by Drew Desilver
Pew Research Center
One component of the recent deal to raise the federal debt limit and cut government spending is additional work requirements for certain people who receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP – commonly known as food stamps.
The food stamp program is one of the larger federal social welfare initiatives, and in its current form has been around for nearly six decades. But many misconceptions remain about the program and how it works. (For one thing, no actual stamps are involved.) Here’s a closer look at the food stamp program, based on data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Census Bureau and other sources.