restrictions, or conditions.

Feb 27, 2024 | aei.org | Kevin Corinth |Leslie Ford |Angela Rachidi |Matt Weidinger

H.R. 7024, the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024, passed the House on January 31, 2024 and now faces an uncertain fate in the Senate. The bill is intended to offer something for both Republicans and Democrats—business tax cuts and an expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC). But this bargain—which nods (and winks) at concerns about federal deficits—is a bad one in its current form.

Dec 1, 2023 | wsj.com | Leslie Ford

Alexandria, Va.Dozens of cities around the country have launched welfare experiments called guaranteed-income pilots to send monthly checks of up to $1,000 to needy people. The goal is to demonstrate that giving the poor direct cash aid can improve their economic stability, their children’s educational attainment, and even their mental health. Most of the pilots are “no strings attached,” meaning that the cash aid doesn’t come with any restrictions on how it can be spent or any work requirement.