Constituents gather at town hall and ask ‘Where’s Nunn?’
Des Moines, Iowa – Over 100 constituents showed up for a town hall for Congressman Zach Nunn, who was invited but declined to appear at the event and hear directly from the people he represents. Attendees discussed potential funding cuts to health care, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), assistance for farmers, Social Security, veterans benefits, and other programs that Iowans depend on.
The town hall comes after Nunn voted to advance a budget plan that requires massive cuts to Medicaid, food assistance, and other essential programs working Iowans rely on in order to pay for more tax cuts for corporations and billionaires. As Congress works on Budget Reconciliation, Nunn will be voting in the House Agriculture Committee to decide how many Iowans will go hungry as proposals to cut SNAP benefits are considered. He will also have opportunities to stand up against Medicaid cuts that could rip health care away from 169,000 constituents in IA-03.
Anne Discher, the executive director of Common Good Iowa, spoke directly about the House budget plan that Nunn voted for and gave it a failing grade. She explained that the outlined budget would take health coverage, nutrition assistance and other vital supports away from thousands of Iowans and blow up the deficit just to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest households and corporations.
“We are asking Rep. Nunn to put working families first,” Discher said. “We are asking him to reject any final budget that takes us down a path of higher food costs for families, more people without health coverage, increased poverty and hardship, and higher debt — all in service to tax cuts for wealthy households and business owners. That’s the wrong direction.”
Charlie Wishman, the president of the Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, said that he had been to several empty-chair town halls recently, where rooms were packed with Iowans wanting answers from their elected officials.
“There are so many people out there, including us in here today that are not being heard,” Wishman said. “Iowans will continue showing up until Congressman Nunn hears us, that’s his job.”
During the town hall it was announced that President Trump has signed the executive order to begin dismantling the U.S. Department of Education.
"Where are our representatives? They should be standing up for Iowans and public education. Instead, Representatives Miller-Meeks and Nunn are letting President Trump take a wrecking ball to programs that support our communities, from Medicaid to the Department of Education.” Marco Arreola, an educator from Des Moines, said. “I came to the town hall because I want answers. Rep. Nunn's absence was loud and clear. He works for Trump, not Iowans like me and my family."
Matt Russell, an Iowa farmer and former state executive director for the USDA Farm Service Agency, talked about the impacts farmers are facing from tariffs and the cutting funding for agriculture, conservation and water quality projects.
“Trump’s actions have devastating consequences for farmers,” Russell said. “Our Republican leaders are not stepping up and fighting for us, instead, they make excuses for kicking us in the teeth.
In his closing remarks, Russell noted that “Representative Nunn needs to show up at town halls and address his constituents because Iowans are worth it.”