Press releases
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
- url
- Link to the original release on the member's official site
- text
- Extracted body text (may be empty if the page could not be fetched)
- has_text
- 1 if body text was successfully extracted
- date_source
- How the publication date was determined
- bioguide_id
- Bioguide ID of the member
1,741 rows where state = "IA" and year = 2019 sorted by date descending
This data as json, CSV (advanced)
party 2
- Republican 1,404
- Democrat 337
year 1
- 2019 · 1,741 ✖
state 1
- IA · 1,741 ✖
chamber 1
- House 1,741
| url | title | date ▲ | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/commentary/grassley-op-ed-unwrapping-2019-and-looking-ahead-2020 | Grassley op-ed: Unwrapping 2019 and Looking Ahead to 2020 | 2019-12-31 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Unwrapping 2019 and Looking Ahead to 2020 By U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley At the start of 2019, I became only the second U.S. senator from Iowa to be sworn in as Senate president pro tempore, one of only two constitutional officers in Congress. As the most senior lawmaker in the Senate Majority, it's an honor to serve in this leadership position on behalf of Iowans. Although I'm now third in the presidential succession line, the prestige of the office hasn't changed the way I serve Iowans. In August, I wrapped up my 39thconsecutive year holding meetings in each of Iowa's 99 counties. Meeting with Iowans where they work, attend school, access health care and even get their gas and groceries makes me a better senator. Having face-to-face dialogue where constituents set the agenda is essential to representative government. One thing's for sure, Iowans aren't wrapped up with tweets and partisan-driven hysteria that consume people inside the Beltway. Here's what is on their minds. Iowans harmed by historic floods are still coping and working to restore their homes, businesses and livelihoods. In April I participated in a field hearing led by Sen. Joni Ernst and made clear to the U.S. Army Corps that flood control needs to be its number one priority. I helped secure a federal disaster relief bill, including an amendment to help farmers who lost on-farm stored grain due to busted binseligible for disaster payments. I'll continue to work with Iowans on flood recovery and the Corps on restoring the levee system.I am a sponsor of three bills with colleagues in the region to help with these efforts. I'm also pleased we were able to get additional tax relief for Iowans affected by the floods in the year-end appropriations package. Although the overall U.S. economy is experiencing wage growth and historic low unemployment, the farm economy is straddled with low commodity prices, trade uncertainty and natural disasters. Iowa farmers depend on trade to boost the prices they're paid for the grain they grow, the hogs they ra… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-marks-policy-oversight-accomplishments-2019 | Grassley Marks Policy, Oversight Accomplishments in 2019 | 2019-12-31 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) marked a series of policy and oversight accomplishments of 2019. Serving the people of Iowa as their United States Senator is my first priority and it's an honor that I take seriously. As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and through my extensive oversight efforts, my work focuses on making government more transparent, efficient and accountable to Iowans and all Americans, Grassley said. Grassley holds at least one question-and-answer session in each of Iowa's 99 counties every year to hear concerns and answer questions on any subject from Iowans. In 2019, Grassley completed his annual county meetings for the 39th year in a row. Grassley holds meetings in a variety of settings to ensure that a broad cross-section of Iowans can participate, including businesses, schools, town meetings and factory floors. Although the setting may differ from county to county, the format is the same: Iowans set the agenda. In addition to his annual meetings, Grassley attended or convened a variety of events and forums, including: In 2019, Grassley continued his social media series called #CornWatch and launched #SoybeanWatch. These gave followers an insider look at farming operations and tracked the progression of the corn and soybean crops grown on the Grassley family farm in New Hartford, Iowa from planting through harvest. When the Senate is in session, Grassley sets aside eight 15-minute meetings every Monday through Thursday to meet with Iowans in Washington, D.C., including advocacy groups, associations, chambers of commerce and local business leaders, students and families. Throughout 2019, Grassley met with more than 1,200 groups of Iowans visiting the nation's capital and discussed a variety of policy issues affecting Iowans such as trade, tax reform and prescription drug pricing. Grassley also joined 25 Iowa schools for photos on the Senate steps or Q&As via video conferencing and, as an avid fan of Iowa universities, attended dozens of sporting events. Grassley was also … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-op-ed-unwrapping-2019-and-looking-ahead-2020 | Grassley op-ed: Unwrapping 2019 and Looking Ahead to 2020 | 2019-12-31 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Unwrapping 2019 and Looking Ahead to 2020 By U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley At the start of 2019, I became only the second U.S. senator from Iowa to be sworn in as Senate president pro tempore, one of only two constitutional officers in Congress. As the most senior lawmaker in the Senate Majority, it's an honor to serve in this leadership position on behalf of Iowans. Although I'm now third in the presidential succession line, the prestige of the office hasn't changed the way I serve Iowans. In August, I wrapped up my 39thconsecutive year holding meetings in each of Iowa's 99 counties. Meeting with Iowans where they work, attend school, access health care and even get their gas and groceries makes me a better senator. Having face-to-face dialogue where constituents set the agenda is essential to representative government. One thing's for sure, Iowans aren't wrapped up with tweets and partisan-driven hysteria that consume people inside the Beltway. Here's what is on their minds. Iowans harmed by historic floods are still coping and working to restore their homes, businesses and livelihoods. In April I participated in a field hearing led by Sen. Joni Ernst and made clear to the U.S. Army Corps that flood control needs to be its number one priority. I helped secure a federal disaster relief bill, including an amendment to help farmers who lost on-farm stored grain due to busted binseligible for disaster payments. I'll continue to work with Iowans on flood recovery and the Corps on restoring the levee system.I am a sponsor of three bills with colleagues in the region to help with these efforts. I'm also pleased we were able to get additional tax relief for Iowans affected by the floods in the year-end appropriations package. Although the overall U.S. economy is experiencing wage growth and historic low unemployment, the farm economy is straddled with low commodity prices, trade uncertainty and natural disasters. Iowa farmers depend on trade to boost the prices they're paid for the grain they grow, the hogs they ra… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://finkenauer.house.gov/media/press-releases/finkenauer-announces-1-million-federal-grant-peoples-community-health-clinic | Finkenauer Announces $1 Million Federal Grant for Peoples Community Health Clinic | 2019-12-30 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Abby Finkenauer | F000467 | finkenauer.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC Today, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01)Today, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01) announced Peoples Community Health Clinic will receive a $1,039,051 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We must continue to move toward the goal of providing Iowans with access to high-quality, affordable health care, Congresswoman Finkenauer said, I have had the privilege of seeing firsthand how Peoples Community Health Clinic is part of the solution, and I am happy to see them receive this meaningful grant that will help Iowans. Peoples Community Health Clinic, Inc.is a nonprofit health care clinic that provides care to patients regardless of financial situation and insurance status. Peoples Community Health Clinic has locations in Waterloo and Clarksville. Finkenauervisited the Waterloo locationon August 7th. Finkenauer also invited Peoples Community Health Clinic toparticipate in her Waterloo health fairon November 18th. Finkenauer also helped secure an extension for federal funding for community health centers, and sent a letter to House and Senate leadership in August urging a long-term bipartisan and bicameral funding solution. