Iowa Advocacy Organizations Host Economic Impact Forum on Congressman Zach Nunn’s Policy Choices
Des Moines, Iowa – Today, regional advocacy organizations from the Des Moines area, including Fairness for Iowa, Creative Visions, the NAACP of Des Moines, and constituents of the 3rd Congressional District convened to discuss the economic impact that both existing and proposed legislative policies would have on Iowans, particularly on women and underrepresented communities. This comes after months of grassroots organizing aiming to sway Congressman Zach Nunn to support legislation that helps working people.
"Iowans are feeling financial pressures like health care costs and food prices, hindering their ability to live their lives to the fullest. We need support from our representative in the 3rd Congressional District, Zach Nunn, to ensure all Iowans and Americans are not struggling to make ends meet and have access to vital programs like WIC and SNAP," said Matt Sinovic, Executive Director of Progress Iowa.
Participants and attendees learned more about the legislation proposed and supported by 3rd Congressional District representative, Congressman Zach Nunn. For example, last September, Nunn voted for damaging cuts to small business assistance, access to Social Security benefits, and health care services for rural and underserved families. In the last week, House Republicans have been threatening to underfund WIC and place strict new requirements on SNAP—two programs that are essential for Iowans who rely on them to afford food for their families.
“I think it's important for our elected officials to know our issues and communicate those issues, and to educate ourselves and to stay a part of the process. I think that's very important,” said Ivette Muhammad, director of Creative Visions Human Development Institute. “I have to think that if I had a conversation with Zach Nunn about a policy that he put in place that was hurting my family, and I was able to talk with him about how that's impacted my family, that maybe, just maybe, he might have a change of heart and do something different.”
Constituents of Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District were invited to attend and learn more about Congressman Zach Nunn’s voting record. As Congress heads toward two government funding deadlines in the next few weeks and is tasked with the challenge of passing several appropriations bills to avoid a shutdown, Iowans are speaking out and urging Nunn to change course and vote against harmful cuts to programs that their families rely on.
“I find it hard for someone to speak on behalf of us, for us, and never engage in conversation with us. It's hard to say that you know what's best for our people if you've only been in certain areas,” said Pastor Joshua Milam, NAACP executive committee member. “If you say one thing out of your mouth and do another, you don’t look more like a Congressman, you look like a confused conundrum. You don't want to be in the pockets of the rich to take food out of the mouths of the poor. If you do, you are misrepresenting us.”
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