WILLIAMSON
FOR
U.S. CONGRESS 2016

DEMOCRAT

CONGRESSONIAL DISTRICT 6

“The Future Can Be Ours.”

480-607-9726

Dear Friend,

Almost 47 million people in the United States, according to the USDA
website, participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program–SNAP–(formerly known as Food Stamps) in 2014. That’s almost
14.5% of our population. Thus, about 15 out of every 100 people would not
get enough to eat without this program. They might even be starving if
this program did not exist. (www.fns.usda.gov.)

In Arizona, this program is called Nutrition Assistance. The Arizona
Department of Economic Security is in charge of it. Last year in our state
approximately 1,044,000 people got benefits from it.(www.fns.usda.gov.)
The Arizona Department of Economic Security website states that this
amounted to 451,000 Arizona families. (www.azdes.gov.)

This statement from the Arizona Department of Economic Security website
helps to clear up a major misunderstanding:
“Myth: Only unemployed people can get Nutrition Assistance benefits.

Fact: Most people who work at low-wage jobs can get Nutrition Assistance
benefits; in fact, 36 percent of the more than 451,000 families receiving
Nutrition Assistance in May 2014 were working.” (Arizona Department of
Economic Security website, www.azdes.gov, June 13, 2015.)

“Once you are approved for SNAP, you will get a SNAP EBT card. It is
similar to a bank or ATM card…Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) is an
electronic system that allows a recipient to authorize transfer of their
government benefits from a Federal account to a retailer account to pay
for products received. EBT is used in all 50 States, the District of
Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam. EBT has been
implemented in all States since June of 2004…

“When you go through the checkout line at a grocery store, run the SNAP
EBT card through the machine. Then enter your PIN code. The cost of the
food is subtracted from your SNAP account automatically. The cash register
receipt tells you how much is left in your SNAP account to use at future
visits.

“You can use your EBT card as many times a month as you want to. There is
no fee for using your card.” (www.fns.usda.gov).

Friend, in Congressional District 6, in 2013 (data released in April
2015), the Overall Food Insecurity rate was 16.5%. The Child Food
Insecurity rate was 24.0%! Almost one out of four kids in CD 6 do not know
where their next meal is coming from! (www.azfoodbanks.org.) (That, by the
way, is what “food insecurity” means: Not knowing where your next meal is
coming from.)

Where does our current congressman, David Schweikert, stand on SNAP? An
article in the Huffington Post states: “Republicans could push food stamp
cuts this year through a parliamentary process known as ‘reconciliation.'”
“Reconciliation” is a process whereby congressional budget oversight
committees can require other committes, such as that which oversees SNAP,
to trim their budgets to be in line with new budget enactments. (“How
Republicans Could Cut Food Stamps This Year,” by Arthur Delaney, March 2,
2015, www.huffingtonpost.com). In view of Schweikert’s lack of enthusiasm
for food stamps in the past, he would, I believe, support such food stamp
budget-cutting policies.

When elected your congressman on November 1, 2016, I will support the
state-administered federal SNAP program in every way, perhaps even
advocating for greater funding. If you would like to make a financial
contribution to my campaign, please check out my website at
williamsonforuscongress.com. Click on the “Make a Donation” page. You
may use a credit card or mail your check to the address there given.
Remember, the Federal Election Commission requires you to provide your
name, address, name of your employer and your occupation when you donate.

I’d like to thank the contributor who recently made a RECURRING donation.
This means that a certain amount of money is donated automatically each
month. Many thanks, wonderful supporter!

The Future Can Be Ours when we recognize that about 15 out of 100 people
in our country would not be getting enough to eat without SNAP, the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. That amounted to almost 47
million people throughout the United States in 2014. A hungry population
cannot work productively, cannot parent energetically, cannot learn in
school attentively. As your next congressman, I will support the SNAP
program in every way. In turn, I ask for your support so that my election
can become a reality. And to have a Democratic congressman in CD 6 would
be a great thing.

If you wish to respond to this e-mail, please feel free to do so.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
John

W. John Williamson

Scottsdale, Arizona