Iowa will not participate this summer in a federal program that gives $40 per month to each child in a low-income family to help with food costs while school is out, state officials have announced.
The state has notified the U.S. Department of Agriculture that it will not participate in the 2024 Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children — or Summer EBT — program, the state’s Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Education said in a Friday news release.
“Federal COVID-era cash benefit programs are not sustainable and don’t provide long-term solutions for the issues impacting children and families. An EBT card does nothing to promote nutrition at a time when childhood obesity has become an epidemic,” Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds said in the news release.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Iowa will not participate this summer in a federal program that gives $40 per month to each child in a low-income family to help with food costs while school is out, state officials have announced.
“Federal COVID-era cash benefit programs are not sustainable and don’t provide long-term solutions for the issues impacting children and families.
An EBT card does nothing to promote nutrition at a time when childhood obesity has become an epidemic,” Iowa Republican Gov.
Some state lawmakers, including Democratic Sen. Izaah Knox of Des Moines, quickly voiced their opposition to the decision.
“It’s extremely disappointing that the Reynolds administration is planning to reject federal money that could put food on the table for hungry Iowa kids,” Knox said in a statement.
States, territories and eligible tribal nations have until Jan. 1 to notify the Department of Agriculture of their intent to participate in the program this summer.
The original article contains 520 words, the summary contains 149 words. Saved 71%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
So let them starve. Actually it drives them to less healthy food since that is cheaper thus contributing to the obesity.
They also say that it is not a long term solution. The only true thing they said, however will they put something into motion as a replacement? I wouldn’t hold my breath.
She doesn’t even mention whether or how she’s using the saved $2.2 million. I also wouldn’t hold my breath for a replacement or even an enhancement of existing programs.
Imagine the really awesome “lectern” you can buy with that much
Honestly, I don’t get this. Call a spade a spade. Use words like “absolutely unconscionable”. Use “inexcusable”. Use words that get the gravity across of just how asinine and ABSOLUTELY deadly this will be. Mark my words, despite whatever safety nets exist in the state of IA, kids will starve to death because of this. Make a statement saying EXACTLY that, and point out that the blood will be on Governor Reynolds’ hands.