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| John, We have a serious poverty crisis in our country. As the rich get richer, working families are working twice as hard but still struggle to get by. Folks are facing stagnant wages and dwindling opportunities. Food, child care, health care, transportation, and housing costs are all going up. Benefits and social services that help working families are constantly on the chopping block by politicians in Washington, hoping to cut spending without angering their special interest donors. What these disconnected politicians ignore is the deep impact these programs have on folks across the country, especially right here in Iowa, but also on our entire economy. From food stamps to Medicaid to federal housing assistance, these programs help regular folks keep food on the table, stay healthy, or protect them from losing their home. They also lift folks out of poverty, aid productivity, and inject more dollars into the hands of folks who will spend it out in the community. One of the most crucial of these programs is the Earned Income Tax Credit. This tax refund gives working families, especially those with children, a few extra dollars to get by with. Last year alone, it lifted 5.6 million people -- including about 3 million kids -- out of poverty. Most folks use the EITC to pay for necessities, for instance to repair their home, fix their truck to get to work, or get additional training or education to further their career and earning potential. On Earned Income Tax Credit awareness day, sign our campaign’s petition demanding Congress protect the EITC in all budget negotiations. Before running for office, I had the privilege of working for Working Hero -- an organization focused on lifting people out of poverty. Learning how the system works, I realized just how easy it is for our government to stack the odds against farmers, waitresses, teachers, garbage collectors -- the people who make our society work. We need to make sure every person who qualifies for the Earned Income Tax Credit takes advantage of it -- this isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s good economic sense. A family with two working parents should not struggle to make ends meet to feed their kids. As the tariffs threaten farms and local manufacturing here in Iowa, we should be strengthening the systems that help working folks get ahead, not holding them back. We need members of Congress who stand with poor and middle class folks instead of big donors. We need representatives who will hear their needs and concerns and fight to end poverty. Add your name -- tell Congress to stand by the poor and working families who rely on the Earned Income Tax Credit. Standing Tall for All, J.D. Scholten
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