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/qa-improving-us-organ-transplant-system | Q&A: Improving U.S. Organ Transplant System | 2019-12-30 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Q&A: Improving U.S. Organ Transplant System With U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley Q: Why are you looking into the nation's organ procurement and transplant system? A:Advances in medical science, specifically organ transplants, save lives and give loved ones a new lease on life. Incredible gifts of life are made possible when family members and even total strangers donate to a patient in need. Postmortem donations give the gift of life from deceased donors who match an individual on the national wait list through the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the OPTN operates the national database of all patientswaiting for a transplant. The OPTN contracts with the Unified Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), which is charged with overseeing the 58 organ procurement organizations (OPOs) located throughout the United States. Americans on the wait list are in a life and death situation. It is imperative the system functions fairly and effectively. There's a scarcity of available organs compared to the number of people added to the wait list every single day. This shortfall contributes to a dire situation in which 113,000 Americans on the wait list risk losing their lives without receiving a transplant in time. According to the head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), at least 20 Americans die each day because a potentially life-saving organ transplant is out of reach. Based on investigative reports and whistleblower accounts, I'm concerned about inefficiencies and mismanagement of the procurement process,as well as the performance standards used by the 58 OPOs. As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which has legislative and oversight jurisdiction of many public health programs, I'm calling for increased oversight to correct flaws in this vital network in the nation's health care system. For more than a dozen years, the need for more accountability and transparency in the organ procurement and transplantati… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/commentary/grassley-op-ed-lets-break-silence-and-talk-about-mental-health-farm | Grassley op-ed: Let's break silence and talk about mental health on the farm | 2019-12-26 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | By Sen. Chuck Grassley As this year nears its end, the Grassley family is grateful for another fall harvest. Like other family farms across Iowa, our three-generation farming operation experiences many of the uncertainties blanketing our profession. For starters, our livelihoods are at the mercy of Mother Nature. Getting the crops out of the ground before Old Man Winter shows up gets tricky with unplanned machinery repairs, the high-moisture content of corn and wet field conditions. This year brought extra layers of uncertainty. Excessive rain and snowmelt in April led to prevented and delayed planting. The October snowstorms stalled field work for many farmers across the upper Midwest. The itch to get behind the wheel of the combine brings sleepless nights and weighs heavily on the minds of farmers already anxious about matters beyond their control. As a lifelong family farmer, I can relate to the joys and hardships of our vocation. We have a passion to provide for our families. We have a bone-deep determination, passed on from one generation to the next, to keep on keeping on. We have a sense of duty to keep the farm intact for generations yet to come. I started farming when my dad passed away in 1960. I've coped with the highs and lows that go hand in glove from one season to the next. The cyclical nature of our profession is an occupational hazard and it can take a toll on mental wellness. We know that prosperity requires sound caretaking of Earth's natural resources and conservative stewardship of financial resources. Pinching pennies comes second nature because history teaches us that it's often feast or famine for farmers. Right now, the agriculture horizon is a bit cloudy. A five-year decline in farm income, retaliatory tariffs on U.S. ag commodities, stalled trade agreements, disrupted renewable biofuel policies, devastating natural disasters, and shortages of LP gas needed to dry harvested grain add to the growing burdens weighing heavily on the minds of farmers. Mounting pressures to pay the bill… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-op-ed-lets-break-silence-and-talk-about-mental-health-farm | Grassley op-ed: Let's break silence and talk about mental health on the farm | 2019-12-26 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | By Sen. Chuck Grassley As this year nears its end, the Grassley family is grateful for another fall harvest. Like other family farms across Iowa, our three-generation farming operation experiences many of the uncertainties blanketing our profession. For starters, our livelihoods are at the mercy of Mother Nature. Getting the crops out of the ground before Old Man Winter shows up gets tricky with unplanned machinery repairs, the high-moisture content of corn and wet field conditions. This year brought extra layers of uncertainty. Excessive rain and snowmelt in April led to prevented and delayed planting. The October snowstorms stalled field work for many farmers across the upper Midwest. The itch to get behind the wheel of the combine brings sleepless nights and weighs heavily on the minds of farmers already anxious about matters beyond their control. As a lifelong family farmer, I can relate to the joys and hardships of our vocation. We have a passion to provide for our families. We have a bone-deep determination, passed on from one generation to the next, to keep on keeping on. We have a sense of duty to keep the farm intact for generations yet to come. I started farming when my dad passed away in 1960. I've coped with the highs and lows that go hand in glove from one season to the next. The cyclical nature of our profession is an occupational hazard and it can take a toll on mental wellness. We know that prosperity requires sound caretaking of Earth's natural resources and conservative stewardship of financial resources. Pinching pennies comes second nature because history teaches us that it's often feast or famine for farmers. Right now, the agriculture horizon is a bit cloudy. A five-year decline in farm income, retaliatory tariffs on U.S. ag commodities, stalled trade agreements, disrupted renewable biofuel policies, devastating natural disasters, and shortages of LP gas needed to dry harvested grain add to the growing burdens weighing heavily on the minds of farmers. Mounting pressures to pay the bill… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.ernst.