In a pivotal full House vote this morning, Representative Zach Nunn (IA-3) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-1) voted to pass a highly controversial federal budget reconciliation bill that would cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – the country’s primary hunger prevention tool for low-income families – by about $300 billion. The huge cuts, along with hundreds of billions more in cuts to Medicaid, are intended to pay for massive tax cuts for corporations and the very wealthiest Americans.

The bill passed the House by only one vote — either Representative’s opposition alone could have prevented its passage this morning.

Nearly 60,000 households currently utilize the SNAP program in Nunn and Miller-Meeks’ Congressional districts. Access to critical nutrition assistance and hunger prevention for many of these low-income families is now in serious jeopardy. An analysis by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities found at least 32,000 people are at risk of losing some SNAP food assistance in these Congressional districts.

In response, Food & Water Watch Iowa Organizer Jennifer Breon issued the following statement:

“Nunn and Miller-Meeks’ unconscionable vote is a direct attack on the basic health and wellbeing of their own constituents here in Iowa – all for the sake of providing huge tax cuts to the billionaire class. Sweeping cuts to SNAP threaten basic food assistance for thousands in our communities. The Senate must reject this dangerous budget bill out of hand, and Congress must get to work delivering a fair Farm Bill that invests in farmers and consumers — not corporations and the wealthy elite.”