A Letter from the Board Chair

Hey there, it’s Luke Elzinga, board chair of the Iowa Hunger Coalition. Now that Iowa’s 2023 legislative session has come to a close, and SF 494 has been signed into law, I wanted to reach out and thank you for all your advocacy this session.

It certainly wasn’t an easy or fun job to do, but together, our advocacy made a difference for Iowans. It can be hard to celebrate your victories in the face of losses (trust me, I’m the worst at this), but it’s important to do so.

Thanks to your help, and the help of all our advocates…

  • We successfully fought back against food restrictions for SNAP and brought national attention to the ridiculous proposal in House File 3 to limit SNAP purchases to the WIC-approved food list.
  • While we were unable to kill the asset test for SNAP entirely, we did successfully lobby to see the asset limit increased from $2,750 up to $15,000, with an additional exemption of up to $10,000 in value for a second vehicle.
  • We helped raise public awareness of hunger and centered the voices of people with lived experience in media interviews, subcommittee meetings, a public hearing, and press conferences.
  • We ensured SF 494 had bipartisan opposition in the House, including from members of leadership.

None of this would have been possible without all your advocacy.

We don’t have any paid staff at IHC. We have a volunteer board of directors, an amazing group of volunteer advocates (you!), and rely on dues from our members to pay for a contract lobbyist. We’ve been contracting with John and Cyndi Pederson of Pederson Consulting for the past few years and have been very pleased with their work.

Our members make this work possible. Without your support, IHC would not exist. Whether you’re an individual or organization, you can become a member of our coalition today – contributing whatever amount fits with your budget. If you’re already a member of IHC, you can expect to hear from us in the coming weeks about renewing your commitment.

Want to learn more about becoming a member of IHC? We’d be happy to talk with you about the benefits of membership and joining our coalition. Contact us at iowahungercoalition@gmail.com.

We’ll also be sharing more details about becoming a member of IHC at our next monthly meetup on Wednesday, June 21, at 10:00am. We’d love to have you join us every month for the latest anti-hunger news in Iowa!

June 2023 IHC Monthly Meetup
Wednesday, June 21, 10:00am

 

Collaboration is key to this work, and we would love for you to deepen your involvement with IHC. We have a number of opportunities to do so:

  • Apply to join IHC’s board of directors. Help lead the organization and provide governance through the board of directors. Board applications are due Friday, June 23. Please note: this opportunity is only available to dues-paying members.

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  • Join one of IHC’s committees. Our Policy, Communications, and Outreach & Membership Committees are all in need of volunteers! If you’re interested in joining a committee, please email us at iowahungercoalition@gmail.com.
  • Attend our annual meeting on Wednesday, July 19. We’ll be hosting a hybrid event this year, with options to join online or in-person at DMARC’s headquarters on the southside of Des Moines. Connect with anti-hunger advocates from across the state and help IHC brainstorm our policy priorities for 2024!

IHC’s 2023 Annual Meeting
Wednesday, July 19, 12:00-3:30pm

 
The fight to end hunger in Iowa continues. Though we’ve had some discouraging policy losses recently, we’re already gearing up and getting ready for what’s next. We’ll be planning, strategizing, and training during the off-session. And with the Farm Bill debate heating up over the summer, you’ll be hearing from us again sooner rather than later.

Thanks again for all you do!

Luke Elzinga
Chair, Iowa Hunger Coalition

Statement from the Iowa Hunger Coalition on the Signing of SF 494

Yesterday, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 494 into law. The Iowa Hunger Coalition, along with a broad coalition of advocates and groups, has been opposed to this legislation from the start, and had called on Gov. Reynolds to veto SF 494. We are disappointed in the decision by Gov. Reynolds to sign SF 494 into law, but not surprised.

The simple fact is SF 494 will remove thousands of Iowans from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The additional administrative hurdles contained in SF 494, including an asset test for SNAP, will create more barriers for struggling Iowans trying to access assistance.

SNAP enrollment in Iowa is nearing a 15-year low. Meanwhile, food banks, food pantries, and other anti-hunger organizations across the state are seeing record-breaking numbers of people turning to them for assistance. Clearly, SNAP is already inaccessible to tens of thousands of Iowans facing food insecurity. Instead of improving access to nutrition benefits, Iowa’s leaders have chosen to target SNAP and other public assistance programs Iowans rely on.

