- Home :
- About ICAN :
- Join Us :
- Job Openings :
- Contact :
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Date: September 19, 2005
For more information, contact:
Matt Russell, 515-277-5077 (ext 15) mrussell@iowacan.org or
Lana Ross, 515-974-8908 advocate@iaumc.org
Iowans Speak Out on Social Security, Medicaid, Food Stamps, and Tax Cuts in Katrina’s Wake
Faith Groups and Advocates hold six public hearings as Congress postpones budget reconciliation
Mason City — Beginning tonight, Iowans are speaking out about the potential cuts to Social Security, Food Stamps, and Medicaid and raising alarms about renewed tax cuts for America’s wealthy in this time of great national need.
"Hurricane Katrina and her aftermath have re-opened the discussion about federal safety net programs for our nation’s most vulnerable," said Matt Russell, organizer for Iowa Citizen Action Network. "Congress has rightly postponed a budget reconciliation deadline from last Friday to the end of October. This gives Iowans more time to communicate with our very powerful Congressional delegation in Washington, D.C. And now is not the time for cuts to these life saving programs and now is not the time to offer even more tax cuts to the wealthy that will keep piling onto our national debt."
"We believe this budget is a moral document," said Lana Ross, advocate for the Iowa Conference of The United Methodist Church. "That means at this time of great despair due to Hurricane Katrina, we simply cannot cut Food Stamps and Medicaid. This budget process needs to be permanently delayed for this year and Congress needs to start over."
Mike Owen, assistant director of the Iowa Policy Project, noted Medicaid has been a "critical lifeline" to Iowans and other Americans who otherwise would not have access to health care.
"In Iowa, 1 in 10 of our neighbors does not have health insurance. Iowans increasingly do not have coverage through their employer, and increasingly must turn to Medicaid and "hawk-i" for help," Owen said. "Trading off poor Iowans’ health care to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy cannot be justified."
The Iowa Conference of The United Methodist Church, Iowa Citizen Action Network, and a number of co-sponsoring organizations are hosting six public hearings about proposed cuts to Social Security, Medicaid, and Food Stamps and a renewed round of tax cuts.
Co-sponsors as of September 16:
Call to Renewal
Every Child Counts
Iowa Citizen Action Network
Iowa Conference of The United Methodist Church
Iowans United to Protect Social Security
League of Rural Voters
National Association of Social Workers, Iowa Chapter
National Catholic Rural Life Conference
Progressive Action for the Common Good
Quad Cities Interfaith
Rural Americans for a Secure Future
Sojourners
True Majority
The first hearing was held September 19th in Mason City. Hearings will also take place in Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Davenport, Cedar Rapids, and Waterloo. A final report from the public hearings will be delivered to Iowa’s Congressional delegation and released to the press.
# # #
Faces and Voices of Social Security Campaign
FACT SHEETS
Privatization: Fact Vs Fiction
Is the McCrery-Shaw Bill Privatization?
REPORTS
Institute for America’s Future: Rural Communities Rely on Social Security Income Nearly TWICE as Much as Non-Rural Communities
The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities: Why the President’s Social Security proposals could ultimately lead to the unraveling of Social Security
Institute for America's Future: Privatization = $152,000 Cut in Social Security Checks for Typical Iowan
RESOURCES
Americans United to Protect Social Security
Midwest Academy: The Bush Plan Weakens Social Security
IN THE NEWS
09/30/05, Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier: Public hearing highlights poverty, budget spending
09/29/05, Mason City Globe Gazette: Guest View: Finding Budget 'High Ground'
09/29/05, Cedar Rapids Gazette: Advocates hope to avoid program cuts
09/27/05, Quad City Times: Putting a face on budget plight
09/20/05, Des Moines Register: Hearings planned on cuts to social programs
08/20/05, Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier: Labor group joins protest of Social Security proposal
08/04/05, Washington Evening Journal: Washington stop on Social Security roadshow
07/26/05, Clear Lake Reporter: Social Security Town Hall Discussion to Take Place in Clear Lake
07/06/2005, The Hawk Eye: Group aiming to take stand against Social Security privatization
PRESS RELEASES
02/09/06 - Iowans Call on Nussle to Reject Social Security Cuts and Privatization
8/19/05 - Iowans Celebrate 70 Years of Social Security
8/12/05 - Who Is Ducking? Congressman Jim Nussle on Social Security Privatization
8/3/05 - Rural Iowans to Discuss Effects of Proposed Changes to Social Security
