I am exasperated that House leadership is threatening to tank our economy to extract devastating budget cuts that target people experiencing poverty. 

As a condition for allowing the U.S. to pay its bills, the House plan slashes dozens of services including SNAP, Medicaid, housing assistance, preschool and childcare, and core global poverty programs.

These cuts would force deep hardship onto tens of millions of people still recovering from the COVID economic downturn and rising costs of basic needs. 

It is dangerous for House leaders to even hint that the U.S. will not honor its debts. It is cruel for them to do it on the backs of people experiencing poverty. I strongly urge President Biden and congressional leaders to reject the House cuts to anti-poverty programs and pass a clean debt ceiling immediately.

Marcelina Ceniceros

Iowa City