OGDEN, Utah — The path ahead seems unclear — especially for Pam Harrison.
“I’m out here because I’m watching democracy get dismantled every day,” Harrison said.
Because her life is on the line.
“I heard that funding for cancer studies were going to be removed,” she said. “That hits me very personally because I’m a patient with Stage 4 cancer and I’m a part of a research project.”
Harrison and dozens of protesters held signs Saturday outside of Timbermine Steakhouse in Ogden while DOGE co-chair Rep. Blake Moore held a luncheon inside.
The protest comes as the Department of Government Efficiency continues to make cuts to federal agencies, including the Department of Education and the Department of Veteran Affairs.
This has led to tens and thousands of job layoffs.
“The whole nation has been put into trauma by the uncertainty of federal employment,” Harrison said.
DOGE cut funding for the National Institute of Health’s medical research. This cut impacts people like Harrison.
“My researcher is scrambling to find funds. My life is literally on the line here,” she said.
Rep. Moore spoke to Saturday’s discourse.
“I have a very strong federal workforce district, and our team is working with the administration to hopefully get this right and find opportunities for reductions in the workforce that are productive,” he said. “We want to make sure we’re avoiding areas that would be damaging.”
Harrison wants Rep. Moore to hear their concerns.
“He needs to give people who actually vote for him a chance to express our concerns and what we want our government to do,” she said. “Face us, give us a voice.”
