1. Legislative Involvement & Advocacy
What’s going on and what can I do about it?

2. So what is advocacy?
Advocate: to support or argue for (a cause, policy, etc.) or to plead in favor of 
Advocacy: the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal
(Merriam Webster)
What does that look like?

3. Is this Advocacy? YES! YES! YES!
Talking directly to your public officials, in person or on the phone, about your perspectives on an issue is advocacy.
Sending an to your elected officials telling them how you feel about a topic is advocacy
Chatting with other community members about your perspectives is advocacy.

4. Legislative Hot Topics
Federal
State of Iowa
SNAP/Farm Bill
President’s Budget/Harvest Boxes
Able-Bodied Adults w/o Dependents (ABAWDs)
SNAP Bills
Budget
Sales Tax Exemption

5. Food Assistance (SNAP)/Farm Bill
Agricultural Act of 2014 (Farm Bill) is up for reauthorization this year
Farm Bill is a wide ranging, multi-year bill encompassing regulations for farm commodity price and income supports, to agricultural conservation to bioenergy to domestic nutrition assistance
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest program in the domestic hunger safety net accounting for about 80% of the farm bill funding. In Iowa, Food Assistance is SNAP
Provides eligible individuals with assistance to put food on the table
In Iowa as of 2/28/18 – 356,707 Iowans receiving Food Assistance (SNAP) with an average benefit of $ per household

6. SNAP/Farm Bill Concerned about some SNAP Farm Bill Provisions
create additional barriers to maintaining benefits
harsh cliff effect & punishments
harmful to veterans, seniors & children

7. Federal Legislators - Senate
Sen. Chuck Grassley
Sen. Joni Ernst
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
Committee on Finance
Committee on the Budget
Committee on the Judiciary
Joint Committee on Taxation
United States Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
Committee on Armed Services
Committee on Environment and Public Works
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Joint Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations Process Reform

8. Iowa House Congressional Districts

9. Federal Legislators – House
Rep. Rod Blum – 1st District
Rep. Dave Loebsack – 2nd District
Oversight and Government Reform Small Business.
Energy and Commerce

10. Federal Legislators - House
Rep. David Young – 3rd District
Rep. Steve King – 4th District
Agriculture Judiciary Small Business
Appropriations

11. Interacting with your Legislators
They want to hear from you!
Congressional Switchboard (202)
Find your Iowa Legislator
Go to their town halls, come to the Capitol!

12. What do I say? Every voice is important on these critical issues
Say what you feel!
Does not need to fit a script
Does not need to be long/complicated
Does need to be genuine
ANY CUT and/or BLOCK GRANTING TO SNAP IS UNACCEPTABLE!
Harmful to recipients, communities, grocers, education, healthcare, etc.
SNAP works!

13. Organizations
Organizations can help if you need pointers or information
Feeding America – FeedingAmerica.org
Iowa Food Bank Association – IowaFBA.org
Iowa Hunger Coalition – IowaHungerCoalition.org

14. Regenea A. Hurte Iowa Food Bank Association Iowa Hunger Coalition