Press Releases

“We need to take a balanced approach to cut spending and get our fiscal house in order,” said Rep. Larsen. “But there is nothing balanced about denying critical help to seniors and families who can’t afford to buy groceries for their families.”

This bill includes a 21 percent cut to the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) which offers critical help to low-income seniors. The CSFP provides nutritious food for low-income seniors in Northwest Washington and helps close to 1000 seniors in the 2nd District.  Larsen has visited the Volunteers of America Food Bank in Everett that receives help from CSFP to provide low-income people across Snohomish County with nutritious food, such as dairy and vegetables. The majority of the people who benefit from CSFP are seniors. 

 “We need to provide our seniors with the critical help they need -not cut them off from a lifeline that ensures they can buy groceries every week,” said Rep. Larsen. “First, the Republicans vote to eliminate Medicare and now they want to deny low-income seniors the help they need to put food on the table. I will keep fighting to protect Medicare and make sure seniors in Northwest Washington get the help they need during these tough economic times.”

Larsen voted to support an effort that would help enhance enforcement against oil and gas speculators and eliminate speculation that drives up gas prices. 

“At a time when gas prices continue to put pressure on families’ pocketbooks, this bill does nothing to fight speculation.  I voted for an effort to increase funding for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), an independent agency established to protect the public from unfair market practices.  Directing CFTC funding toward enforcement against oil and gas speculators is one way to help halt artificial gas price hikes,” said Rep. Larsen.