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/columns?ContentRecord_id=D63564D5-34F5-479F-8043-47DCCE8069EB | Joni Ernst: 2019 was a great year, hearing from and delivering for Iowans across our state. | 2019-12-23 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Joni Ernst | E000295 | www.ernst.senate.gov | legacy | As we wrap-up 2019, I wanted to take a moment to look back on some of the highlights of the past year. First and foremost, I completed my fifth 99 County Tour, my annual tradition where I visit every single one of Iowa's 99 counties within a calendar year, and hold public town hall meetings to hear directly from constituents. In fact, over the last year, I held 35 public town hall meetingsin small rural areas, like my hometown of Red Oak to Iowa's most populated county, Polk County. And as of this year, I've officially held a public event in all 99 counties since I first started serving in office. Getting out and hearing from Iowans in every corner of the state allows me not only to connect with my fellow Iowans, but to hear directly from folks about the issues that are important to them. This input has helped me every step of the way in delivering real results for the people of Iowa. Throughout 2019, Iowa experienced devastating flooding, including in areas around my hometown of Red Oak. As a member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, I've used my position there to fight for flood relief, improved river management, and the development of Iowa's infrastructure. We passed a federal disaster relief package, which included my provision to extend USDA funds to cover Iowa farmers who had lost stored grain. In addition, following years of relentless efforts to secure federal funding for the Cedar Rapids flood mitigation project, I was thrilled to witness the groundbreaking of this critical infrastructure project. I also helped finalize the roll back of the harmful Obama-era Waters of the U.S.or WOTUSrule, which would have allowed the federal government to regulate 97% of the land in Iowa. After working closely with President Trump, we finally got E15 year-round by the summer driving season, which provided a boon for our farmers and growers, and more choice at the pump for Iowa consumers. I also helped secure an extension of the biodiesel tax credit which ensures predictability for Iowa biofuel prod… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.ernst.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/columns?ContentRecord_id=DD080DA2-931F-4BC9-B096-10D8A58DD58F | Joni Ernst: 2019 was a great year, hearing from and delivering for Iowans across our state. | 2019-12-23 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Joni Ernst | E000295 | www.ernst.senate.gov | legacy | As we wrap-up 2019, I wanted to take a moment to look back on some of the highlights of the past year. First and foremost, I completed my fifth 99 County Tour, my annual tradition where I visit every single one of Iowa's 99 counties within a calendar year, and hold public town hall meetings to hear directly from constituents. In fact, over the last year, I held 35 public town hall meetingsin small rural areas, like my hometown of Red Oak to Iowa's most populated county, Polk County. And as of this year, I've officially held a public event in all 99 counties since I first started serving in office. Getting out and hearing from Iowans in every corner of the state allows me not only to connect with my fellow Iowans, but to hear directly from folks about the issues that are important to them. This input has helped me every step of the way in delivering real results for the people of Iowa. Throughout 2019, Iowa experienced devastating flooding, including in areas around my hometown of Red Oak. As a member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, I've used my position there to fight for flood relief, improved river management, and the development of Iowa's infrastructure. We passed a federal disaster relief package, which included my provision to extend USDA funds to cover Iowa farmers who had lost stored grain. In addition, following years of relentless efforts to secure federal funding for the Cedar Rapids flood mitigation project, I was thrilled to witness the groundbreaking of this critical infrastructure project. I also helped finalize the roll back of the harmful Obama-era Waters of the U.S.or WOTUSrule, which would have allowed the federal government to regulate 97% of the land in Iowa. After working closely with President Trump, we finally got E15 year-round by the summer driving season, which provided a boon for our farmers and growers, and more choice at the pump for Iowa consumers. I also helped secure an extension of the biodiesel tax credit which ensures predictability for Iowa biofuel prod… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://axne.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-axne-adds-400-million-iowa-flood-funding-tracker | Rep. Axne Adds $400 Million to Iowa Flood Funding Tracker | 2019-12-23 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Cynthia Axne | A000378 | axne.house.gov | legacy | Des Moines, IA Today, Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) announced $408million has been added to her Iowa Flood Funding Tracker following new information from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on federal dollars spent in Iowa on flood recovery and other assistance efforts. In a letter to Rep. Axne, the USDA detailed $408,784,120 in funding obligated for projects and grants in Iowa. The full letter from the USDA is available here. I'm pleased to add more than $400 million to my Iowa Flood Funding Tracker thanks to new details from the USDA on how they're helping Iowa recover from devastating floods, said Rep. Cindy Axne.Iowans deserve transparency from their government while communities are still reporting they are not getting the assistance they need. I will continue to push the remaining agencies to explain how they are helping Iowa rebuild and recover. The USDA also provided information on a number of pending outlays and grant applications, with more than 480awards still pending final approval. The information from USDA is a response to Rep. Axne's requestlast monthfor eight federal agencies to provide specific updates on the disaster relief funding being spent in Iowa. Earlier this month, Rep. Axne launched her Iowa Flood Funding Tracker for constituents to track updates on disaster relief funding being spent in Iowa after disastrous flooding in Southwest Iowa and across the region.The Tracker now includes information for USDA, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Small Business Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Last week, Rep. Axne voted for a bipartisan appropriations package which made available an additional $1.5 billion in unspent 2017 disaster funds for 2019 agriculture disaster recovery programs. In November, the Housepassedbipartisan legislation co-sponsored by Rep. Axne to modernize federal disaster recovery programs, ensure funds appropriated by Congress are delivered to disaster victims in a timely manner, and protect taxpayer dollars by increasing safeguards against mi… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/commentary/grassley-op-ed-decade-making-difference-senate-caucus-foster-youth | Grassley op-ed: A decade of making a difference: Senate Caucus on Foster Youth | 2019-12-23 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | By Sen. Chuck Grassley Ten years ago this month, Sen. Mary Landrieu and I founded the bipartisan Senate Caucus on Foster Youth. We launched this caucus a decade ago to give voice to the thousands of young people in America who deserved a platform to break the silence on the challenges and success stories of foster care. This issue impacts every community in America. Our caucus not only provides the platform, we encourage foster youth to participate and lead discussions on issues that matter most to them. It's become a vital network for young people to connect with other youth in foster care and empowers them to share their ideas with researchers, advocates and lawmakers. When I first got involved in foster care and adoption policy more than 20 years ago, I learned kids in foster care are the last ones to have a say in determining their future. If they are even asked at all. I learned older youth in foster care are brimming with innovative ideas to improve the system. And yet, they rarely had an opportunity to share those ideas with policymakers. When we launched the foster youth caucus in 2009, we made this a specific priority. Our mission was to ensure foster youth had a seat at the table. Over the years, we've hosted discussions to consider barriers facing foster youth, including access to education, pervasive rates of homelessness and juvenile justice involvement, and substance abuse. We heard astounding stories of seemingly impossible success, as well as heartbreaking examples about things that are broken in the foster care system. The caucus invited stakeholders in the foster care system to learn about innovative programs working in communities across the country. We've followed up with researchers to understand why. But most importantly, we listened to the real experts on foster care: youth who have firsthand experience. Listening directly to them has made a big impact on policy development and implementation. Time and again, foster kids tell us they want stability, a safe place to live, and a loving f… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-nominates-50-iowa-students-us-service-academies | Grassley Nominates 50 Iowa Students to the U.S. Service