Last week’s Senate health care vote made one thing abundantly clear -- Congress has an inability to govern.
Senate Republicans’ failure to repeal and replace Obamacare after seven years of promises has left millions of Americans stuck with a failing law even as members of Congress receive special Obamacare subsidies. Now it is time for Congress’ special treatment to end.
Since 2014, Congress has received a special exemption that allowed the members of Congress and their staffs to file as a small business. This classification allowed them to receive subsidies for their Obamacare plans at the expense of taxpayers. This is unacceptable.
Congress should not be exempted from Obamacare’s skyrocketing premiums.
Now President Trump is also indicating his support for ending this special treatment that Congress enjoys. It is great to see the president standing against the special interests that rule the swamp and instead advocating for the American people.
Congress is out of excuses. There should be no more special treatment for members of Congress and their staff. If they are unable to repeal and replace Obamacare, they should shoulder the burden with their fellow Americans.
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H.E.R.O. Summer Camp teaches children animal care through play
Campers are learning pet care and animal welfare issues at the Humane Society of Utah
Utah youth learn about important animal welfare issues while having fun at the Humane Society of Utah’s second annual H.E.R.O. (Humane Educators Reaching Out) Summer Camp for Kids presented by the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation. Four separate weeklong camps accommodating children grades 1st through 8th were held July 10 through Aug. 11, 2017. The camp is held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Humane Society of Utah facility located at 4242 S. 300 W. Murray, Utah. Children participate in age-appropriate games, workshops and presentations focused on proper pet care, the importance of spaying and neutering, animal welfare issues, how to meet a new dog, clicker training and more. The goal of the H.E.R.O. Camp is to foster empathy, compassion and respect for all animals through fun and engaging educational activities.
“We believe that it’s important to teach kids how to properly care for and respect animals to reduce future animal welfare problems,” said Caitlin Lisle, HSU humane education director. “If kids learn why it is important to spay or neuter their pets to prevent unwanted litters, get vaccinations to keep their pet healthy, provide proper care and prevent abuse or neglect, these lessons will hopefully spread to their family and friends and decrease the chances more animals will needlessly enter the shelter system. We also believe that empathy is crucial for kids to develop at an early age, it can affect how they treat other people.”
The Sorenson Legacy Foundation provided grant funds allowing 11 scholarships to be offered to students in need of financial assistance so that they could attend the camp.
H.E.R.O. campers enjoy special guest presentations from Banfield Pet Hospital ®, Scales and Tails Utah, Mountain America Credit Union, and older campers take a field trip to Ching Farm Rescue and Sanctuary on their final day. Along with daily interaction with HSU’s dogs, cats and various small pets, campers get the chance to see and learn about a variety of animals including parrots, chickens, reptiles, goats, pigs and other surprise visitors.
Campers keep a journal about what they have learned and experienced each day. At the end of the weeklong camp, a graduation ceremony is held Friday from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., and campers receive a certificate of completion from the camp counselors.
The H.E.R.O. Summer Children’s Camp is made possible by a grant from the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation and supporting sponsors, Rocky Mountain Power, Mountain America Credit Union, Banfield Pet Hospital ® and Albertsons.
Every day of the year, our Humane Education Team visits schools and conducts field trips. In 2016, over 10,000 children were taught about animal welfare and the inaugural H.E.R.O. Summer Camp lasted two weeks and educated 70 children. Because of the great success and interest, the 2017 camp was extended to four weeks.
The Humane Society of Utah is already planning to extend the camp in 2018 to accommodate even more children. Registration will begin March 2018.
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About the Humane Society of Utah
The Humane Society of Utah is dedicated to the elimination of pain, fear and suffering in all animals. Since 1960, the HSU has been sheltering homeless animals, fighting cruelty and neglect, and creating an environment of respect, responsibility, and compassion for all animals across the state of Utah. HSU is the largest open-admissions shelter in the state and welcomes any companion animal that can legally be admitted. As a member of the No-Kill Utah (NKUT) Coalition, the HSU works hard to ensure that every healthy and treatable pet that enters the facility will be placed into a loving home. The Humane Society of Utah is a local, private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that does not receive any state tax dollars or government funding. HSU is funded by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses and foundations. Read more about the HSU online at www.utahhumane.org.
