This June, the East Oregonian published an op-ed calling on Congress to expand affordable access to obesity treatments: “Curbing the epidemic of obesity requires bold steps.”

As a registered dietitian in Pendleton, I fully support that op-ed and echo the call for Congress to act. Many of my outpatient referrals are for individuals living with obesity, and ensuring access to evidence-based treatment is critical not only for these patients but also for improving public health outcomes.

The good news is that this summer, the House Ways and Means Committee passed the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act. This bill would allow older adults already taking obesity medications to continue treatment upon enrolling in Medicare. It would also update coverage for intensive behavioral therapy for obesity, expanding access to a broader range of health care professionals. Currently, Medicare does not cover anti-obesity medications and limits the types of professionals who are covered for obesity care.

As a professional working with individuals facing obesity, I see firsthand how access to treatment improves both quality of life and health outcomes. It’s long overdue for patients living with obesity to have affordable access to the full continuum of care.

While the Ways and Means vote was a positive step, the bill must still pass the full House and Senate. The Senate version is now in Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden’s Finance Committee, and I hope that, as chair, he will help move this important legislation forward before the year ends.

Christine Guenther

Pendleton

Some of the claims in Keith Gallagher’s letter (“God should guide our nation” in the Oct. 13 edition of the East Oregonian) grossly misrepresent the actual history; a more complete one tells a different story that Christians should be deeply ashamed of.

The relationship between Christianity and the U.S. government is littered with atrocity, disease, death and destruction committed by Christian leaders and followers, dating back to the 1500s. There was official sanction for centuries of efforts to kill or convert the Native American population to Christianity by any means necessary.

Christian nationalism also gave the U.S. the Confederacy and the institution of slavery that it was based on, whose leaders saw their project as based on the Christian domination it promised.

Most recently we have millions of evangelical Christians who have betrayed the principles they claim to revere because Trump (who has called for violence dozens of times) promised them power and revenge against their “enemies,” thus normalizing discrimination and violence against women and other marginalized groups.

This intolerance of many white Christians to those who do not share their supremacist views makes the call to elevate a single religion’s deity (out of many) deeply misguided.

The Constitution is not only secular, but two amendments prohibit any requirement for or endorsement of either a specific religion or religious belief in general, thus establishing the foundational principle of the separation of church and state. The most fundamental right of all here is the flip side of choosing a particular religion: to not choose that one, or to live your life with none at all.

Chris Esposito

La Grande

Since its admission to statehood in 1859, Oregon has participated in every U.S. presidential election.

In the Umatilla County elections office, the hired election employees and the volunteer poll workers are essential to running the elections.

As a voter, I just wanted to let the Umatilla County Election Division know you are appreciated, as well as the volunteer poll workers.

As a reminder, the poll workers have several responsibilities, such as opening the polls on election morning, checking in voters and issuing ballots, assisting voters, implementing election laws and procedures, maintaining the chain of custody of ballots, voting equipment, and supplies, closing the polls and reconciling the number of voters checked in with the number of ballots cast at their location.

Typically, poll workers are trained by local election officials and work in teams. Poll workers swear an oath to uphold election laws and protect the security of the election.

We all should appreciate these people from our county who make our elections possible. Many do the work because of their strong belief in our democracy and want to have a role in it.

As a voter, you should applaud yourself for engaging in your civic duty — the democracy of the vote.

We have become a part of the 2024 election history.

Kathy Wilson

Umatilla County Republican Party, Pendleton