U.S. Rep. McGovern expresses doubts about President Trump's funding cuts, Cabinet picks
A Massachusetts lawmaker is expressing concerns about the Trump Administration's proposed budget cuts and prospective Cabinet picks.
In Gardner on Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, said that he is worried that President Trump's proposed cuts to programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could have a negative impact on the state's families in need.
'I do a lot of work on hunger and food insecurity, and they're proposing up to $300 billion in cuts to SNAP, and they're talking about taking the benefit, which is now on average about $2.80 per person per meal, and reducing it to $1.40,' McGovern said during a visit to see Growing Places unveil its new food processing facility in the future Gardner Senior Center on Waterford St. 'And then you hear Robert Kennedy talking about how we want our nation to be healthier? Well, the bottom line is, you know, crappy food is cheaper. If you're going to cut people's food benefits, how the hell do you expect that to result in people making better choices.'
McGovern said this is no time to change what is already working, and cited the state's Healthy Incentives Program as a way to get extra money to people already collecting SNAP benefits to find fresh produce from local farmers.
'And people are utilizing it,' he said. 'The state cut it, unfortunately, but we're trying to get it made whole again. But farmers love it, the people who benefit from the program love it, and that's how you do this.'
More: Trump's second term: Gardner area supporters optimistic before historic inauguration
"If you give kids a choice between crummy food and healthy food that is fresh and tasty and looks good and smells good, kids will make the healthier choice," McGovern added. "Everybody will, right? But to do that, we can't retreat on our nutrition programs – we need to make sure that the funding is there for schools to be able to purchase healthier food."
McGovern on Trump's Cabinet picks
McGovern said he is 'terrified' that Trump's incoming administration might have a 'devastating' effect on the programs that millions of American families rely on to survive.
'I'm terrified,' he said. 'The people that he's nominating for his Cabinet are not qualified to do the jobs. Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, and Robert Kennedy Jr. as the secretary of HHS, who is encouraging people not to be vaccinated? Who says that if you drink tap water your kids will become gay? It's ridiculous.'
Growing Places unveils new food processing center in Gardner: What to know
As for Linda McMahon, the World Wrestling Entertainment co-founder who Trump has tapped to become the next Secretary of Education, McGovern expressed doubts that she is up to the job.
'I guess you could make the case that most schools have wrestling teams, but other than that, really?' he said.
McGovern: Trump prioritizing rich friends over American families
McGovern said he felt President Trump is prioritizing the well-being of his wealthy friends and associates over that of the average American family.
More: Gardner Community Action Committee just received a $115K grant: how they will use it
'I think government should be there to make sure that everybody's life gets better, not just people who are millionaires and billionaires, and the big corporations,' he said. 'We see hunger rising in this country, we see middle-class families being squeezed more and more, and we see lifestyles of the rich and famous being entertained at Mar-a-Lago and the White House.'
McGovern noted that wealthy celebrities, including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, had front-row seats at President Trump's inauguration.
'It was the richest people in the world, ahead of his (own) family,' he added. 'But the one thing in common for everybody in his Cabinet is that they're all extremely wealthy millionaires and billionaires, and that's about it.'
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