2 in 3 Americans believe it’s never ok to shut down the federal government.

Depending on its length, a government shutdown could impact lots of programs. Everything from student loan and nutrition assistance hotlines to pay for government workers (including those in the military) to CDC medical trials.

The House Republican budget proposal would:

∫ Cut the fruit and vegetable benefit in the Agriculture Department’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), which provides food assistance and other services to pregnant and postpartum adults, infants, toddlers, and preschoolers for about 5 million participants. Even with the benefit cut, it is also now apparent that the House Agriculture bill’s funding for WIC is well below the level needed to serve all eligible families who wish to participate, meaning if passed, states would be forced to create wait lists for the first time since the 1990s for families and pregnant women suffering from hunger;

∫ Eliminate funding for “Title X” grants to support family planning clinics serving people with low incomes; this program received $286 million in 2023;

∫ Cut Head Start by $750 million (6 percent) and freeze funding for child care assistance, thus providing no adjustment for rising costs or large unmet needs for child care;

∫ Cut the Education Department’s “Title I” Education for Disadvantaged Students program by 77 percent ($14.7 billion). This program makes grants to school districts serving communities experiencing high levels of poverty to help them provide additional services and supports to students from low-income or disadvantaged backgrounds. This funding is a core federal support for K-12 education.

∫ Slash funding to provide safe and clean drinking water and to protect children from lead poisoning.

You need to let our Rep. Jack Bergman know this is not acceptable.

MARY O’NEILL

Presque Isle