At our elementary school, 5th graders get to participate in a program called STARBASE Hill. It is a Department of Defense Youth Program at Hill Air Force Base. The students get to do hands-on projects in STEM for five full days. It is a fantastic and engaging program that has served Davis School District since 2011.
My 5th graders’ first day at STARBASE is supposed to be Feb. 20. STARBASE just sent out an email to teachers that they had to cancel the program because the individual controlling funds at the federal Office of Management and Budget has ceased all payments for the program.
This is a highlight for our 5th graders, and they are so disappointed. This program had funds allocated by Congress and it is extremely unfair to all involved to have one person halt payments.
If the DOGE finds ways to save money, then they can pass that information onto Congress, which holds the purse strings of the government. Congress can then decide how much money goes where. There is a process for a reason, so that things like this do not happen.
Anyone who runs a household knows how asinine it is to decide how to save money by halting all payments. It’s a great way to have your utilities turned off, get evicted and destroy your credit score. None of which will save you money in the long run.
According to the U.S. Constitution, Congress has the power of the purse, not the president or his “special government employee.” Write and call your representatives in Congress. We have separation of powers for a reason.
Angela Dixon, Woods Cross