It is not lost on us that, on the day before signing SF 494, Gov. Reynolds announced $5 million in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan to support food bank infrastructure in Iowa. As the Governor rightfully stated in the accompanying release, “access to fresh foods is a challenge for those facing food insecurity and soaring inflation has made it even harder.”

We dispute, however, the Governor’s assertion that “Iowa is making long-term investments to reduce food insecurity in our communities.” Make no mistake: this one-time $5 million investment of federal funds to Iowa’s food banks will not make up for the upwards of $18 million estimated to be denied in SNAP benefits to Iowans on an annual basis as a result of SF 494. SNAP is the best tool we have in the fight against food insecurity, and private charity is not a replacement for social safety net programs.

To top it off, the bipartisan federal debt ceiling deal is poised to expand SNAP work requirements to adults age 50-54. It is estimated this will kick 9,000 older Iowans off the program. Research on work requirements has shown that they do not lead people to meaningful employment, but instead remove people from SNAP who cannot meet the requirement and leave them worse-off than they were before.

These policy changes will harm Iowa and increase hunger and food insecurity in our state. Thousands of Iowans will be negatively impacted by the actions of our state and federal government. Too many Iowans are struggling right now. Increased costs for essentials like food, housing, and health care still outpace wages. As a state, we should be coming together to make sure all our neighbors have the food they need to live and thrive. Instead, these attacks on SNAP will take food off the tables of Iowans.

SNAP in the Crosshairs in Debt Ceiling Deal

Over the Memorial Day weekend, news came out of a prospective agreement reached between President Joe Biden and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy to raise the federal government’s borrowing limit before possible default on June 5. The budget deal includes a number of harmful provisions, including expanding work requirements for SNAP.

What exactly would the bill change?
People classified as Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) are limited to only receiving three months of SNAP benefits every three years unless they are working an average of 20 hours per week. These are adults age 18-49 who do not have children in the household and are physically and mentally able to work.

The debt ceiling bill would expand those work requirements to adults age 50-54 over the course of two years. It would also disallow states from carrying over ABAWD exemptions from year to year (which is not current practice in Iowa). The bill would also provide new exemptions from the ABAWD work requirement to homeless individuals, veterans, and young adults exiting the foster care system.

What would be the impact on Iowans?
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that 9,000 Iowans would lose access to SNAP due to the new work requirements. By definition, these would be adults age 50-54 without children in the household.

The research is clear: work requirements do not lead people to find meaningful employment, they simply remove people from SNAP who cannot meet them, leaving them worse off. A recent study found that the ABAWD time limit cuts SNAP participation to those subject to it by more than half – with no effects on employment and earnings.

And we have yet to see if SF 494 will be signed into law, further restricting access to SNAP for Iowans. Meanwhile, our emergency food system is hanging on by a thread, continuing to face record numbers of people seeking assistance, with demand continuing to outpace resources.

What can you do?
You can contact your members on Congress and urge them to pass a debt ceiling bill that does not include expanding work requirements for SNAP.

Sen. Chuck GrassleyContact Here

Sen. Joni ErnstContact Here

1st Congressional District – Rep. Marianette Miller-MeeksContact Here

2nd Congressional District – Rep. Ashley HinsonContact Here

3rd Congressional District – Rep. Zach NunnContact Here

4th Congressional District – Rep. Randy FeenstraContact Here

Urge Congress to Pass a Clean Debt Limit Hike

This week, the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on Speaker McCarthy’s “Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023.” This is also known as the debt limit bill. House Republicans are threatening not to raise the nation’s debt ceiling if the bill does not pass. WATCH: The Debt Limit Explained.

Among other provisions in the bill, the legislation would impose stricter work requirements for people age 50-55 to access SNAP. Currently this rule only applies to able-bodied adults without dependents between the ages of 18 and 49. There is also an amendment to increase the number of hours to meet this work requirement from 20 hours/week to 30 hours/week.

Research has shown that SNAP work requirements reduce the number of people participating in SNAP but do not improve employment. SNAP work requirements are associated with higher instances of mood disorders and anxiety for people subject to them. In other words, they kick people off SNAP, do not lead people to finding employment, and result in negative physical and mental health outcomes.

