The Department of Human Services has cut millions of dollars from the senior citizen nutrition program. These DHS cuts are translating into the closure of seven senior citizen centers in our area run by the Southern Oklahoma Development Association.

Local lawmakers KXII talked to agree, the DHS funded senior citizen centers are a life line for many seniors. They provide hot meals and needed companionship. So what's going to happen now that seven centers in our area our closed? Local politicians from both sides of the aisle are speaking out. .

Hundreds of seniors from across Oklahoma took to the capitol Wednesday afternoon to speak out against cuts to the senior citizen nutrition program cuts.

"I'm mad. I'm furious and I’m disappointed with our system,” one upset woman said.

We talked to local lawmakers about possible plans to reverse the 7.4 million dollar cut the Department of Human Services handed down to the program.

"It's having an impact that frankly is far greater than 7.4 million dollars,” Sen. Jay Paul Gumm (D) of Durant told us over the phone.

Sen. Gumm says four of the seven senior citizen centers that are now closed are in his area – one in Kingston, one in Wapanucka, one in Calera, and one in Caddo.

"If we don't do anything else with the budget, with the shortfalls we're going through right now, this is one budget hole that should a must be plugged,” Sen. Gumm said.

Sen. Gumm tells us there’s a possible deal on the table that could shift DHS funds around, allowing the $7.4 million hole to be filled and then repaid through other state funds - potentially reopening the closed centers.

But Rep. Pat Ownbey (R) of Ardmore says he hasn't heard any such details yet, and argues maybe it's the entire DHS budget that should be scrutinized.

"Why did DHS cut the senior nutrition program when there were probably a lot of other cuts that could have been made." Rep Ownbey told us over the phone.

Rep. Ownbey says the state budget is facing a 26% shortfall from projected revenues, and all state agencies are being forced to trim spending. But he questions what agencies should be bailed out.

"Records are showing that 29 of the 36 top administrators at the Department of Human Services received raises this past year," Ownbey said.

There's clearly still work to be done to solve the budget deficit, but seniors what to make sure their voices are heard.

There's no time line yet on when a deal to reverse the $7.4 million budget cut could be reached. But it will certainly take bipartisan support to sign off on any state budget shifts to possibly reopen the closed senior centers.