Feeding the Hungry Is a Moral Obligation, Not a Political Bargaining Chip
When the federal government shut down weeks ago, no one expected it to result in empty plates at children’s breakfasts, families with bare refrigerators, or seniors waiting in vain for food assistance.
However, following weeks of chaos caused by a Republican Party willing to use hunger as leverage, an alarming situation has arisen: thousands of families in New York are missing SNAP benefits they depend on for food. In my district alone, over 64,000 residents rely on those benefits for their daily nutrition. Nationwide, millions of households now face food insecurity.
Our safety net isn’t being stretched thin; it’s being torn apart at the seams.
“Congressional Republicans have made a deliberate choice to weaponize human need as they push to slash the Affordable Care Act’s premium tax credits, the same lifeline that keeps millions of Americans insured and able to see a doctor when they’re sick.”
If those health-related credits are eliminated, insurance premiums will increase dramatically, families will lose coverage, and rural hospitals and healthcare providers will be forced to close. Up to 15 million Americans could lose access to healthcare because they won’t be able to afford it.
As Congressman Paul Tonko often states, “You may not be on Medicaid, but your hospital is.”
Author's Summary
Hunger and healthcare are moral priorities, yet political decisions are undermining them, risking increased food insecurity and loss of health coverage for millions of Americans.