[Regarding “Speaking Out: Concerns About the Trump Administration Overwhelm Chuck Edwards’ Office Hours,” Xpress, featured in the Xpress newsletter, both March 5:]
This is in response to the inquiry in the Xpress newsletter about local effects of the pending or executed budget cuts. No one disputes that inefficiencies are to be found in most all federal programs, but cutting them rapidly, ruthlessly and possibly illegally, without study, by an unelected billionaire and his 20-something minions, is inexcusable!
I have a large immediate family living within Rep. Chuck Edwards’ District 11. Two of us are on Social Security and Medicare. Cuts to those programs will certainly impact us. Two additional members are veterans who procure care and treatment from the Charles George Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The staffing and funding cuts there likely will impede medical services in the future. Another family member with two small children works for one of the targeted federal agencies, and their job security is a fear daily. All of our immediate family members (14) enjoy the national forests; the staffing cuts will reduce their ability to hike, bike, fish and maintain healthy lifestyles as easily as before.
The current administration has not put forth any defined programs to reduce the costs of food and housing. In fact, with the current rate of inflation, new tariffs and aggressive deportation of many agricultural workers, food prices are not likely to decrease anytime soon.
Please share this with Mr. Edwards!
— Sheryl Fortune
Arden
