Mary Beth Cochran is a North Carolina woman who’s still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Helene in September, and now she’s trying to figure out why Republican monsters are trying to take stability away from families like hers.
“I have custody of four of my grandchildren, ages 10, 12, 15 and 16, as their parents couldn’t care for them due to addiction, domestic violence and homelessness,” she began at a press conference held by House Democrats.
“I’m here today to urge lawmakers to put families over billionaires and reject any cuts to the programs hardworking families like mine rely on.
“Caring for my grandkids means the world to me, and I would not change it for the world. I work hard to make sure they have everything they need, but I’m on fixed income and it’s never been easy. I work a part-time job making $8 an hour at a coin laundry in my area to supplement my disability. My family is barely making it.”
In fact, she said, she’s had to skip refilling her prescriptions so her grandkids don’t have to skip meals.
“This shouldn’t be going on. This is not a Democratic or Republican issue. This is a world issue, a people issue. We should be caring for our children. The children are the future,” she said.
“Right now, I’m terrified because Republican leaders seem poised to take critical resources away from my family.
“Our children should be able to get the basic necessities they need. They should be able to go to the dentist, get their teeth cleaned. The simple things. I’ve even heard Head Start is under threat. Head Start helped my grandkids come out of their shells while preparing them for kindergarten.”
She said any cuts to these programs would be devastating.
“But it’s appalling to know that Republicans want to slash these programs so they can cut taxes for billionaires and corporations. Instead, I want lawmakers to permanently expand the Child Tax Credit so our nation’s kids can thrive.”
Congressman Brendan Boyle expands on the scam:
