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To the Editor: Re “No American Should Go to Bed Hungry,” by Josh Hawley (Opinion guest essay, Oct. 29): Senator Hawley, a Missouri Republican, is rightly concerned that if the government shutdown continues, millions of Americans will soon lose their SNAP benefits and could go hungry. He says there are two possible solutions: “pass a clean funding bill to reopen the government in its entirety,” or pass his bill to provide food aid to the poor during the shutdown. He does not mention a third option, which is for him and his fellow Republicans to agree to amend the government funding bill to extend the health insurance subsidies that Democrats are demanding. If the subsidies disappear, as Republicans intend, millions of poor people will lose their ability to afford health insurance. Meanwhile, those slightly better off will struggle to pay the higher health insurance prices without subsidies, only to find that they have trouble paying for groceries. Why is feeding poor people essential, but providing them with medical care is not? Dan Frazier Boca Raton, Fla. To the Editor: Earlier this year, I felt a flicker of hope when, in an Opinion guest essay much like this one, Senator Josh Hawley urged Congress to preserve Medicaid funding. I hoped his words signaled a willingness to cast his vote to stop the very cuts he now decries in this piece. One of Senator Hawley’s constituents wrote these heartbreaking words to him: “I understand getting rid of the SNAP program for those who are doing fraud or giving it to illegal aliens. But what about those who need it?” Actions speak louder than words, Senator. Your vote for the Big Beautiful Bill made those cuts law. You can’t wash your hands of their impact by writing performative letters and opinion pieces. The real fraud is the one you’re committing on your constituents: pretending to care while casting deciding votes to take food from their dinner tables under the false pretense of waste and abuse. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