Academies | 2019-12-23 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has nominated 50 Iowa students to be considered for appointments to the U.S. service academies. These young Iowans who want to enter the academies and serve our country are a remarkable reflection on our state. Their accomplishments, leadership and desire to serve are exceptional, and signal continued excellence in the U.S. armed forces, Grassley said. Each year, Grassley has the opportunity as a U.S. senator to nominate either current or future Iowa high school graduates for a select few service academy placements. The U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Military Academy and U.S. Naval Academy all select at least one qualified student from Grassley's nominations. The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy makes selections in proportion to states' representation in Congress. Grassley encourages Iowa students to consider applying to more than one service academy due to the highly competitive nature of admissions. Iowa members serving in the U.S. House of Representatives make nominations in addition to both of Iowa's U.S. senators. Students may receive more than one nomination. Students interested in academy appointments should begin the application process in the spring of their junior year of high school. Early application is encouraged. The academies select students based on the number of vacancies available for the next school year. The academies offer some of the best options for higher education as well as an outstanding way to serve our country. It's a tremendous opportunity for young Iowans, Grassley said. Traditionally, the high quality of Iowa nominees results in several Iowa students being offered admission to attend each of the service academies. These students then choose whether to attend the academy. More information about service academy nominations can be foundhere. Grassley will make announcements as academy appointments are offered to Iowans. The list of Grassley's nominees for the 2020 2021 school year follows. U.S. Military Academy at West Point Kaylah Ajram… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-op-ed-decade-making-difference-senate-caucus-foster-youth | Grassley op-ed: A decade of making a difference: Senate Caucus on Foster Youth | 2019-12-23 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | By Sen. Chuck Grassley Ten years ago this month, Sen. Mary Landrieu and I founded the bipartisan Senate Caucus on Foster Youth. We launched this caucus a decade ago to give voice to the thousands of young people in America who deserved a platform to break the silence on the challenges and success stories of foster care. This issue impacts every community in America. Our caucus not only provides the platform, we encourage foster youth to participate and lead discussions on issues that matter most to them. It's become a vital network for young people to connect with other youth in foster care and empowers them to share their ideas with researchers, advocates and lawmakers. When I first got involved in foster care and adoption policy more than 20 years ago, I learned kids in foster care are the last ones to have a say in determining their future. If they are even asked at all. I learned older youth in foster care are brimming with innovative ideas to improve the system. And yet, they rarely had an opportunity to share those ideas with policymakers. When we launched the foster youth caucus in 2009, we made this a specific priority. Our mission was to ensure foster youth had a seat at the table. Over the years, we've hosted discussions to consider barriers facing foster youth, including access to education, pervasive rates of homelessness and juvenile justice involvement, and substance abuse. We heard astounding stories of seemingly impossible success, as well as heartbreaking examples about things that are broken in the foster care system. The caucus invited stakeholders in the foster care system to learn about innovative programs working in communities across the country. We've followed up with researchers to understand why. But most importantly, we listened to the real experts on foster care: youth who have firsthand experience. Listening directly to them has made a big impact on policy development and implementation. Time and again, foster kids tell us they want stability, a safe place to live, and a loving f… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/icymi-grassley-explains-secret-holds-congress | ICYMI: Grassley Explains Secret Holds in Congress | 2019-12-23 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | ICYMI: Grassley Explains Secret Holds in Congress December 22, 2019 In the odd inner workings of Congress, there's something called a legislative hold. It gives any individual senator the power to stop a nominee or a bill put a hold on them. The idea is to encourage negotiations between those for and against. But sometimes the Senator making the hold keeps his name secret. Senator Chuck Grassley tells why he's been trying for a decade to stop the secrecy. Sen. Grassley: So why do you put a hold on? Lot of times, people put a hold on because they want to negotiate something, or they want to use it as a lever to get something else. So I use holds, but I've always put a statement in the record of why I'm putting a hold on an individual nominee or a bill. So people know who it is, come and talk to Chuck Grassley and I'll tell you what the problems is I've got. And you can negotiate then, whatever you want to negotiate. Sharyl: What is a secret hold? Sen. Grassley: Well, a secret hold is when you put a hold on, you don't want anybody to know about it. So don't you think the public's business ought to be public? Well, if it's going to be secret, how's anybody know why you're holding it. Maybe they do it for a reason that's not a very good reason. So it's secret. Some important secret holds have gotten a lot of attention over the years. One senator's secret hold killed a new Whistleblower bill to protect federal employees reporting corruption. And an unnamed senator temporarily blocked a cost of living increase for disabled veterans and their survivors. With the names of the holding Senators kept anonymous, it's impossible for other Senators know their reasoning or negotiate a compromise. So in 2011, Senators Grassley and Ron Wyden successfully led a bipartisan effort to ban secret holds starting in 2013. A new rule said that all Senators must disclose their names and reasoning in the Congressional record within two days of making a hold. Sen. Grassley: Eight years later, it happens every day that people put a ho… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.ernst.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=98957366-1174-4A97-8F78-40A5E9D2F6D9 | Ernst Week in Review | 2019-12-21 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Joni Ernst | E000295 | www.ernst.senate.gov | legacy | Increasing Flood Protection and Support for Iowa's Communities In the wake of this spring's devastating floods, this week Senator Ernst put forward bipartisan legislation to help communities, like Hamburg, Iowa, make temporary flood protection structures permanent. Earlier this year, Senator Ernst chaired a Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee field hearing in southwest Iowa where she questioned U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) witnesses on their management of the river and heard from local stakeholders, including Cathy Crain, the Mayor of Hamburg, who described her community's struggles to make their heightened levee permanent. Providing Servicemembers with Much-Needed Resources On Tuesday, Senator Ernst proudly supported the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The final bipartisan, bicameral defense bill includes nearly all of Senator Ernst's priorities, including her proposals to address military sexual assault, to improve Iowa's critical contributions to our nation's defense, and to invest in technological advancements to keep America ahead of our adversaries. Click here or the image above to watch Senator Ernst's remarks on the NDAA. Pressing DOJ for Updates on Glenwood and Woodward Resource Center Investigation As the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigates disturbing allegations of federal rights violations at the Glenwood Resource Center and the Woodward Resource Center, Senator Ernst is requesting regular updates on the status of their investigation and that information on potential