The President and Congress are posturing to make more cuts to things that really matter for the purpose of reducing waste and giving the wealthy more tax breaks!

In a few weeks, the 2025 Congress is expected to pass legislation that will cut services in the areas of SNAP and Medicaid. Most of us are fortunate not to need this assistance, but we want it for others.

The SNAP program is the last line of defense against hunger. In Utah 69% of SNAP assistance goes to families with children and 26% are in families with an older adult or a disability. Forty-six percent are working families. The SNAP benefit goes to a locally approved location in the community where the recipient lives. SNAP only covers healthy food (not soda, cigarettes). We all know how expensive our groceries have become. Cutting this benefit for the sole purpose of lowering taxes for the wealthy is heartless and self-serving.

Medicaid is on the chopping block. Medicaid is the largest health insurance program in the country. It covers 40% of the births in the U.S. Most Medicaid and SNAP recipients who can work, do work, while receiving benefits. Changing the need to reapply to every six months is just another hoop and will cost more to administer. The application process is long and now harder. Oversight is costly.

Republicans also hope to cut the Medicaid nursing home coverage for seniors and the disabled. In Utah, Medicaid covers 61% of the residents who call the nursing home their home. Cutting this already thin financial coverage will put seniors out of their housing and force some nursing homes to close. It will jeopardize rural hospitals.

All of these cuts seem pretty greedy to me. Is this human rights abuse? Is this how we care for our neighbors? Is this how we pull people up?

The Legislature decided on this after an all-night session designed to have us not see them take away rights. The bill they designed makes senseless and heartless cuts to both programs. If this is a matter you care about or you view as cruel and unfair, contact your senator as these services are on the chopping block. Utah and the people of Utah are better than this. Please call and urge our senators to speak up for us rather than the super wealthy. Ask them how we as a community will care for these people in our midst. This will be decided before the end of May. Do your patriotic part by voicing your displeasure.

Pat Sadoski,

Logan