{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://finkenauer.house.gov/media/press-releases/finkenauer-seeking-answers-treasury-secretary-delays-iowans-economic-impact", "Finkenauer Seeking Answers from Treasury Secretary on Delays to Iowans\u2019 Economic Impact Payments", "2020-09-23", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "IA", "Abby Finkenauer", "F000467", "finkenauer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01) sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Wednesday seeking answers for the continued delay on Economic Impact Payments for Iowans.\nIn the letter, Finkenauer wrote, As I informed you when you appeared before the Small Business Committee hearing on July 17, 2020, our office has heard from over 700 Iowans with issues concerning their EIP. That number has increased to 827 since the hearing.\"\nFinkenauer also wrote, Through the hard work of our office's caseworkers as well as taxpayer advocates, economic impact payments continue to be recovered; however, there are persistent issues with the system for processing and distributing these payments that continue to prevent Iowans from receiving them.\"\nFinkenauer highlighted the most common issues and glitches in the Administration's system for distributing these payments which continue to block some Iowans from receiving their payments. Issues being encountered by constituents include: \n The Internal Revenue Service (IRS)'s failure to communicate if delivery of the EIP was attempted but not completed.\n\tChallenges for constituents in getting the correct payment after returning payments made in the incorrect amount.\n\tWithholding EIPs from Iowans who have filed 2018 tax returns but whose 2019 tax returns are pending.\n\tChallenges with obtaining necessary IRS forms.\n \"Congress authorized Economic Impact Payments at the end of March, and here we are almost six months later, and Iowans have still not received direct help to get through the COVID-19 pandemic. This is simply unacceptable, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer said. I'm asking the Treasury Secretary to answer for why this is happening  and to actually fix the problem so that Iowans get the aid they need and deserve.\"\n\"It's unconscionable that the number of Iowans experiencing problems has only increased since we raised this issue with Secretary Mnuchin in July, Finkenauer said. It's past time for the Treasury Department to solve these problems and ensure these Iowa families have the support they need to get through this crisis.\"\nFinkenauer asked Mnuchin to respond to her letter within 15 days. She also asked Mnuchin to support fixes to the payments program, and additional direct payments to families in the next COVID-19 recovery package.\nCongresswoman Finkenauer's Ongoing Recovery Efforts:\nOn September 17, Finkenauersent a letteron Thursday to House and Senate leaders again urging them to put aside politics and find a bipartisan compromise on a new COVID-19 relief package.\nOn September 10, Finkenauerchaired a Rural, Agriculture, Trade, and Entrepreneurship (RATE) Subcommittee hearingon Thursday titled Kick Starting Entrepreneurship and Main Street Economic Recovery.\"\nOn August 3, Finkenauersent a letterto House and Senate leaders on Monday to highlight the urgent need for a new COVID-19 relief package.\nOn July 21, Finkenauersent a letterto Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds on Tuesday seeking more information on her administration's recent decision to limit COVID-19 testing availability in Dubuque County.\nOn July 17,Finkenauer questioned Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchinconcerning emergency aid and direct payments for Iowans amid the coronavirus pandemic.\nOn July 17, Finkenauerintroduced the bipartisanExpanding Assistance to Farmers Act of 2020.The bill ensures farmers and agricultural producers can use their Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to cover rental expenses related to equipment, land, and buildings. PPP is the forgivable federal loan program created earlier this year to aid small business affected by the coronavirus pandemic.\nOn July 2, Finkenauer introduced theRelief for Rural Development Borrowers Actto assist rural businesses, hospitals and schools through the Coronavirus pandemic by covering six months of payments on certain federal loans.\nOn June 25, Finkenauercalled on Frontier Airlinesto provide refundsfor travelers impacted by Coronavirus-related flight cancellations after receiving numerous complaints about Frontier'shandling of refunds.\nOn June 8, Finkenauercontinued bipartisan effortsto defend the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS),sending a letterto President Donald Trump demanding that his administration uphold the integrity of federal fuel standards amid the COVID-19 pandemic.