Life in poverty foreign to Congress members

Thanks to The Gazette for the articles and editorials on poverty - 'Wage hike could lift family” March 26 by Alicia McCrary and the April 11 article 'America's Great Divide keeps getting wider.”

Congress still wants to cut many programs (Earned Income Tax Credit, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid) related to the recent articles. Does Congress really understand what it means to live in poverty and be part of the working poor?

The articles reflect on many issues that confront people in poverty every day. People in poverty live from crisis to crisis that includes lack of transportation, child care, adequate and affordable housing and earning a living wage that will allow for self-sufficiency and to be able to save for the future including retirement and their children's education.

Advocacy is so important for the issues of poverty, do not ignore these concerns. There are very few, if any, lobby groups in Washington for the poor.

Judy McDowell

Cedar Rapids