Save SNAP funds for kids
Nearly one in five U.S. children live in households that are struggling against hunger. Yet leaders in Congress want to “fast track” cuts to basic assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) using the budget reconciliation process.
SNAP (formerly food stamps) is the first line of defense against hunger in America. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that SNAP lifted 4.6 million people out of poverty in 2015. But Congress and President Donald Trump want to undo SNAP’s success by slashing its funding by $150 billion, including $10 billion in reconciliation cuts, making it harder for families to put food on the table.
I urge Texas’ Republican Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz to protect and strengthen basic assistance programs by opposing any efforts to “fast track” reconciliation cuts in the 2018 budget and to oppose efforts to cut or restructure SNAP in the next Farm Bill or other legislation.
Martha Myrick Rogers, Austin
‘Free publicity’ for O’Rourke camp
Wow! The Monitor recently published two front page stories about U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-El Paso, coming to the Rio Grande Valley, and at no cost to his campaign war chest. (O’Rourke is running for Senate against Republican incumbent Ted Cruz.)
You can’t beat free publicity. So will Sen. Cruz get the same attention when he makes it down here. Or is this a clear indication of who The Monitor supports for senator?
Guadalupe E. Aguirre, Edinburg
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Monitor did run two front page stories on Sen. Cruz when he last visited McAllen: On July 5 and July 9.