Please contact your US House Representative today and urge them to pass a clean debt ceiling hike – not add stricter work requirements for SNAP.

1st Congressional District – Rep. Marianette Miller-MeeksContact Here

2nd Congressional District – Rep. Ashley HinsonContact Here

3rd Congressional District – Rep. Zach NunnContact Here

4th Congressional District – Rep. Randy FeenstraContact Here

Anti-Hunger Leaders Call on Gov. Reynolds to Veto SF 494

Advocates of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will be holding a press conference Tuesday, April 18, at 10:30am in the Iowa State Capitol (south end of the Capitol Rotunda). This is a final plea to Governor Kim Reynolds to veto Senate File 494 – which would kick thousands of Iowans off SNAP and other public assistance programs.

On Thursday, April 13, SF 494 passed the Iowa House without amendment with a vote of 58-41 after nearly four hours of floor debate and 18 proposed amendments. The bill now moves to the Governor’s desk for signature.

Community advocates have voiced concerns that Iowans will lose access to SNAP and other public assistance programs due to the added administrative hurdles from SF 494. This bill would have an immediate downstream effect as people will turn to food banks and food pantries that are seeing record numbers across the state.

SNAP enrollment in Iowa is currently at a 14-year low while fraud committed by individuals enrolled in SNAP remains at a fraction of a percentile of the ~270,000 active participants in the state. This bill will increase administrative costs by millions and will also establish a third-party vendor to institute administrative oversight that will profit from it all.

Establishing an asset test and additional eligibility verification checks would remove people from the program who struggle to meet the new requirements and discourage people from applying for public assistance programs like SNAP.

Advocates encourage members of the public to contact Gov. Reynold’s office and ask her to veto SF 494.

Thank You to All Who Spoke Out Against SF 494

Thank you to everyone who attended today’s public hearing on eSF 494, submitted a public comment, and helped spread the word about the public hearing and the harm that SF 494 would cause. We are nothing without our advocates, and that means YOU! Thank you for your tireless work in opposing the bad SNAP legislation we’ve seen introduced this session.

If you missed today’s public hearing, you can watch it online below.

You can also watch a video recording of a press conference the Iowa Hunger Coalition held following the public hearing with the Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO and Save the Children Action Network to highlight the voices of people who would be directly impacted by SF 494. A special thank you goes out to Briana Jenkins for organizing this press conference!

What Comes Next?

SF 494 is now eligible for floor debate and a vote in the House. This could happen as early as next week. It’s vital we reach out to ALL members of the Iowa House and share our concerns with SF 494.

Please contact your Representative and share your concerns with them about SF 494! You can also contact Speaker Pat Grassley and House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl to ask them not to bring SF 494 to a vote in the House.

You can also write a letter to the editor or guest opinion column to your local newspaper. Legislators pay attention to these, and it’s another way to get the word out in your community about the harm that SF 494 would cause. We’re always happy to help provide talking points and advice for writing these, so reach out to us at iowahungercoalition@gmail.com if you’d like our help!

Public Hearing for SF 494 Scheduled for April 4

A public hearing for SF 494 has been scheduled for Tuesday, April 4, at 9:30am in Room 103 at the Iowa Capitol.

Please spread the word! We need a strong showing of advocates speaking out against this harmful legislation! You can sign up to speak at the public hearing at the link below.


Please share this far and wide! It is vital we get as many advocates to attend the public hearing as possible.

Would you like to attend the public hearing but can’t afford transportation to Des Moines? Email us at iowahungercoalition@gmail.com – we may be able to help.

SF 494 Narrowly Passes House Appropriations Committee

This morning, SF 494 narrowly passed the Iowa House Appropriations Committee on a 13-11-1 vote. Three Republicans (Rep. Michael Bergan, Rep. Brian Lohse, and Rep. David Young) joined Democrats in voting “No” on SF 494. One Democrat was absent, Rep. Tracy Ehlert, who had previously opposed the measure in subcommittee and is assumed would have cast a “No” vote as well, which would have brought the vote total to 13-12.

It was also announced at today’s House Appropriations Committee that there will be a public hearing on SF 494 before it can be brought to the House floor for a vote. The public hearing will happen sometime next week, though we do not have a date or time for it yet. We will receive at least 24 hour notice, and will be sure to get the word out as soon as it’s scheduled!