violations be provided immediately. In a letter to Attorney General William Barr and Assistant Attorney General Eric S. Drelband, Senator Ernst asked: When did the Department of Justice first became aware of this alarming increase in reported deaths at the Glenwood Resource Center? What prevented the Department from initiating this investigation more quickly? WHO Radio covered the Senator's efforts. Click here or on the image above to listen. Combatting the … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://axne.house.gov/media/press-releases/president-trump-signs-axne-supported-bills-included-year-end-spending | President Trump Signs Axne-Supported Bills Included in Year-End Spending Legislation | 2019-12-21 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Cynthia Axne | A000378 | axne.house.gov | legacy | Washington D.C. Yesterday, President Donald Trump signed into law numerous measures supported by Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) that will eliminate the threat of burdensome healthcare taxes, bring investment to Iowa's green economy and rural communities, help with disaster recovery and support local farmers, producers and small businesses. I'm happy to see measures that are critical for helping Iowa families and businesses in 2020 become law, said Rep. Axne. I'm thankful that the President has signed these bills that I supported this year, and I'm proud of the work we have done in the House to get them included in the final law. Biodiesel & Biofuel Tax Credits Provisions to extend the biodiesel tax credit through 2022 and the second-generation biofuel producer credit through 2020 were included in the appropriations package that was signed into law yesterday. Since coming to Congress, I have made it a priority to address these expired tax credits, Rep. Axne said.Farmers are taking it on the chin with the ongoing trade war and the EPA undermining the RFS at every turn. We have seen plants stall or shut down, causing folks to lose their jobs and farmers to lose their buyers. I am glad to see the provision signed into law to bring our farmers and producers some market certainty, create jobs, and set us on a path towards a cleaner environmental future. These critical tax credits expired at the end of 2017, leaving Iowa farmers and producers with significant uncertainty. Rep. Axne has consistently advocated for these provisions from the beginning of the year. Repeal of the Health Insurance Tax, Cadillac' Tax, and Medical Device Tax The new law includes a permanent repeal of a mandated health insurance tax (HIT), Cadillac' tax, and medical device tax. These repeals will protect middle class Iowans from higher health care costs and end the cycle of delays that have spread uncertainty in the health care markets. These taxes were looming over Iowans, waiting to see how much their health care will cost in 2020, said Rep. … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-s-china-surveillance-amendment-becomes-law-with-trump-s-signature | Kings China Surveillance Amendment Becomes Law with Trumps Signature on National Defense Authorization Act | 2019-12-20 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Steve King | K000362 | steveking.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Steve King releases the following video statement regarding the imminent enactment into law of an amendment he put in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which identifies China's growing surveillance state as a threat to the security interests of the United States. The NDAA is scheduled to signed into law by President Donald Trump at 7:30 PM in a ceremony held tonight at Joint Base Andrews. To watch the video, please click the image above or on this link. Transcript of Congressman King's remarks: I'm happy to announce that the President's likely to soon sign the NDAA, the National Defense Authorization Act. We did some really good things in that bill, and one of them is to give our troops a pay raise that's significant, and they deserve it. They put their lives on the line for us. And another component is the King provision that is written into the bill that addresses the Chinese surveillance and their oppression of human liberty. They have been reaching into the communities around China, the Uighur community, the Christian communities that are there, persecuting them, taking their children out of the home and moving them into indoctrination camps, and putting Uighur's and other religious people into camps to orient them according to what they think is Chinese culture. Just suppressing human freedom. So I asked for a report in there on how it [the Chinese Surveillance State] might affect our national defense, and what the Chinese are doing to suppress human freedom and human rights of thought, religion, and expression, not only in China, but around the world. So we will get a good look at what's going on in China and around the world as a result of the King provision that's in the NDAA. And I supported it along the way, and, of course, voted for it. We are getting some things done in this Congress, in spite of the impeachment effort that has just unfolded recently. King's China Surveillance Language: The King provision appears in section 1260 of the NDAA. The relevant language reads as fol… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-announces-usmca-markup-january-7 | Grassley Announces USMCA Markup January 7 | 2019-12-20 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Washington Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today announced his intention to lead a markup of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on January 7, 2020, based on the expectation that the Senate will have received the legislation beforehand from the House of Representatives. This markup will move us closer to ratifying USMCA in early 2020, Grassley said. Farmers, manufacturers and all American workers will soon be able to benefit from a stronger and modernized trade agreement with Canada and Mexico. Further details regarding exact timing and location will be provided at a later date. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-receives-response-defense-department-transdigm-price-gouging | Grassley Receives Response from Defense Department on TransDigm Price Gouging | 2019-12-20 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Following inquiries from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) regarding TransDigm Group, Inc.'s (TransDigm) price-gouging of spare parts purchased by the Department of Defense (DoD), Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen M. Lord provided further information about DoD's TransDigm contracts and the efforts DoD is taking to protect taxpayer dollars. I appreciate Under Secretary Lord's answers to my questions.The Defense Department needs to continue to be transparent on the issues it faces with respect to overpricing and price gouging on spare parts.I am hopeful that the new Cadre of Experts' is ready to tackle these issues and stop the egregious spare parts rip-offs that were uncovered by the Inspector General earlier this year. While I'm looking forward to working with the department to assure that it is working diligently to protect taxpayer dollars, I'll continue to conduct aggressive oversight to ensure that these goals are in fact met, Grassley said. Grassley has been a watchdog against waste, fraud, and abuse at DoD for nearly four decades. Grassley'sextensive oversight work throughout his career has included a dogged pursuit for answers from the Pentagon over decades of wasteful spending and its inability to produce a clean financial audit.In his October letter to Lord, Grassley asked a series of questions about what DoD is doing to aggressively confront and end the excessive price-gouging of spare parts by TransDigm.Full text of Under Secretary Lord's response can be found HERE. