Pope John XXXIII once wrote that “each of us has the right to life, to bodily integrity, and to the means which are suitable for the proper development of life; these are primarily food, clothing, shelter, rest, medical care, and finally the necessary social services.”

Unfortunately, during the current economic recession, these rights are being violated everyday in California. People are hurting. Californians of all backgrounds are losing their jobs and struggling to provide for their families. However, our government, because of a massive budget deficit and partisan politics, has been in little position to aid and offer help to California’s most economically at risk residents.

Californians have grown frustrated with a government that has fired thousands of their children’s teachers, eliminated public safety programs, and cut vital services. Furthermore, public sentiment is that the legislature has done little to help Californians survive and cope with this economic recession. However, we now have a chance to rewrite this narrative and really aid those in need. A government that works for you.

Recently, a constituent of mine in the 48th District applied for food stamps while waiting for unemployment insurance benefits but was denied this vital subsistence. He was denied because the county welfare department incorrectly considered his anticipated unemployment insurance benefits income in determining his eligibility for the program. In fact, he had not yet received unemployment insurance benefits, which often take months to be processed and sent to the recipient.

According to the state’s Employment Development Department, it is estimated that over 665,000 Californians are on unemployment insurance. Many of these individuals have families and mortgages to care for and maintain. We cannot let their needs get stuck in bureaucratic red tape! This is not the government Californians expect, nor, more importantly, who they elected.

That is why I authored AB 1914, which would require counties to take into consideration an individual’s unemployment insurance benefit income to determine eligibility for food stamps only if they receive documentation proving the applicant has already received the benefit.

This is a direct example of government-created loopholes that hurt regular folks trying to make a living. As a result, many Californians have been forced to answer an impossible question: How do you eat without money? It is our obligation as legislators to protect individuals from such life threatening scenarios.

The Federal Food Stamp Program is a critical safety-net for low-income Californians. It provides modest nutritional aid under critical circumstances. Similarly, un-employment insurance is a lifeline for those who suddenly loose their job (many with the same employer over several decades). It is our duty as legislators and leaders to both protect and preserve these services. Especially during these tough economic times!

However, many seem content to vote ideologically on an issue that affects so many poor and disadvantaged people. For instance, congressional Republicans in Washington, D.C., had for months, successfully blocked attempts to extend un-employment benefits for individuals whose benefits had expired. While the impasse has been broken, many endured hardship and struggled to subsist because of a petty political battle.

Even more shocking, Senate Republican Whip John Kyl of Arizona called unemployment insurance a “necessary evil.” Evil? There is nothing evil about helping families eat and live. Furthermore, nothing is immoral about asking for aid and assistance. Republicans should be ashamed of themselves for demonizing their fellow Americans.

We cannot let this rhetoric and posturing to continue. The state of California is facing another huge budget crisis, with thousands of vital social services at risk of being cut. Our number one priority must be simultaneously getting Californians back to work, while aiding those in need.

Assembly Bill 1914 helps people hurt by the recession. As the bill approaches a vote on the State Senate Floor, I ask senators to put aside politics, dump ideology, and vote for their constituents. AB 1914 protects California’s most disadvantaged and ensures that they receive the benefits that they are entitled to by law.

Davis is a member of the California State Assembly, representing the 48th District.