\nOn June 2, Finkenauerannounced $24.5 million in federal grantsfor Northeastern Iowa airports, funding authorized by the CARES Act which Finkenauerhelped pass into law in March.\nOn May 28, Finkenauersent a lettertoTreasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Thursday asking the department to waive all fees associated with replacement of Economic Impact Payment debit cards.\nOn May 28, Finkenauervoted to help pass a billproviding for flexibility for businesses receiving loans through the Paycheck Protection Program.\nOn May 27, Finkenauerhelped introduce legislationproviding new loans for teams to cover costs and hang on until next season. The legislation will help the Cedar Rapids Kernels and other minor league clubs keep up with lease and bond payments and pay employees even if stadiums go dark this year.\nOn May 27, Finkenauerintroduced theChild Care is Essential Actto improve childcare options for Iowans and ensure providers have the resources to weather the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.\nOn May 22, Finkenauerintroduced the Protecting Paychecks and Employees (PPE) Act, which would allow small businesses to use funds from Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans on personal protective equipment for their employees.\nOn May 20, Finkenauerled a Rural Development, Agriculture, Trade, and Entrepreneurship (RATE) subcommittee virtual forum, bringing together Iowa leaders and experts to discuss the economic challenges facing rural communities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.\nOn May 19, Finkenauer joinedRep.Cindy Axne(IA-03), andRep.Dave Loebsack(IA-02) inwriting to Iowa Governor Kim Reynoldsto express concerns over the capability and expansion plans of the Test Iowa coronavirus (COVID-19) testing program.\nOn May 12,Finkenauer introduced theTenant Protection Notification Act of 2020to protectrenters, includingmobile and manufactured home park residents,from illegal evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.\nOn May 8,Finkenauer pledged to take additional legislative stepsto ensure the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) better serves truly small businesses in places like Waterloo  not big corporations and national chains.\nOn May 8,Finkenauerannounced nearly $1 million in additional grants for COVID-19 testing at three community health centers in the First District.\nOn May 6,Finkenauerannounced$8.1 million in grantsfor transit servicesin the City ofCedar Rapidsas part ofthe CARES ActCoronavirus relief package.\nOn May 1, Finkenauer, U.S. Reps. Dave Loebsack (IA-02), and Cindy Axne (IA-03)sent a letter to President Donald Trumpasking for the president to partner in safely reopening meat processing plants in Iowa by utilizing the Defense Production Act (DPA) to produce the needed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for workers, just as he has done to order the opening of the plants.\nOn April 29,Finkenauer met, via video conference, with letters carrierswho serve Iowa's First Congressional District. Finkenauer provided an update on potential aid amid the COVID-19 crisis, expressed her commitment to ensuring letter carriers have the resources they need to continue to serve during the crisis, and heard about potential areas where the federal government could assist employees.\nOn April 23, Finkenauervoted to help passadditional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program, hospitals and healthcare providers, and increased funding for COVID-19 testing.\nOn April 21, Finkenauerhelped introducetheCOVID-19 Every Worker Protection Actto increase safety standards foressential workersand at-risk employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.The bill was introduced amid concerns over rising COVID-19 infections and reports of inadequate protections for employees at some Iowa meat processing plants.\nOn April 20, Finkenauersent a letterto Federal Trade Commission Chairman Joseph Simons urging the FTC to delay no further in investigating ongoing concerns about out-of-state investors and corporations buying mobile and manufactured home communities in Iowa and taking advantage of their residents with unfair business practices. This issue has been a top concern in Iowa for months, and become more pressing amid the COVID-19 pandemic.\nOn April 17, Finkenauersent letters to three federal agenciesasking forenforceablesafety standards, COVID-19 testing, and personal protective equipment (PPE) for employees at meat processing plants in Iowa. Finkenauer sentoversightletters to theU.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Labor (DOL), and theCenters for Disease Control (CDC)to highlight the urgency of the situation facinghard-working Iowans at these plants, and request immediate assistance.USDA and the CDC latertook steps complying with Finkenauer's request.