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/qa-creating-rx-savings | Q&A: Creating Rx Savings | 2019-12-20 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | With U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley Q: How will the CREATES Act help drive down prescription drug prices? A:America's free enterprise system has engineered technological and medical innovation like nowhere else on Earth. Consumers and patients benefit when competition drives the entrepreneurial spirit and pushes inventors, innovators and investors to take risks and create new products and cures. Millions of American families depend on pharmaceutical medicines to treat cancer, Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease, among so many others. Prescription drugs also provide life-saving treatments for tens of millions of Americans to manage diabetes and other chronic conditions, such as arthritis, high blood pressure or asthma. There's no question America leads the way in breakthrough medicines and medical cures. There's also no question that Americans are shouldering the financial burden to finance pharmaceutical research and development for the rest of the world. America's system of free enterprise requires robust competition to deliver another big benefit of the free marketplace: lower prices for consumers. To ensure Americans continue to experience healthy outcomes and better quality of life from scientific advances, including next generation pharmaceuticals and biologics, public policy needs to address sticker shock at the pharmacy counter. Prescription drugs won't do consumers a bit of good if they can't afford to pay for them. Skipping doses to stretch out prescriptions put patient health and outcomes at risk. During my tenure as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I developed bipartisan legislation with Senator Leahy of Vermont to root out anti-competitive behaviors that some brand-name pharmaceutical and biologic companies are using to block or delay lower-cost generic drugs from reaching the marketplace. A few bad actors were exploiting the system by deploying anti-competitive tactics, such as restricting access to their samples to perform necessary testing to gain FDA approval… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://loebsack.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397338 | Loebsack Statement on the EPAs Final RFS Rule | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Dave Loebsack | L000565 | loebsack.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Dave Loebsack, co-chair of the House Biofuels Caucus, released the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its final rule for 2020 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) blending requirements. The final rule does nothing to address the misuse of Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs) and reneges on the President's promise made to Iowa farmers in September to account for SREs using actual waived gallons, not DOE recommendations.The final RFS rule set forth by the EPA is another slap in the face to Iowa's farmers and ethanol producers. It does nothing to stop the vast misuse of the small refinery exemptions, which only serves to erode the RFS and destroy demand for clean, renewable fuel, like ethanol. From Trump's Twitter Trade War to his continuing to side with big oil over our farmers, this is just another in a long list of attacks on our rural communities by this administration. I will continue to stand up for our farmers and producers and fight to restore the integrity of the RFS.Background Representative Loebsack has been a longtime supporter of the RFS, ethanol and the biofuels industry. He has been leading the way in the House to increase oversight and transparency of the Small Refinery Exemption that the Administration has used to undermine the RFS, hurting our farmers and rural communities, while propping up Big Oil. As co-chair of the House Biofuels Caucus, Loebsack helped lead the opposition of the excessive use of the SRE, including this August when the President and EPA granted 31 new waivers. As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Loebsack secured an oversight hearing this fall examining the Trump Administration's abuse of SREs and considering legislation he helped introduce, H.R. 3006, the Renewable Fuel Standard Integrity Act, which would help bring greater transparency to the use of SREs. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.ernst.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=0727A0BC-F86F-4308-B6D9-1BA115693A52 | As Feds Investigate Glenwood and Woodward Resource Centers, Ernst Requests Regular, Immediate Updates | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Joni Ernst | E000295 | www.ernst.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON As the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigates disturbing allegations of federal rights violations at the Glenwood Resource Center (GRC) and the Woodward Resource Center (WRC), U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is requesting regular updates on the status of their investigation and that information on potential violations be provided immediately. In a letter to Attorney General William Barr and Assistant Attorney General Eric S. Drelband today, Senator Ernst asks of DOJ: When did the Department of Justice first became aware of this alarming increase in reported deaths at the Glenwood Resource Center? What prevented the Department from initiating this investigation more quickly? The senator goes on to write: It is the duty of the federal government and elected officials to protect the health and safety of our most vulnerable citizens. These troubling reports will be of upmost concern to communities across Iowa and particularly to the residents of these centers, their families, and their loved ones. I will be closely monitoring this situation and the Department's ongoing investigation. Glenwood Resource Center has a history of disturbing mistreatment of its residents. In 2017, state inspectorsfound that the center failed to report allegations of abuse and did not address incidents of suspicious injuries and mistreatment. The Des Moines Register has also reportedthat 14 residents of the center died between June 2018 and April 2019, and three more residents died in just the last two months. Click HERE for a PDF of Senator Ernst's letter. The full text of Senator Ernst's letter is below: Dear Attorney General Barr and Assistant Attorney General Eric S. Drelband: I write regarding the Department of Justice investigation into disturbing reports of potential systematic violations of the federal rights of individuals with disabilities at the Glenwood Resource Center (GRC) and Woodward Resource Center (WRC) in Iowa. I request that you use the full exten… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.ernst.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=E4D9DC10-ED8E-473D-AC9A-28F468074B05 | Ernst, Grassley Issue Statements on EPAs Renewable Fuel Standard Rule | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Joni Ernst | E000295 | www.ernst.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTONU.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA), tireless advocates for Iowa's renewable fuels industry, issued the following statements with regard to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) final rule to establish the required renewable volumes under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program for 2020, and the biomass-based diesel volume for 2021: Throughout this process, I, along with Senator Grassley and Governor Reynolds have made it crystal clear that Iowa's farmers and biofuel producers need certainty that EPA will follow the law. After shaking hands in the Oval Office this fall, EPA had an opportunity to restore the broken trust of farmers and to follow through on the president's commitment, but it appears they've missed the markagain. We were guaranteed a deal in September, and we were assured of that same deal in October, yet EPA rolled out, and has now finalized, a different proposal. It's no wonder trust has been lost, said Senator Ernst. While I'm hopeful we get to the 15 billion or more gallons of ethanol that we've been promised, I clearly understand the hesitation from Iowans to trust the word of EPA to actually follow through on that commitment. I believe President Trump wants to do right for the biofuels community we've seen that with E15 year-round and most recently the biodiesel tax incentive. But Administrator Wheeler should know: this is not the end. I will continue to fight tirelessly to make sure that my fellow Iowans have a seat at the table when it comes to renewable fuels. We will keep holding EPA's feet to the fire to ensure they truly uphold the RFS, the law, as intended and fully implement the other critical aspects of this rule, said Ernst. Once again, EPA is playing games and not helping President Trump with farmers. An agreement was reached on September 12 in an Oval Office meeting between several Midwest leaders, President Trump and other members of his Administration. This does not reflect what we agreed to in that meeting. Simply requiring that t… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://axne.