Operation Phobos

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday offered an unwavering defense of his state's recently enacted universal free school meals program, arguing that Republican efforts to means-test the initiative would have created burdensome and needless administrative barriers.

Republicans in North Dakota are facing criticism this week after they voted to boost their own budgets for meal reimbursements, even as they blocked an expansion of a free lunch program for low-income school students.