Republican Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has received criticism for announcing that her state will not participate in a summer federal food program for impoverished children. The decision has sparked backlash online, with social media users expressing their frustrations.

The federal 2024 Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children (EBT) program provides low-income families with $40 per child per month to help with food costs during school closures. Over 200,000 children in Iowa would have qualified for this program, but Governor Reynolds stated that Iowa would not be joining other states in implementing it.

Reynolds defended her decision in a joint statement from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Education. She argued that federal COVID-era cash benefit programs are not sustainable and do not offer long-term solutions for the issues impacting children and families. The governor also claimed that an EBT card does not promote nutrition, citing the issue of childhood obesity as an epidemic.

However, Reynolds' announcement drew strong criticism on social media, particularly due to its timing close to Christmas. The official Drake University Democrats account expressed their disappointment, accusing Reynolds of actively making children go hungry and labeling her as one of the worst Iowa governors. Other users on platforms such as Twitter also voiced their frustrations.

Governor Reynolds, who has a 54 percent approval rating according to a July survey by Morning Consult, faced further backlash from author and journalist Mark Jacob. He condemned her for citing child obesity as a defense for depriving poor kids of food. Reynolds also received criticism from political scientist David Darmofal, who accused her of allowing children to work in dangerous jobs in violation of federal child labor laws.

The mention of child labor laws refers to recent efforts by the Republican-led Iowa government to expand parameters for underage workers. This move has been heavily criticized by opponents, who argue that it weakens child labor protections. Certain aspects of this expansion have been found to violate federal child labor laws, such as allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to operate dangerous power-driven machines and work in heavy manufacturing without proper oversight.

Reynolds' office has not yet responded to Newsweek's request for comment on the matter.

The governor's decision and the subsequent backlash highlight a contentious issue regarding the provision of assistance to impoverished children in Iowa. As the debate continues, the impact on the well-being of vulnerable children remains a focal point of concern for critics of Reynolds' decision.