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-axne-votes-advance-usmca-trade-agreement-tells-senate-pass-week | Rep. Axne Votes to Advance USMCA Trade Agreement, Tells Senate to Pass This Week | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Cynthia Axne | A000378 | axne.house.gov | legacy | Washington D.C. Today, Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) voted with 384 of her Democratic and Republican colleagues in the House to advance the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Agreement. I'm proud of my vote today to approve the USMCA and get it one step closer to being ratified, said Rep. Axne. Trade is fundamental to the state of Iowa, and this finalized agreement will modernize our partnership with our two closest neighbors and provide market certainty for Iowa farmers and manufacturers by ending the threat of back-and-forth retaliatory tariffs. Rep. Axne spoke during debate on the House floor prior to final passage of the deal. Video of her remarks can be found here. The agreement reaffirms trade partnerships with two of America's most important markets and ensures access for exports from Iowa, the second largest agricultural exporting state in the country. Last year, Iowa exported $4.2 billion in goods to Canada, 30 percent of the state's total exports, and $2.3 billion to Mexico. The deal now heads to the United States Senate, which has already stated that it intends to hold on passing the deal until sometime after the beginning of next year. Earlier this week, Rep. Axne led a letter with six of her freshman colleagues in the House calling on the Senate to stay in town to finalize the deal. It is completely unacceptable that after months of negotiations and an agreement that both the President and the House agreed to, the Senate will still leave town without giving our farmers and families the Christmas gift they deserve, said Rep. Axne. I hope my friends in the Senate will reconsider their plans to start their holiday vacation without passing this deal and getting our constituents the certainty of having this deal done by the new year. Rep. Axne has been a leader in calling for action on USMCA. She repeatedly urged her colleagues on the House floor to work to finalize the agreement. Earlier this month, shesent a letterto Speaker Pelosi and Leader Hoyer and called for action on the USMCA before the end of the ye… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://axne.house.gov/media/press-releases/statement-rep-cindy-axne-fifth-circuit-court-ruling | Statement from Rep. Cindy Axne on the Fifth Circuit Court Ruling | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Cynthia Axne | A000378 | axne.house.gov | legacy | Washington D.C. Today, Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) issued the following statement on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in Texas vs. United States: Yesterday's ruling by the Fifth Circuit is disastrous for Iowa. By continuing down a path that could lead to completely undoing the Affordable Care Act, this decision not only risks raising premiums in the short term, but it could also eliminate protections for the 1.2 million Iowans living with pre-existing conditions, undo Medicaid expansion, and send health care costs skyrocketing across our country. This campaign to undermine and eliminate health care coverage for Iowans has gone on too long. Since I've come to Congress, I've voted to lower prescription drug costs, protect those living with pre-existing conditions from losing their coverage, and supported legislation to improve care for seniors and children. We must focus on lowering costs and expanding access to health care, not eliminating coverage. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://finkenauer.house.gov/media/press-releases/finkenauer-announces-federal-grants-economic-development-districts-iowas-first | Finkenauer Announces Federal Grants for Economic Development Districts in Iowa's First Congressional District | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Abby Finkenauer | F000467 | finkenauer.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC Today, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01)announced the Region 6 Planning Commission and East Central Intergovernmental Association will each receive $17,500 federal grants from the Economic Development Administration. The goal of the grants is to encourage job creation by establishing an economic development planning framework, process, and strategy that supports capital investment by bringing public and private sectors together. I continue to push for more investment in our communities to ensure small businesses can begin, grow, and thrive, Congresswoman Finkenauer said, I am happy to see this federal investment in Northeast Iowa, and I will keep doing anything I can to ensure that hardworking families see a direct impact from these types of investments. Ensuring our communities have the tools they need to thrive is one of my top priorities. Kelly Dentmyer, Executive Director of the East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA) said, ECIA has been a designated EDA District since 1978. We utilize the EDA planning grant to assist our member governments with vital economic development and community development projects in our region. ECIA matches the EDA grant dollar for dollar with local funding and this enables our staff to work on projects related to business retention and expansion; workforce recruitment and retention; workforce housing development; as well as infrastructure related projects. This funding is critical to our economic development activities throughout the region. Julie Winter, Planning Director of Region 6 Resource Partners said, We are thrilled to receive the $17,500 award for the EDA Planning Partnership Grant. Funds from this award will be used to help support planning efforts in the region like affordable housing, sewer improvements, water improvements, tornado recovery, and trail development. These investments in our region are crucial to healthy, thriving communities. These funds allow us to help communities secure grants and other outside funding sources that mainta… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://finkenauer.house.gov/media/press-releases/finkenauer-statement-passage-us-mexico-canada-trade-agreement | Finkenauer Statement on Passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Abby Finkenauer | F000467 | finkenauer.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC Today, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01)released the following statement on the House passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement: "I am happy to see and be a part of bipartisan passage of the UMSCA. This is a win for Iowa's farmers who will have certainty now that the president will not fulfill his reckless threat to pull out of NAFTA and cost us even more with our trading partners. With the new provisions included, this ensures we will stop bleeding American jobs to other countries and will work as well to start to bring these jobs back home." | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://finkenauer.house.gov/media/press-releases/finkenauer-statement-trump-administration-undercutting-renewable-fuel-standard | Finkenauer Statement on Trump Administration Undercutting the Renewable Fuel Standard | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Abby Finkenauer | F000467 | finkenauer.