Fight over bombs vs. bread rises
As the debt ceiling debate heads for a showdown vote, Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-7th) Tuesday held a zoom press conference vowing to fight for the funds the GOP is threatening to hold hostage that are needed for the survival of the poor.
According to Rep. Davis, the showdown vote is scheduled for after 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 31st, but while the Republicans are in the majority and are holding fast to their demands, he believes there is enough political wiggle room for a compromise. The fight is over bombs vs. bread.
Reached in D.C., and interviewed moments after he was briefed by the White House on the latest status of the debt ceiling issue, Rep. Davis told the Chicago Crusader, “The Republicans are targeting poor people. There are disproportionate numbers of African Americans in many of these areas, but in terms of total numbers there are more white people than there are Black people.
“African Americans are disproportionately a part of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients and people who make use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Many of the SNAP recipients are children rather than adults. They are definitely targeting these social safety network programs as areas to cut,” Davis confirmed. At the same time, Davis said the GOP is not talking about cutting Defense or “doing anything to reduce the tax burden or tax payments on the wealthiest one percent.”
Davis said the negotiations are still taking place and many congressmen have not decided how to vote including himself. “I don’t think Democrats will be willing to let the deal not go through, but then some of that will be contingent upon what the Republicans do. There are Democrats who will vote against the actuality of the deal but will not be against the principle of resolving the debt ceiling question.
“Nobody wants to see the government collapse or shutdown or see the government lose credibility with the creditors…. They want to get paid. I think we will make sure they do get paid so that the full faith in credit of our government is intact so there is confidence in the government’s ability to pay its bills.”
“I do not think we will allow the Republicans to hold the debt ceiling hostage,” he said. “I think there will be enough room for a number of Democrats especially those who will take the position that not enough protections exist for the poor, the disadvantaged, the children, the low-income people and communities. Some of us will be looking hard at that and also how we mix domestic policy with defense and foreign policy.
“If we are going to increase the defense budget, can’t we make sure we have enough in there to feed the hungry, to get people from under the viaducts, living In tents…” We are not being fair to all components of needs that exist in our country.”
During the zoom press conference, Rep. Davis said, over the Memorial Day weekend and yesterday, he attended meetings with the White House, the Democratic Caucus, the Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus.
“I have reviewed the proposal upside down and backwards and forwards, and currently I am prepared to go to Washington and represent the wishes of my district,” he told reporters.
“I asked residents in the 7th Congressional District to weigh in on the fundamental questions about whether the United States should raise the debt ceiling, and more than 80 percent said yes and more than 80 percent said without any cuts in vital social services.
“While poverty has decreased in the 7th congressional district, it is still high, while persons who are insured have increased in the 7th congressional district, there are still many individuals who still need healthcare.”
Davis said the current debt ceiling proposal will cut:
- $9.9 billion dollars from the public health and social services emergency program fund
- $391 million from one education program alone
- $80 million from the restaurant revitalization fund
- $99 million from Minority Business Development
- $27 million from Child Care
And in his district, Davis said he anticipates huge cuts including cutting support programs for people when they need the most help. He revealed the following cuts not he table:
- The 101,000 families in his district the 7thwho get SNAP benefits and about 251,000 people on Medicaid would face a “mountain of paperwork just to keep their benefits.”
- The 23,000 families below the poverty level will shoulder much of the burden of the broad budget cuts targeting safety net programs. “This hurts families and the communities they live in.”
- Across-the-board cuts jeopardize funding for Veterans Affairs health benefits that support the 19,000 veterans in the 7thCongressional district. He said this can cause delayed care and missed appointments that worsen health outcomes for our nation’s veterans.
Davis said the GOP budget cuts hurt the 95,000 K-12 students in his district when federal funds for education are cut. He said there are 83,000 households in his district that spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent. “Many of these renters include low-income families who are eligible for rental assistance. Unfortunately, federal housing assistance only has enough funding for one in four eligible families, and Republicans want to cut this program even more,” he stated.
“There are some helpful protections in Snap for vulnerable students, homeless individuals, foster children who are aging out of care up to age 24.
“There has been much conversation about work requirements and some massaging of what will be required. There is a pilot program which will give five states the flexibility to shape programs to determine what works best to meet their objectives and fall within the TANF guidelines. Many Members are concerned that the Defense proposal is to increase defense and cut domestic programs.”
