Stop Cuts to Unemployment and SNAP/Food Stamps

I urge you to oppose SB745 (Bernskoetter), which reduce the minimum number of weeks unemployed workers can claim benefits by almost 40%. It's very short-sighted and is going to hurt the average Missourian at a time when they're most vulnerable. This bill would give Missouri the shortest unemployment benefit period in the country. In most states, the unemployment period is 26 weeks and Missouri's unemployment period was already reduced to half of that since 2009. When people are out of work, they're often trying to find jobs with comparable pay to previous salaries or retraining for a different career. They're occupied with securing money for rent, food or prescriptions. Eight weeks is not enough time to learn new skills. People aren't sitting back and profiting on unemployment.  If businesses aren't able to retain employees, they need to address their pay and benefits, not rely on the State cutting vital safety nets from unemployed workers to threaten them with financial ruin.   I also strongly urge you to oppose HB1560 (Cook), which impose strict limits on public assistance. Food is a basic human right. Threatening people with starvation if they don't follow a specific set of rules or work a specific amount is cruel and malicious and reduces people to slaves. People who are able to work are already working and Missouri's unemployment rate is currently  only 3.3%.  Cash is often a necessary resource, especially if you live in poverty. It is quite possible that having cash helps get a person out of poverty since they can obtain things not possible with a TANF card only.