An article on CNN spurred my thoughts to dig deeper on what is to me a huge issue facing our nation. House Republican's to Cut WIC Spending by 10%. Really???
Currently our nation faces a very big question....Where are we going to cut spending? Especially during an election year pressures run high. Among some things Congress is looking to cutting is SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program), WIC, and Medicare. I am most passionate about the WIC program and the absolute atrocity it is to cut funding from a program that is already underfunded.
The Texas Legislature, in my opinion, does not have the capacity to make the better decisions for our state. And, in some context, I am also saying Republicans do not have the capacity to make the best decisions for everyone in Texas, especially women and children. Texas is dead last in the number of non-elderly women without health insurance, and 6th nationally in the percentage of women in poverty, according to the Texas Legislative Study Group. If that is not enough to persuade you to believe Texas or Rick Perry need to make a change one in five Texas children lack health insurance, the highest rate in the nation. Rick Perry tried to opt out of Medicaid, which provides insurance for the most vulnerable of Texan's, pregnant women and children.
WIC, a nutritional assistance program for pregnant women, infants and children has received bipartisan support in the past, but now has been faced with some pretty hefty budget cuts. While originally reported that WIC may have to turn away as many as 79,000 mothers in 2012 under the approved U.S. House of Representatives budget this has not happened. YET.
The WIC program is intently focused on helping low income families reduce the incidences of malnutrition. The program strongly advocates breastfeeding and has been providing manual as well as "hospital-grade" breast pumps for free. The program is incredibly diverse, ranging from helping a mom deal with a stubborn or "picky" eater to breastfeeding peer counseling to a struggling mother. The WIC program is much different from SNAP (Formerly known as food stamps) in that mothers must take classes on nutrition and the food they are given is limited to peanut butter, whole grains, milk, cheese, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and tuna. For ever $1 dollar invested into WIC, we save $3 dollars on healthcare costs.
According to the WHO, World Health Organization, beyond the immediate benefits for children, breastfeeding contributes to a lifetime of good health. Adults who were breastfed as babies often have lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol, as well as lower rates of overweight, obesity and type-2 diabetes. There is evidence that people who were breastfed perform better in intelligence tests.
WIC operates on a budget close to $6.7 billion dollars wich comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. On top of the $532 million cut in 2011, there will be another $685 million cut in 2012. Our Texas Legislature is allowing much of this budget cut to go against the "fresh produce" (which mostly goes back into the community through spending at local Farmer's Market's) allotment for WIC, and it's breastfeeding resources. El Paso County registered 2.5 million dollars pumped into the community by WIC recipients.
Sec. 165.001. LEGISLATIVE FINDING. The legislature finds that breast-feeding a baby is an important and basic act of nurture that must be encouraged in the interests of maternal and child health and family values. In compliance with the breast-feeding promotion program established under the federal Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. Section 1771 et seq.), the legislature recognizes breast-feeding as the best method of infant nutrition.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., Ch. 600, SS1, eff. Aug . 28, 1995.
However, there was no reduction in the amount of baby formula subsidized out. But, Williamson County is borrowing from the City of Austin because they do not have enough breast pumps or the funding to purchase more.
Right now 26 states are looking at cutting Peer Counselors from the WIC budget. These women are vital to the program in keeping new moms informed. Without Peer Counselors WIC may very well just be a formula handout program. I am not saying we need to be a "nanny" state, but we need to be sensible in the decisions we make as a nation and state.
Texas is already 47th in monthly benefit payments under WIC. It seems counterproducive to limit an organization that does so much for a state's people. By cutting funding to WIC we can only assume Medicaid costs and SNAP benefits will increase. The Legislature also needs to take in account the millions of dollars that will be lost upon local farmers.
This all points to a domino effect for our nation, and our state (Texas).
Thank you, Republican Party and our diversity-lacking Legislature for defending life, liberty, wealth and the pursuit of formula, corn and soybean subsidies!
.
No comments:
Post a Comment