Policy

The 1996 federal ban aimed to punish drug offenders, but research shows denying aid disproportionately affects the poor and increases recidivism. Many states have opted out or modified the policy.

The politics of raising the age in New York State are complicated: both liberals and conservatives broadly support raising the age in principle, but question the governor's proposal.

After a presidential election that defied expectations, here's what to expect from the president-elect.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will be in suburban Philadelphia Tuesday evening, where he will lay out a new proposal that he says will make child care more accessible and affordable.

Donald Trump has said: "Got to get rid of Common Core — fast." And a couple of years ago, it seemed Pence would be a trailblazer in doing that at the state level. It didn't totally turn out that way.

The proposed farm bill would cut nearly $1 billion a year from the food stamp program, known as SNAP. While it's far less than what Republicans had originally wanted, the proposal will affect roughly 850,000 households, many of which are still struggling from cuts made only three months ago.

Federal programs, including many that provide health care, could soon be hit with deep cuts to their budgets. Agencies won't close, but services ranging from food inspections to vaccinations could be cut back. And the health care industry warns that half a million jobs could be lost within a year.

Most people don't realize that they don't pay taxes on the value of health benefits from their job. If employer-provided health insurance was taxed in the same way as wages, the federal government could gain $250 billion a year. But it would mean higher taxes for many people.

Economists say that excluding the value of employer-sponsored health insurance from federal taxes makes no sense. But many worry that changing the tax code could mean higher taxes or that employers would push down the value of the health insurance they provide.