Money was cut from programs that helped the poor, such as: the Children's Health Insurance Program and food stamps. I believe in the lack of aid programs, such as the aforementioned programs; actually increased the percentage of poverty nationally. These programs benefit many poor families by providing low-cost food and insurance for children. Other programs similar to those that provided housing to poor families have also been significantly reduced, increasing the difficulty for people seeking to qualify for these programs. So what can be done differently to reduce the level of poverty in Texas? Income should be increased through tourism and redistributed to industries. Texas has always been a tourist state; many tourists come to see the riverwalk, the Alamo, and other major cities in the state. Besides tourists, Texas has the capabilities and natural resources to attract businesses to the state. Attracting development and jobs to Texas is important because it will benefit the state economically, while creating more jobs and opening doors for people struggling with poverty. Increasing Texas' industrialization could be the start of effective poverty reduction