In June of 2026, the House passed a Republican-led fiscal year 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies funding bill that includes significant cuts to food assistance and rural aid programs 

Key Cuts and Changes

• $200 million reduction in USDA fruit and vegetable vouchers for women, infants, and children (WIC), threatening access to healthy food for 5 million eligible recipients 
• Hundreds of millions in rural aid cuts, including slashing water and waste grants for poor communities and cutting the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) loans in half
• Reduction in Food for Peace funding, which supports U.S. farmers and global food aid
• Discretionary funding of $26.3 billion — $1.1 billion (4%) less than FY2026 — with steep increases in costs for farmers and rural communities 
• Rural broadband investments and development grants for rural businesses are also targeted 

Impact on Vulnerable Populations
Critics, including Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Sanford Bishop Jr., warn the cuts will decimate rural assistance grants, harm farmers by reducing access to USDA resources, and endanger food security for working families and children.

They also note that USDA offices are already understaffed, making it harder for farmers to access benefits 

Political Context
The bill was advanced by Republicans and passed along party lines, with no Democratic support. Supporters frame it as necessary to control costs amid rising food prices and rural infrastructure challenges, while opponents call it a devastating blow to nutrition programs and rural economies 

If the Senate also passes a similar version, the bill would become law, potentially reshaping federal support for food assistance and rural development for years to come. 

Sources: House Committee on Ways and Means, Committee on Appropriations

Below is just a fraction of a story by Grace Deng

Please check it out at snopes.com

The reason for posting these 2 paragraphs is that the people who voted for trump don’t seem to care or to be paying attention to what is happening …

The SAVE Act would also have a disproportionate impact on demographic groups who are less likely to have proof-of-citizenship documents, including low-income citizens, voters younger than 29 and older than 80 years old, and Hispanic citizens, according to the Institute for Responsive Government, a nonpartisan think tank promoting more-efficient government.

Advocates for disability rights also expressed concern about the SAVE Act. While it directs states to offer “reasonable accommodations” to people with disabilities, it does not specify what those accommodations might be. The act is opposed by 145 civil rights organizations, including the ACLU and the League of Women Voters. 

Source: Snopes.com

First posted in February

Happy Birthday, Medicare!

The anniversary of what became Title XVIII of the Social Security Act: the Medicare program.

(Today is also the 56th anniversary of Title XIV of the Social Security Act: Medicaid).

Medicare has been expanded, cut, reformed, and changed numerous times since President Johnson signed it into law in 1965. The most recent reforms came under Obamacare, which strengthened the Medicare Trust Fund, reformed payments to providers, cut hundreds of billions of dollars in wasteful subsidies to private insurance companies, and provided seniors with an array of new or improved benefits.

In particular, Obamacare is closing the notorious prescription drug donut hole and in the meantime has saved 6.6 MILLION seniors more than $7 BILLION on their prescriptions. In addition, during just the first six months of this year, more than 16.5 MILLION seniors have taken advantage of preventive care services that are now free thanks to Obamacare.

Unfortunately, Republicans opposed the creation of Medicare 48 years ago, and they are doing their best to force Draconian cuts to the program today and for decades to come. Just this week, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) proposed shifting billions in costs to seniors and businesses by raising the Medicare eligibility age and House Republicans are planning their 40th dead-end vote to repeal Obamacare.

BOTTOM LINE: Thanks in part to Obamacare, Medicare is still going strong 48 years later. And that’s definitely something worth celebrating.