HF 3 hurts our most vulnerable

Thirty-nine of our Republican House members, including many of those representing us in northeast Iowa, have co-sponsored House File 3, which adds eligibility obstacles and restrictions on individuals and families receiving SNAP. This is a program that provides financial support for people in need to provide food on their table. Fifty percent of the people who receive this support children and 24 percent are elderly. The money does not come from our Iowa state taxes. It is a federal program.

SNAP eligibility is based on income. This bill would add obstacles including having to meet monthly requirements. Our friends and neighbors in NE Iowa could lose eligibility and access to food.

I have always been proud and hopeful about our NE Iowa value of taking care of our friends and neighbors, whoever they may be. This includes planting and harvesting on a neighbor’s farm when there has been an accident, attending and contributing to fundraisers for our neighbors going through medical emergencies or loss of their homes to a fire. I believe it also includes making sure that none of our neighbors go hungry, especially our most vulnerable, our children and elderly. It is a bill that is meant to punish people for needing help in hard times.

Tell your Republican representative to vote no on HF 3, and stop using our children and elderly as pawns in the politics game.

Kathy Hay

Waukon

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