Issues of Concern to Democrats

The pdf available here describes the negative impacts to our community under the current Republican administration. The pdf includes information about Medicaid, Women's Healthcare, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Department of Agriculture Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA), Libraries, Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Education, and the University of Tennessee. Below, the information is also available.

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MEDICAID​

• In the 2nd Congressional District, represented by Tim Burchett (R), 18% of the total population receives Medicaid benefits, totaling 147,000 people.

• In Tennessee, Medicaid covers 46% of all births, 42% of all children, 57% of all nursing home residents.

• 6,250 people are projected to lose Medicaid coverage in the 2nd Congressional District.

• Tennessee has the highest number of hospital closures per capita in the US.

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WOMEN’S HEALTHCARE

• Maternal mortality in Tennessee is the worst of all 50 states in the US.

• In the 2018-2022 timeframe 199 mothers died delivering babies in Tennessee.

• Cutting Medicaid will lead to fewer doctors and fewer hospitals providing women’s healthcare.

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SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP)

• In Loudon County, 7,089 citizens, 11.7% of the total population, receive SNAP benefits (food stamps).

• 1,400 of these recipients are projected to lose their subsidy.

• Of Tennessee recipients, 66% are families with children, 33% are seniors or disabled, and 33% are working families.

• Each recipient’s benefit is $6.25 per day for an average of $320 per family a month.

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LOCAL FOOD PURCHASE ASSISTANCE (LFPA)

• In Tennessee 12% of the total population is food insecure.

• In Tennessee, LFPA was providing $4.1 million for school lunches and $8.2 million for food banks, all of which is being terminated.

• All purchased food came from local farmers, denying them this income.

• In Loudon County, local food pantries have cut food distribution by half.

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LIBRARIES

• Loudon County has five libraries – Greenback, Lenoir City, Loudon, Philadelphia, Tellico Village.

• A significant portion of federal assistance to Loudon County libraries was for technology and computer services.

• Library computers are used by individuals without internet access for job searches, employment applications, and tax preparation and filing.

• Youth without internet access use library computers for schoolwork.

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GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK

• The Department of Interior is cutting budgets of all national parks, including the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited park in the US

• Currently, 6 of 10 campsites are closed

• 7 of 11 picnic areas are closed

• Staff has been reduced by 10% with more cuts to come

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EDUCATION

• (Loudon)) Tennessee 2nd Congressional District is in jeopardy of losing $5,258,000 of federal support for K-12 education.

• Loudon County School District has lost $95,000 of federal support for the after-school program LAUNCH providing extended learning, STEM education, tutoring, and arts enrichment.

 

UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE

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• The University of Tennessee has lost 42 federal grants totaling $37.7 million.

• Terminated grants were addressing pesticide safety, HIV research, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, Covid-19, rural mental health, and climate change among many other critical areas.

• Stop Work Orders have been issued for many projects, including a $30 million climate change-smart agriculture initiative by the UT Institute of Agriculture.