A SNAP judgment
I’m heartbroken by the recent reconciliation bill passed in Congress, which will cut SNAP benefits and reduce Medicaid coverage.
How alarming it is that the interests of the wealthy elite conflict with those of millions of hardworking people, who face increasing hardships that push them into poverty.
This disparity affects real families under immense strain. We must advocate for policies that benefit all citizens, not just the privileged few. The future of children in poverty is at risk as they miss out on the full Child Tax Credit.
It’s encouraging to see that many bipartisan lawmakers opposed this bill since it undermines the very people they promised to serve. Those who supported the bill betrayed fairness and decency.
We, the people, have the power to advocate for the dignity and worth of every individual. Our collective voice is strong and we will not be silenced. Let’s use this power to support local social welfare programs.
Susan Lamb, Austin
How about better policies?
In the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump received 56.14% of votes from Texans, and Kamala Harris received 42.46% of Texans’ votes.
In the unprecedented 2003 mid-decade redistricting by what was a new Republican majority in the Texas Legislature, then-U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay argued that our Congressional delegation should reflect the percentage of votes that then-President George W. Bush received from Texans. Under that rationale, Republicans are currently over-represented in Congress, meaning that Texans do not have the representation that we want. “No taxation without representation” sound familiar?
If it aligned with how Texans voted in the latest presidential election, our Congressional delegation would have 21 Republican seats and 17 Democratic seats. Instead, 25 districts were drawn to benefit Republicans, and GOP lawmakers now want to add to that.
Trump, Gov. Greg Abbott and apparently the Republicans in the Legislature would rather cheat Texans out of fair representation. If they want more Republicans elected to Congress, how about coming up with better policies, policies that people actually want, rather than cheating us out of the representation for which we’ve clearly shown in our presidential voting we want.
Kathi Thomas, Austin portion of Hays County
Special session’s real goal
The special session in Austin this summer will have one real goal and two other goals for cover.
The two worthy goals are regulating the THC industry in Texas and funding an effective flood warning system on Texas rivers. Both goals need to be addressed now for the safety and health of all Texans.
The real goal, however, is to revisit redistricting ahead of the 2026 midterms to give President Donald Trump’s Republican Party five new safe Republican districts, mostly in the Houston area.
Trump’s Department of Justice has sent a letter that Texas Republicans can use to “disguise” their goal. The DOJ letter is embarrassing, or should be embarrassing, because it accuses the 2021 Texas legislative map of denying minority voters, Democrats, a few safe districts of their own.
At the time the map was passed, Texas Republican representatives staunchly defended the map’s fairness and lack of racial bias. Now, the same Texas Republicans are rushing to “correct” the map.
The legal rationale is weak, but the purpose is obvious — to increase Republican chances of gaining national legislative seats in the 2026 midterm election.
Does Texas need a redistricting fight that takes away from real issues in our state? Write your state representatives and senators and let them know how you feel about this grab for more political power while Texans suffer.
Dawn Cochran, Bergheim
First Lady Melania Trump, President Donald J. Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott attend a roundtable discussion July 11 at the Community Emergency Operations Center in Kerrville, after devastating floods in the area.
Neighbors deserve answers
As a former second-in-command at a U.S. disaster response agency, I’ve seen what a fast, coordinated federal response looks like.
What we’ve seen so far from the federal government in the Texas Hill Country has left me with questions, and I am not alone.
Did recent cuts at the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service weaken preparedness? Why did it take days for the federal water rescue and recovery team to be deployed? Would a competent FEMA administrator with actual disaster experience have been more effective?
Why did Kerr County fail to use allocated federal funds for a flood warning system, despite knowing the risks?
These floods have taken more than 130 precious lives, devastated families and upended communities. Texans deserve answers and action. Public safety must come first. That means real investment, coordination and leadership at every level.
Lives depend on it.
Dilawar Syed, Austin resident and former deputy administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration
Create river authority
It’s fine to install sirens for emergencies along the Guadalupe River, but let’s fix the problem permanently.
Death and destruction reigned on the Tennessee River in the 19th and early 20th centuries just like the Guadalupe River, but not now. Why not? Because the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), championed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Sen. George Norris, built a series of dams for flood control that still work today.
There needs to be a Guadalupe River Authority, and the fastest way to get it built is for all Texas senators and representatives to get behind HR4052 – the National Infrastructure Bank (NIB) Bill — soon to be reintroduced in this Congress.
Roosevelt and Norris used the last NIB to finance the TVA construction without increasing taxes or the deficit. There’s no reason we can’t do this again and ensure what happened on the Guadalupe on July 4 will never happen again.
Don Siefkes, San Leandro, Calif.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Children’s future at risk, ‘Beautiful Bill’ cuts SNAP benefit | Opinion