ICYMI: Josh Turek Fights to Protect Iowans From Losing SNAP Benefits

Turek spent last week touring food banks across the state to learn about the influx of need

Council Bluffs, IA – Last week, Iowa State Representative and four-time Paralympian Josh Turek fought to protect Iowans from the impacts of Rep. Ashley Hinson’s vote to shut down the government rather than protect affordable health care.

Turek led a letter from Iowa House and Senate Democrats calling upon Governor Reynolds to use $107 million in unallocated state funding to provide SNAP recipients with basic food assistance.

Turek also visited food pantries and homeless shelters in both Western and Eastern Iowa to hear from leaders about the impact of SNAP benefits running out. While Turek hears directly from Iowans and looks for solutions, Ashley Hinson is continuing to play the political blame game, making basic food assistance a partisan issue.

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“Literally the most vulnerable in our society are going to lose their food assistance,” Turek said.

“What I learned from the food pantries today is really, really troubling. I cannot understate this enough. I’m looking at barren shelves … There is no rice, there is no pasta, there is zero protein,” he said.

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Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Josh Turek said the blame game between the Democratic and Republican parties isn’t productive.

“I can tell you what I would be doing if I was up there. I would be working on a bipartisan solution to fix this, I don’t think blame is what’s important here,” Turek said.

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Turek said the scale of need dwarfs the governor’s proposed match. “This is costing the state $45 million every single month, and we need to ensure that Iowans aren’t going without food,” he said. “If I was up in D.C., I would be working on this issue. I don’t think they should adjourn at all — work until you find a solution.”

“The blame is on Washington — and we know who’s in power right now. But ultimately, I don’t think that there’s a whole lot of value in us just sitting here and throwing shots when 263,000 Iowans are going to lose their food assistance.”

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