SNAP and the Growth of the American Welfare State

Current spending on all welfare programs, as a percentage of gross domestic product, is 12 times higher than it was in 1962.

A store displays a sign about accepting electronic benefit transfer cards for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program purchases for groceries in New York City on Oct. 30, 2025. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has unexpectedly taken center stage in debates over the federal government shutdown.

Since funding for the program, formerly known as Food Stamps, ran out in October, Congress, President Donald Trump, and the federal courts have wrestled with what to do about feeding millions of Americans who depend on this benefit each month.