Iowa Catholic Conference Newsletter, July 27, 2026

Tax constitutional amendment placed on the Iowa ballot

During the past two General Assemblies, the Iowa Catholic Conference registered against a proposed amendment to the Iowa Constitution that would require a two-thirds supermajority in both chambers to pass an increase to the corporate or personal income tax. Since SJR 11 passed both chambers in two separate sessions it will be on the ballot for voter approval in November.

The ICC has reservations about the future effect that changing the Constitution may have on the ability of the state to respond to the needs of the people of Iowa. It’s difficult to get a two-thirds vote on anything with any controversy attached to it.

A related concern is that the amendment would make it more likely that legislators would raise the sales tax. Sales taxes in particular fall disproportionately on lower-income people because they tend to pay a higher percentage of their total income on taxes, and no matter how little their income, they pay a sale tax. Those who are poor should not pay a disproportionate amount of income in the sum total of taxes paid.

Works of charity will always be a personal responsibility for Christians. But charity does not substitute for what the public sector can do through the just collection and distribution of tax monies.

Acts that diminish or disregard the dignity of persons ‘should never be normalized’

In light of several recent immigration enforcement encounters resulting in the loss of life, Bishop Daniel E. Garcia, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation, and Bishop Brendan J. Cahill, chairman of the Committee on Migration, issued the following pastoral reflection:

“As Catholics, we believe that all persons are created in the image and likeness of God and, therefore, grieve all situations where human life is brought to an unnatural end. This is a core teaching of our faith and one we can never grow weary of proclaiming as disciples of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

“As the bishops of the United States affirmed last November, ‘We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement.’ Racial profiling in particular not only violates God-given dignity but also inflicts profound harm on individuals, families, and communities by fostering fear, eroding trust, and increasing the risk of unjust and even tragic outcomes. Our pastoral concerns are distinct from what the civil law itself may permit.

“Acts that diminish or disregard the dignity of any person or group of people should never be normalized in our society. The dehumanization of immigrants, regardless of their legal status, is one such example of this; the vilification of law enforcement officers is yet another.

“We continue to affirm the legitimate role of civil authorities to implement the law in a humane manner and with respect for fundamental human rights, including the rights to life and due process. The power of the state must always be exercised within the limits of the moral law. To that end, we call for accountability, transparency, and justice, which require that meaningful reforms be made to our immigration system.”

Catholic community comments on Farm Bill draft

The Catholic bishops of the United States, along with Catholic Charities USA, Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Rural Life and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, have written to leading Senators about the latest draft of the Farm Bill. Their greatest concern is with additional changes being made with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The bishops said, “the bill before the committee does not sufficiently strengthen or modernize SNAP. Instead, it shifts focus away from addressing hunger itself and toward additional administrative and compliance requirements imposed in the reconciliation legislation enacted last year that risk undermining the effectiveness of SNAP and related programs. SNAP remains our nation’s most effective and responsive tool to combat hunger, particularly during periods of economic uncertainty, rising food costs, and persistent poverty. Policies that weaken its reach or add unnecessary barriers ultimately harm low-income families, seniors, people with disabilities, and children who rely on these programs to meet their basic nutritional needs.”

The letter also expresses gratitude for the bill’s proposals to moderately strengthen rural

health care and mental health supports; expand broadband connectivity; and invest in water and wastewater infrastructure. The bishops call for commodity supports to benefit vulnerable farmers and small and moderate-sized family farms, welcome the reauthorization of all key conservation funds with some mandatory funding increases, but are disappointed by significant cuts to the popular and over-subscribed Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).

Save the date: religious liberty conference to be held Oct. 15 at Iowa State University

The Iowa Religious Freedom Day Symposium is sponsoring “The U.S. Constitution: Where Separation and Unity Meet,” on Thursday, Oct. 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Scheman Building at Iowa State University in Ames. Scheduled to make keynote remarks are retired Judge Thomas Griffith, lecturer at Harvard Law School; Judge Ralph Erickson, 8th Circuit Court of Appeals; Paul Lambert of the Wheatley Institute at BYU, and Thomas Berg of the St. Thomas University Law School. More details on registration to follow.

The primary sponsor is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in association with America at 250/Iowa State University, DMARC, Iowa Catholic Conference and the J. Reuben Clark Law Society.