80+ Iowa Interfaith Leaders Ask Congress To Protect Our Most Vulnerable

The Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC) reached out to faith leaders across the state to oppose major cuts from Congress to protect some of our most vulnerable neighbors. Many of our faith traditions have shared values in supporting the health and wellbeing of our most vulnerable neighbors. The below sign on letter was distributed across the state, and with our combined voices, asks Iowa’s leadership in the senate not to push forward the largest cuts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) and Medicaid in the history of our nation.

If you would like to add your name to the letter as a faith leader in Iowa, click here.

June 17, 2025

Budgets are a testament to our values. 

We, the undersigned Iowa leaders from all across the religious spectrum, express great concern that the U.S. House budget reconciliation bill would harm the poorest and most vulnerable people in our state—especially our children and elders.

This budget proposes the largest cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) and Medicaid in the history of our nation. If passed by the Senate and signed into law, Iowans would no doubt suffer.

SNAP helps over 260,000 Iowans feed their families, and two-thirds of these are children, seniors, and people with a disability. 86% of SNAP participants in Iowa also participate in Medicaid, which assists 700,000 Iowans. Under the deep cuts to these programs in the House budget proposal, tens of thousands of our neighbors would be at risk of losing access to nutrition assistance and health care. And when families lose access to SNAP and Medicaid, kids can also lose access to free school meals.

As such major changes are being rushed through so quickly, it is hard to estimate the exact impact these cuts could have. Taken independently, any one of these policy changes would have a significant negative impact on our neighbors. Together, they would be absolutely devastating. To cut these programs is to take away resources from each and every community in Iowa.  Every dollar of SNAP is spent in local grocery stores and benefits the local economy. At a time when food insecurity is already at alarming levels, thousands more Iowans will be turning to food pantries. It would not be possible for our non-profits, faith communities, volunteers, and donors to meet this need. Our charities are already struggling to keep up.    

We the undersigned call on Iowa’s leaders in Congress to stand up for our values and stand up for the health and well-being of Iowans. Taking such basic needs from our neighbors will hurt all of us. Do not cut off resources that support our local families and communities. As the cost of food and other basic needs go up, don’t make it harder for our communities and our neighbors to meet their basic needs.

• Gary and Diana Babberl
• Rev. Mara Bailey
• Lori Baker
• Pastor Dan Baldwin
• Rev. Susan Bantz
• Elder Amgad Beblawi
• Rev. Elizabeth Bell
• Rev. William Bernau
• Rabbi Linda Bertenthal
• Carol Birkland
• Rev. Dr. Kenneth R. Bickel
• Rev. Robyn Bles
• Rev. Timothy D. Bonney
• Rev. Lindsey Braun
• Rev. Candice K. Brown
• Pastor John Chaplin
• Deacon Larry A. Christensen
• Rev. Dr. Denny Coon
• Pastor Jonathan Cox
• Rev. Lewis Cox
• High Priest Debora Crowley
• Bishop Amy Current
• The Rev. Jean M. Davis
• Rev. Katie Z. Dawson
• Pastor Ryan Downing
• Rev. Karen Dungan (Ret.)
• Rev. Lisa Gaston
• Rev. Laura Gentry
• Rev. Lizzie Gillman
• Rev. Lisa Grace
• Rev. Debbie Griffin
• Pastor Kelsey Guckenberger
• Pastor Jacob Guckenberger
• Pastor David Halaas
• Bishop Lorna H. Halaas
• MacKenzie Harvey
• Pastor Mark J. Holmes
• Pastor Timothy Jacobsen
• Lead Pastor Heecheon Jeon
• Jessica Jessen
• Rev. Kevin T Jones
• Cantor Gail Karp
• Mr. Gurwinder S. Kapur
• Rev. David Kebschull
• Rev. Kirsten Klepfer
• Laura Lane
• Rev. Kathleen Lotz
• Rev. Sharon Mahood
• Prof. James B. Martin-Schramm
• Barb Mitchell
• Rev. Robert F. Molsberry
• Bishop Betsey Monnot
• Rev. Peter A. Pettit, PhD
• Rev. Lee Roorda Schott
• Sarai Rice
• Rev. Bill O’Connell
• Brents Oliphant
• Pastor Sara Olson-Smith
• Rev. Marion Pruitt-Jefferson
• Rev. Dr. Catherine Quehl-Engel
• Pastor Laurie Riley
• Pastor Jodi Rushing
• Rev. Mark Schlenker
• Pastor Travis Segar
• Rebecca shepard
• Stewart Shepard
• Clare Smith-Larson
• Imam Nermin Spahic
• Greg Stokke
• Dir. Matthew Tapscott
• Susan Thies
• Carol and David Thomason
• Rev. Sarah Trone Garriott
• Rev. Rachel Thorson Mithelman
• Rev. April Ulring Larson
• Rev. Heather Wachendorf
• Rev. Canon Meg Wagner
• Rev. Beth Wartick
• Rev. Melanie Van Weelden
• Rev. Paris White
• Rev. Michael Wilker
• Joanna Winston
• Rev. Kathleen Wohlers
• Rev. Dr. Jared Wortman
• Rev. Carmen Lampe Zeitler