In an interview published by NPR, Republican representative Adrian Smith of Nebraska refused to say whether he believed that all U.S. citizens are entitled to eat.
When host Scott Simon turned the subject of the interview toward proposed cuts on food stamps, Smith said: “we do not want to leave our most vulnerable without nutrition”, but added that “even very minor shifts can be very effective in terms of fiscal policy”.
Moreover, Simon asked Smith whether he thinks “if every American is entitled to eat”, to what Smith said that it is “very important”.
The journalist then clarified that nutrition is “not just important, it’s essential for life, so is every American entitled to eat?”, with Smith then responding, “it is essential”.
Simon, who wasn’t satisfied with the half-response, repeated the question, further raising another topic- food stamps. He specifically asked Smith whether he would support “a budget that cuts food stamps”.
“There could be a number of ways that we could address that. I want to look at an entire budget, look at all of the details. I’m still sifting through the details of the newly released budget. But we know that Congress ultimately has the say. I look for there to be a lot of changes made in the House and the Senate to the president’s budget”, Smith responded.
Trump’s budget has been harshly criticized for removing the social safety net that protects Americans who are vulnerable from hunger, homeless and other forms of suffering associated with poverty.
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