California's governor said Wednesday he would be deploying the state's national guard to help distribute food to Americans struggling because of the US government shutdown.

Hundreds of thousands of federal workers across the country are not being paid as Democrats and Republicans in Washington squabble over the national budget, leaving some families struggling to meet their costs.

Payments to some of America's poorest people, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) -- known colloquially as food stamps -- are also due to expire in the coming days if no agreement is reached.

That is set to put extra pressure on food banks, which typically offer free or low-cost produce to people who cannot otherwise afford to buy it.

Governor Gavin Newsom said he would be activatin

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