Safety net: Congress must protect it from Trump

On Friday, President Obama’s term will end and Donald Trump will be sworn in as president. One of the first agenda items Trump has demanded from Congress is a repeal of the Affordable Care Act, thus putting the health care of tens of millions of Americans at risk.

As congressional leaders work to repeal the ACA, they are also considering radical changes to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which could undermine these programs’ effectiveness and force millions deeper into poverty.

Members of Congress took an oath to promote the general welfare of the American people. They should protect programs that lift and keep people out of poverty and not replace the ACA without a strong plan in place.

Join me in contacting our members of Congress to protect those in poverty. Here are 3 reasons why:

▪  Income inequality has widened since the end of the Great Recession.

▪  Our safety net is working overtime to compensate for rising income inequality and the proliferation of low-wage work.

▪  High poverty rates among young children have long-term implications for economic competitiveness.

Together we can make a difference.

This story was originally published January 17, 2017 at 6:05 PM with the headline "Safety net: Congress must protect it from Trump."