Letter to the Editor

Editor:
It’s a sad day when Congress proposes a budget that takes money from vulnerable Americans – cutting health and food benefits – to fund tax cuts for the ultra-rich.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee is charged with cutting $880 billion over 10 years. This requires cuts to Medicaid – a health care program overseen by the federal government, but managed by states. Close to home, Medicaid covers approximately 3 million people, in every county in Pennsylvania— mainly children, people with disabilities, lower income adults and older adults. About 1 in 4 Pennsylvanians receive Medicaid. For children, that number is even higher at 39%.

Food benefits are also at risk. House Republicans aim to cut $230 billion from the Agriculture budget, which includes SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). Representative Glenn Thompson claims that SNAP will be safe, but it’s impossible to take so much money from the budget without cutting SNAP. Pennsylvanians would be deeply impacted – 15.5% of our neighbors are enrolled in SNAP, and again, children would be hardest hit.

Rural communities will be hit especially hard. County-specific data can be found here: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dhs/resources/data-reports.html

As a former auditor, I understand the need to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse. But it’s unconscionable to cut health and food benefits for vulnerable Pennsylvanians in order to fund tax cuts for the wealthy.

Make sure your representatives understand that their jobs are to support the less fortunate in our commonwealth, not to throw money at people who don’t need it.

Debbie Meder
Lock Haven, PA