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Today my campaign is issuing a statement condemning @GovHerbert and @SpencerJCox for refusing to accept tens of millions in emergency food aid for Utah’s hungry children. This is not ok. Here’s why: 1/11 https://tinyurl.com/yd2eve7f
Last March Congress actually did something right when they passed the bipartisan Families First #Coronavirus Response Act. Both @SpeakerPelosi and @SenateMajLdr McConnell agreed on a critical program to help feed hungry kids while our economy is struggling. 2/11
The program, called Pandemic-EBT (electronic benefit transfer), offers a billion dollars in grants to states to provide prepaid food benefit cards to hungry families to buy food for children. Similar “food stamps” program, the idea was to replace school lunches this summer. 3/11
Right now the number of hungry children is skyrocketing across America. Almost ONE-IN-FIVE households of mothers with children age 12 and under report having kids who are experiencing food insecurity. 4/11 https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2020/05/06/the-covid-19-crisis-has-already-left-too-many-children-hungry-in-america/
The Pandemic-EBT program provides temporary food benefits to families up the income ladder from most other aid efforts to address the challenge of so many lost jobs, reduced hours, and sick families. The program is only active if schools are closed. 5/11 https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/state-guidance-coronavirus-pandemic-ebt-pebt
Rolling out the program has been complicated. But the federal government has approved 37 states to operate a Pandemic-EBT program to help feed their children in the coming months. The remaining states are still working to get their programs up to speed. 6/11
Yesterday the New York Times reported on only one state in the entire country actually declining to participate in this critical program to feed hungry kids during the emergency: …Utah. 7/11 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/26/us/politics/child-hunger-coronavirus.html
. @GovHerbert, @SpencerJCox, the @UtahCoronavirus Task-Force , and state agencies decided accepting $50m in food benefits for kids was too complicated. According to a spokesperson “Amid the pandemic, changes we can implement in a short period of time must not be too complex.” 8/11
I appreciate efforts of our state employees. School lunch workers make heroic efforts to distribute drive-by school lunches. But some of the leaders who tried to increase taxes on food last year are now rejecting funds that would relieve pressure on the school lunch program. 9/11
How can the most tragically under-funded public school system in America possibly justify turning away free lunch money for hungry kids? This is not reasonable, it is not acceptable, and Utahns should speak out for change. 10/11 https://fox13now.com/2019/05/23/utah-schools-rank-last-in-per-pupil-spending-again/
Today my campaign is organizing a petition calling on @GovHerbert to immediately submit an application for the Pandemic-EBT benefits. Please join us and sign on. Let’s get some food to hungry kids. #utpol #PracticalSolutions #TimeforChange 11/11 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NGGJK5V
