Defend SNAP
When Congress returns to Washington next week, it must prioritize the health and nutrition of our families by passing protections for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps) in the Senate’s bipartisan, commonsense farm bill.
Unlike the House farm bill, the Senate version protects our families from harmful and unnecessary barriers to access such as burdensome work requirements that adversely impact people who are disabled, sick, have caregiving responsibilities or who are escaping an abusive relationship.
Nearly 70 percent of SNAP participants are in families with children. Research shows children who benefit from SNAP are likelier to have better health and educational outcomes as adults.
The last thing American families and our economy need are policies that are balanced on the backs of our nation’s families or so-called “welfare reform” packages that will keep us from putting food on the table for our children.
After all, investments in SNAP pay off.
The Congressional Budget Office found that SNAP has one of the largest “bang-for-the-buck” among a broad range of policies for stimulating economic growth and creating jobs.
Our elected leaders can help our families be strong and healthy by adopting the Senate’s SNAP provisions in the farm bill. Taking SNAP away means lots of families will go hungry. That’s wrong and crazy.
Stand up and fight. Never let anybody take food away, thus letting you starve.
Don’t let Congress steal our food. Bullies don’t care because all they want is money and power. Together we can make a change.
Troy Abraham
Hilo
The noise is back
Sunday, on the first nontorrential rain day (after Hurricane Lane), the helicopters started up again.
Following the community meeting about helicopter noise, state Sen. Russell Ruderman’s editorial in the Tribune-Herald perfectly expressed the concerns of many residents of the Hilo area.
I also attended the meeting Aug. 14. True, some helicopter companies helped with rescues, evacuations and other public assistance. But as he inferred, others have not been as neighborly.
The comments that struck me most related to the “immorality” of companies that flew right over the homes and properties of people, at the height of the lava flows, and probably still are … now looking at the waterfalls, disrupting the lives and serenity of those who live here.
As the senator mentioned, “We were all surprised at seeing several seemingly normal people express threats or thoughts of violence.” Some, such as me, simply expressed frustration and anger with the situation and continued lack of change.
I hope Sen. Ruderman’s recommendations are taken to heart by local regulators, the congressional delegation, the state Department of Health and the tour industry. All affected should report concerns to www.planenoise.com/hha.
Sheryl Rawson
Hilo
