A 76-year-old retired nursing assistant and mother penned a column in the Virginian-Pilot, slamming her representative, Republican Jen Kiggans, for breaking her promise to her district after she voted to gut Medicaid, SNAP, and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). 

Arlid McQuinn writes: “I rely on Medicaid, SNAP and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to cover the necessities. I paid taxes my entire life just like other working class people and those hard- earned benefits are the reason I can eat, get my medication, and keep the lights on. When U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans voted to cut all three, she didn’t just make a political decision. She made a choice to take away my livelihood — the essentials I, and so many other Virginians, depend on to survive.”

The Virginian-Pilot: Kiggans voted to take away help I can’t live without

• I’m a 76-year-old retired mom, and I’ve spent my life working hard and taking care of others. For decades, I served this community as a nursing assistant and raised five kids. I paid my rent and never asked for more than I earned. I gave my time, my strength and my labor to care for my community.
• SNAP provides me $35 a month, which helps me buy basic staples such as fruit, vegetables and bread. While this small benefit doesn’t cover all of my groceries, it makes a significant impact in my life as the cost of groceries continues to rise. I am not alone in this struggle. In Virginia, more than 900,000 people depend on SNAP. Most are children, seniors and people with disabilities. When Kiggans voted to cut SNAP, she didn’t just endanger me, she endangered the lives of  nearly a million working families and retirees just trying to make ends meet.
• I also rely on Medicaid every day. I have advanced rheumatoid arthritis and live with chronic pain and limited mobility. Medicaid covers my doctor’s visits, prescription medications and the help of a caregiver. Without it, I simply would not be able to afford my medication.
• More than 1.5 million Virginians are on Medicaid. That’s nearly 1 in 5 people we see on the streets each day in our state. Those are our neighbors, friends or the person next to you waiting in the doctor’s office for your appointment. Forcing us to choose between medicine and food is a false choice. 
• And when my power bill gets too expensive for my budget in the winter and summer, LIHEAP is what keeps the lights on. I am grateful for the $380 a year it provides, especially in times like these when we have heat waves and other extreme weather conditions. Like Medicaid, without LIHEAP, I would be forced to choose between electricity and other basic necessities. 
• So when Kiggans cast her vote, she voted to rip away the many levels of support that keep people like me alive each and every day.
•  I’m scared for what the future will bring. I don’t have extra money to spend. I have bills, health care needs and a stack of prescriptions I can’t go without. I’m not asking for anything more than what I need to survive and what I worked hard for. 
• If Kiggans thinks we don’t deserve that, she shouldn’t be in office. We need leaders who fight for us, not politicians who turn their backs and look the other way. Kiggans and all of our leaders in Washington must put American families first and fight to protect important programs such as Medicaid and SNAP.