Erie County PA children’s health affected by poverty
Alex Whipple from the Erie County Department of Health says poverty can affect children’s health as well as the health of adults.
- A new co-op program in Erie aims to provide students with a path to free college tuition.
- A writer urges Pennsylvania lawmakers to support the removal of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from his cabinet post.
- Another writer calls on the U.S. Senate to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits set to expire at the end of 2025.
- The expiration of these tax credits could cause millions to lose health care coverage or face significantly higher costs.
Euell, Devlin praised for new co-op program
Congratulations to Mary Euell, owner of Barb’s Child Care Center, and future mayor Daria Devlin. They are making Erie a better place by providing students with a possibility for free college tuition via the new Erie School District co-op site at Barb’s Child Care Center. As the saying goes, it’s OK to love Erie!
Thank you Mary and Daria!
Maggie Link, Erie
Pa. lawmakers must seek RFK. Jr.’s removal
In the run-up to the 2024 presidential election, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. agreed to exit the race and endorse Donald Trump. Trump then nominated and Congress confirmed Kennedy to serve as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. In less than a year, he has decimated key panels and, I believe, diminished the role of science and medical research in determining the best approach to keeping the American public healthy and safe.
His most glaring changes have come in the form of raising doubt over the safety of multiple vaccines and vaccination practices, which has led multiple private scientific and professional medical associations to plead with the public to ignore Kennedy’s unscientific and unsupported propaganda. Kennedy has also overseen cuts to multiple areas of medical research, including in mRNA-based vaccines which saved millions of lives during the COVID-19 pandemic and hold great promise for other diseases. Kennedy has made multiple other changes to the agencies under his direction, in all cases reducing the role of science and elevating support for his own ideas.
Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens is currently pushing for the impeachment of Kennedy, and I encourage all of our local federal representatives — Congressman Mike Kelly, Senator John Fetterman and Senator Dave McCormick — to strongly support the removal of Kennedy from his post, either through impeachment or through direct persuasion of President Trump that Kennedy’s removal is in the country’s best interest. The longer he remains in his position, the more danger he creates, in my view.
This should not be a partisan issue, but a health and safety issue. If Trump feels he has made a commitment to Kennedy for a position in his Administration, he can appoint him the ambassador to someplace where his unsound thinking will not harm the health and safety of Americans. I encourage everyone to reach out to their representatives on this issue.
Michael Hannan, Edinboro
Will affordable health care survive? Ask the Senate
For months, moms, parents and caregivers have been demanding that Congress take action to protect our health care — but Republican leaders and President Trump have refused to take the health care crisis they’ve created seriously. Thankfully, on Wednesday, Dec. 17th, four House Republicans joined Democrats to force a vote on extending the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits. There’s now a clear path forward to protecting affordable health care for millions of Americans.
We’re down to the wire here in the fight to lower costs and save health care for so many of us. The ACA tax credits, which make health care coverage affordable for hardworking moms and families, are set to expire at the end of 2025. If they do, nearly 5 million people — including children and people with pre-existing conditions — will lose their health care coverage altogether. Over 20 million people will see their health care costs double — or even quadruple — come Jan. 1st.
The dire consequences don’t stop there. When millions become uninsured, it will strain the entire health care system, driving up costs across the board and forcing hundreds of hospitals, maternity wards and nursing homes to close. Research has found that millions of Americans will collectively pay an estimated $23 billion more next year just to maintain the same level of coverage they currently rely on. This harms the economy and families alike.
As I write this, the House is going to vote on extending the ACA tax credits in January, and they’ve proven there’s majority support for a clean three-year extension. Protecting affordable health care for millions will then be in the hands of the U.S. Senate. Join me in urging them to finish the job: Extend the expiring ACA tax credits!
Vonalee Aldrete, Erie
link