\nOn April 15, Finkenauer helped lead more than 40 Representatives and Senators in writinga letter to U.S.Citizenship and Immigration Services Acting Director Ken Cuccinelliexpressing concern that regulations for visa programs are standing in the way of the strongest possible medical response to COVID-19.\nOn April 13, Finkenauer leda bipartisan letteraddressed to Jovita Carranza, Administratorof the U.S. Small Business Association, expressing concern that there is no longer a full-time Director for the Office of Rural Affairs and urgingtheSBA toprovide the Office of Rural Affairs with the necessary staff and resources to ensure that rural small businesses are able to survive the COVID-19 pandemic.\nOn April 9,Finkenauer held telephone-town hallto discuss mental health impacts and resources around coronavirus.\nOn April 9,Finkenauer sent a letter to HHS Secretary Azarasking for information about how the $100 billion in the CARES Act for hospitals and health care providers will distributed, including information on Iowa's share of the funding.\nOn April 2, Finkenuer sent letters to 11 federal agencies seeking updates on aid programs authorized by recent legislation to address the COVID-19 crisis.\nOn March 27,Finkenauer sent a letter to Iowa Governor Kim Reynoldsurging her to issue a statewide stay-at-home' order.\nOn March 27,Finkenauer voted for theCoronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act)an emergency aid package to helphospitals, frontline workers, and working families across Iowa and the country.\nOn March 26, held a telephone town hall for constituents in the First Congressional District. Business and workforce leaders from around the district answered questions about personal financial impacts of coronavirus response.\nOn March 25, Finkenauer released her priorities she pushed to have included in the third coronavirus response supplemental -Preparing Iowa Communities & Protecting our Families.\nOn March 19, Finkenauer held a telephone town hall for constituents in the First Congressional District. Health officials from Black Hawk and Linn counties participated and answered questions, as well as the liaison for Dubuque City and County Emergency Health Response Team.\nFinkenauer alsosent a letter to federal health officialson March 19,urging them to ensure Iowa medical professionals have the necessary protective equipment to treat patients.\nFinkenauer joined a call for President Trump to use his authority under the Defense Production Act of 1950 to increase production of necessary medical supplies. On March18, President Trump announced he would use the authority to avoid supply shortages.\nOn March 17,Finkenauer reached out to community leaders in Iowaasking for theirconcerns, priorities and more info on how the outbreak is affected local economies.\nOn March 15,Finkenauer sent a letter to Governor Kim Reynoldsencouraging the state to create a more centralized location for key information, including consideration of school closures.\nFinkenauer voted to pass an emergency packageto help Iowa families and health professionals impacted by coronavirus on March 14.\nTaking early action,Finkenauer voted to approve a critical coronavirus funding packageto help expand testing and research.Finkenauer also sent an oversight letter to the Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azarseeking specific answers on whether local health agencies and hospitals have the tools they need. On March 13,Finkenauer helped host a Small Business Committee hearing on Coronavirusand asked a witness about health and safety, and financial security for hard-working Iowans impacted by coronavirus.\nFinkenauer followed upthat hearingwith an oversight letter asking the Small Business Administration (SBA)about their progress on providing information on small business assistance to Iowans along with what methods they will be doing outreach to Iowa businesses.Later that day,the SBA posted this information webpage. Finkenauer also published a coronavirus informational page to help Iowans access important information regarding the global pandemic. The page is available athttps://finkenauer.house.gov/coronavirus-information Finkenauer's office has been in contact with area hospitals, business organizations, schools and colleges with respect to the virus to understand any ongoing concerns. Finkenauer has also spoken with Governor Kim Reynolds for an update on Iowa's response to coronavirus.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://finkenauer.house.gov/media/press-releases/finkenauer-seeking-answers-treasury-secretary-delays-iowans-economic-impact"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.7346078529953957, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}