All in all, today could have gone at lot worse, and right now, we’re feeling really energized and hopeful. The public hearing next week will be absolutely crucial in stopping this bill. If the House were to pass SF 494 as written, it would head to the Governor’s desk for signature.

We need to have a strong showing at the public hearing, so please start spreading the word and preparing comments and testimony. We’ll let you know as soon as the hearing is scheduled.

Thank you for your ongoing advocacy!

HF 613 and SF 494 Advance Out of Subcommittees

This morning, both HF 613 and SF 494 advanced out of House Appropriations Subcommittees on 3-2 party-line votes. Each of these subcommittee meetings were limited to 15 minutes. The chair of both subcommittees told advocates they were only to speak about the appropriations aspects of these bills (which is a little hard to do when we don’t yet have a fiscal note for HF 613).

We had a packed room full of advocates speaking out against these bills and sharing how they would harm Iowans. Unfortunately, those concerns fell on some deaf ears. The fact is these bills would increase administrative costs by millions of dollars and add hundreds of employees to the payroll at HHS, all in an effort to remove Iowans from public assistance programs. And the savings to the state for removing people from SNAP? Zero. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

Thank you to all our advocates for everything you are doing to fight back against these harmful bills. Your voices are so vital to this work, and we truly can’t thank you enough.

It’s unusual that we saw subcommittees for both HF 613 (the House’s version of the bill) and SF 494 (the Senate version, which already passed the Senate). And it’s definitely not a good sign. House Republicans may be keeping their options open by advancing both bills. There may still be some disagreement on which bill to pursue in the House. We simply don’t know at this point.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Both of these bills will now head to the full House Appropriations Committee for consideration. We have heard the Appropriations Committee may vote on one or both of these bills as early as Thursday.

Please contact the members of the House Appropriations Committee below and ask them to vote NO on HF 613 and SF 494.

Thank you for your ongoing advocacy!

Action Alert: Subcommittee Meeting for HF 613 Tomorrow

An appropriations subcommittee meeting for House File 613 has been scheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday, March 28) at 10:00am.

Please contact the House members on this subcommittee ASAP and tell them why HF 613 is a step in the wrong direction for Iowa!

Here’s some of the latest SNAP statistics from February 2023 on the areas these legislators represent:

  • In counties fully or partially represented by Rep. Joel Fry (Clarke, Decatur, Lucas, and Wayne), the number of SNAP participants is at an 18-year low. 9.2% of the population receives SNAP (2,990 individuals), and the average per-meal benefit is $1.68. SNAP benefits generated an estimated $695,016 in economic impact in these counties in February.
  • In Linn County, portions of which are represented by Rep. Tracy Ehlert, the number of SNAP participants is at a 14-year low. 9.2% of the population receives SNAP (21,062 individuals), and the average per-meal benefit is $1.81. SNAP benefits generated an estimated $5.3 million in economic impact in Linn County in February alone.
  • In Polk County, portions of which are represented by Rep. Heather Matson, the number of SNAP participants is at a 13-year low. 10.3% of the population receives SNAP (50,623 individuals), and the average per-meal benefit is $1.85. SNAP benefits generated an estimated $13.0 million in economic impact in Polk County in February.
  • In Webster County, portions of which are represented by Rep. Ann Meyer, the number of SNAP participants is at a 14-year low. 11.9% of the population receives SNAP (4,387 individuals), and the average per-meal benefit is $1.81. SNAP benefits generated an estimated $1.1 million in Webster County in February.
  • In counties fully or partially represented by Rep. Henry Stone (Emmet, Kossuth, and Winnebago), the number of SNAP participants has recently seen an uptick, but is still below pre-pandemic levels. 6.8% of the population receives SNAP (2,336 individuals), and the average per-meal benefit is $1.72. SNAP benefits generated an estimated $557,004 in economic impact in these counties in February.

You can also submit a public comment online, but we do recommend reaching out directly to legislators, as public comments are not guaranteed to be read.


We still have not seen a fiscal note for HF 613, but the fiscal note for SF 494, a similar but more limited bill, would spend millions of dollars and hire hundreds of new employees – and no savings would be seen from SNAP. The fiscal note for HF 613 is sure to be even more costly, given the added piece the House bill contains that are not in the Senate’s version.