Excerpt
January 9, 2025, Paper: "The 2024 election of Donald Trump as president may have significant implications for the social safety net, which is a range of government programs serving tens of millions of individuals and families with low incomes. The first Trump administration demonstrated considerable animosity toward social safety net programs through attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, shrink Medicaid, and remove hundreds of thousands from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). These efforts were largely unsuccessful. In fact, these programs were temporarily strengthened and expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and the American Rescue Plan Act. Ample evidence suggests that the social safety net improves health,1 saves lives,2 and lifts families out of poverty."