Congressional delegation must protect SNAP

The U.S. House’s reconciliation bill proposes to cut, gut and weaken both the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Medicaid. Proposed cuts and structural changes to SNAP will have serious, long-lasting consequences for the health and well-being of Iowans, in addition to negative impacts on our state’s economy.

The House Agriculture Committee, which oversees SNAP, was ordered to find $230 billion in cuts. This mandate resulted in a bill slashing SNAP by approximately $300 billion over 10 years in order to provide permanent tax breaks for America’s wealthiest households and corporations.

Representing the largest cuts and structural changes in SNAP’s history, consequences for Iowans relying on SNAP will be devastating. Unless Iowans can prove they work 20 hours a week, benefits will only be provided for three months during a three-year period, regardless of access to child care, or other barriers. Currently children up to age 18 are recognizing as possibly needing care, yet this bill drops the age to 7, why?

Will there be a permanent change in dropping the Thrifty Food Plan benefit to about $4.80 per day?

The bill will have ripple effects for children in SNAP households who currently have easy access to free school meals and child nutrition programs through direct certification. As a retired director of the Iowa City Community School District’s School Nutrition Program, direct certification, using SNAP eligibility, was used to automatically approve children for free meal benefits. Creating barriers to SNAP eligibility will certainly harm children who are currently easily eligible for these benefits.

With the restructuring of SNAP’s funding model, will Iowa be able to maintain the existing level of food benefits without cutting participation or benefits?

Factually research shows SNAP improves health outcomes, reduces child hospitalizations and developmental delays and supports educational success.

Iowa SNAP Facts: In 2024, SNAP helped 263,721 people put food on their tables. SNAP brought $528,905,499 into to state. Because 10% of Iowa households experience food insecurity, keeping this program intact is more important than ever. SNAP supported 3,044 local Iowa retailers, including grocery stores and farmers markets, which in 2023 redeemed $608,565,212; tax revenue from these sales contributes to funding schools and health care. One in 12 rural Iowans participates in SNAP. Some think those receiving SNAP don’t work. However, from 2019-23, an average of 84% of SNAP households in Iowa included someone who was working.

According to the National Grocers Association, the impact of SNAP in just Iowa’s District 1 includes: 381 U.S. grocery industry jobs; $12.5 million in grocery industry wages resulting from jobs required to administer SNAP at the grocery store level.

Iowa lawmakers should vote NO on the House reconciliation bill and speak up to protect SNAP.

Diane Duncan-Goldsmith was director of Nutrition Services for the ICCSD, where she helped children to become eligible for free meal benefits. She is a volunteer at a local food bank. She lives in Iowa City.