DES MOINES, Iowa — Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack were in Des Moines Monday for a tour of the Food Bank of Iowa.
The stop was part of President Joe Biden's "Help Is Here" tour, promoting the recently-passed American Rescue Plan.
Emhoff and Vilsack were joined by Rep. Cindy Axne and toured the Food Bank and participated in a listening session with:
- Food Bank of Iowa CEO Michelle Book
- Urban Dreams Executive Director Izaah Knox
- SALUD: Multicultural Health Coalition of Storm Lake, IA Founder & Co-Director Diane Daniels
- Carla Peterman, a volunteer with the Food Bank of Iowa
"I'm obviously so pleased to see the Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff come visit Iowa," Axne said. "I think for many reasons, it shows their concern for Iowa and rural parts of our country."
The American Rescue Plan includes additional food assistance relief such as a 15% bump in benefits for SNAP recipients through September.
"It's an issue that has affected all Americans despite their party and that's what I really heard today," Emhoff said of fighting hunter. "And that's what this American Rescue Plan is for. It's for all Americans."
The aid was initially set to run out in June.
"It's also an economic driver to the extent that people can buy more food at grocery stores. They do," Vilsack said. "And when they do, that helps farmers, it helps truckers, it helps processors, it helps the people at the grocery store maintain their employment and their jobs."
Emhoff added he will take what he heard in Iowa and relay it to Vice President Kamala Harris..
In total, Iowa is expected to receive about $8 dollar under the plan. $4.4 billion will go to federal and state programs helping people get through the financial hardships caused by the pandemic such as child care and schools.
Iowans themselves received about $3.7 billion in stimulus checks.
Gov. Kim Reynolds said in a statement she opposes how the federal funding will be divided among the states. She joined 21 governors in opposition to the American Rescue Plan, claiming it was based on a state's unemployed population rather than its actual population.