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC Today, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01)released the following statement on the Environmental Protection Agency's new rule regarding Renewable Fuel Standard small refinery waivers: "Iowa's biofuels producers and farmers have suffered enough this year from the president's trade war, to taking the side of big oil and refinery waivers. Today, we have a final rule from the administration that fails to take into account legitimate bipartisan concerns and feedback from our nation's actual ethanol and biodiesel producers. Once again we see the president has no intention of making good on the promises he has made to Iowans in the past to stop attacking the Renewable Fuel Standard. Iowans shouldn't be losing jobs because of the Trump administration's EPA policies and lack of leadership from the president." | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/champion-of-agriculture-steve-king-praises-house-passage-of-usmca | Champion of Agriculture Steve King Praises House Passage of USMCA | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Steve King | K000362 | steveking.house.gov | legacy | This is a terrific trade agreement. . . It's a huge victory for the President of the United States, for Americans everywhere, for Iowans in the 4th Congressional District which is the number one agriculture producing district in all of America. Washington D.C- Congressman Steve King releases video of floor remarks he delivered in the House of Representatives today in which he expresses his support for the passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Trade Agreement successfully negotiated by President Trump. King voted in favor of the USMCA, which passed the House of Representatives on a vote of 385-41. Prior to delivering his USMCA remarks, Congressman King was recognized by Rep. Kevin Brady, the Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee, as a champion of agriculture. To view the video, click the image above or on this link. Transcript of Rep. King's remarks: Thank you, Madame Speaker, and I thank the Gentleman from Texas, the Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Committee, and perhaps one of the most successful in my modern time. I'm looking at this USMCA trade agreement. I've said from the beginning that I would not have opened up NAFTA. It was good for Iowa agriculture, it was good for Iowa manufacturing, it was good for America in many areas. But the President promised that he would open it up, and that he would prevail in his negotiations. He has followed through and he has kept his word. For a year and a half, I've been having discussions with every entity that I can find that has been affected by this trade agreement. They all say, we are better off!' They might say we are marginally better off, but they say we are better off!' Until you get to dairy, where we are a lot, lot, better off than we were in the past. This is a terrific trade agreement. Whatever the nuances were afterwards were some changes that didn't affect, I don't think, the district that I represent. But what this amounts to is this: It's a huge victory for the President of the United States, for Americans everywhere… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/bipartisan-legislation-boosting-support-foster-care-system-passes-congress | Bipartisan Legislation Boosting Support for Foster Care System Passes Congress | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Washington Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), along with House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.) and Ranking Member Kevin Brady (R-Texas), praised the inclusion of the Family First Transition Act in the end-of-year funding legislation that passed in the Senate today and heads to the president's desk for signature. The legislation was introduced in the Senate by Senators Grassley and Wyden, and in the House by Representatives Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.) and Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.). The legislation provides states with additional tools to successfully implement the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), which became law last year. FFPSA established federal support for states to transform child welfare systems and keep more children safely at home, instead of placing them in foster care. The Family First Transition Act is supported by over 100 national organizations and more than 350 state and local groups. The Family First Prevention Services Act will change the landscape of child welfare, making it possible for more kids to stay with their families instead of entering foster care. I'm glad that states will now receive additional tools to successfully transform their systems, as I know these resources will directly help kids at risk of abuse and neglect, Grassley said. Families and their children in and at risk of entering foster care need help now, Wyden said. The enactment of this legislation will enable states to move forward more quickly in providing critical services to safely prevent foster care entries and move children who are already in foster care into placements that will best meet their needs. I am hopeful that states will seize the opportunity Congress has provided and move to make the promise of the Family First Prevention Services Act a reality. The Family First Transition Act will provide states with the tools they told us they need to implement the Family First Prevention Services Act and transform our na… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-ernst-statements-epa-s-2020-rfs-rule | Grassley, Ernst Statements on EPA’s 2020 RFS Rule | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today released the following statements regarding the EPA's final 2020 renewable volume obligations rule under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Once again, EPA is playing games and not helping President Trump with farmers. An agreement was reached on September 12 in an Oval Office meeting between several Midwest leaders, President Trump and other members of his Administration. This does not reflect what we agreed to in that meeting. Simply requiring that the three-year rolling average be based on hard data and actual waived gallons rather than Department of Energy recommendations and EPA discretion would solve this problem and ensure the renewable volume obligations are met. Administrator Wheeler has put the president in a bad situation by not following the law as intended by Congress and as the president has promised to uphold. No matter what EPA says about the impact of its waivers to oil companies making billions in profits, farmers and biofuels producers know and feel the negative impact of the agency's actions. I will hold EPA's feet to the fire to make certain they abide by the Department of Energy's recommendations and ensure integrity in the RFS. Whether that happens is up to Administrator Wheeler and the president's support among farmers is in his hands. The magic words from the Oval Office meeting were three-year rolling average based on hard data and actual waived gallons. Abiding by this would have solved all the problem's EPA has created, Grassley said. Throughout this process, I, along with Senator Grassley and Governor Reynolds have made it crystal clear that Iowa's farmers and biofuel producers need certainty that EPA will follow the law. After shaking hands in the Oval Office this fall, EPA had an opportunity to restore the broken trust of farmers and to follow through on the president's commitment, but it appears they've missed the markagain. We were guaranteed a deal in September, and we… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-house-passage-usmca | Grassley Statement on House Passage of USMCA | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Grassley Expects Senate Passage and Final Ratification Early Next Year Washington Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today released the following statement regarding passage in the House of Representatives of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The overwhelming, bipartisan vote in the House of Representatives is a historic victory for President Trump and the entire country. President Trump was adamant in campaigning for an overhaul to NAFTA. Now he's put to rest any doubt that USMCA is a significant improvement and a win for Americans, Grassley said. President Trump and Ambassador Lighthizer have worked hard to achieve a strong deal with bipartisan support. They deserve congratulations for this historic achievement. Ratification of USMCA in 2019 is no longer possible because it took more than a year for House Democrats to act. It's unfortunate that farmers, manufacturers and all American workers had to wait so long. Impeaching the president and passing USMCA in the same week makes immediate action impossible. But I look forward to getting USMCA passed in the Senate and ratified early next year. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-passage-anti-robocall-legislation-0 | Grassley Statement on Passage of Anti-Robocall Legislation | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | For Immediate Release Thursday,December 19, 2019 Grassley Statement on Passage of Anti-Robocall Legislation WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today released the following statement on the passage of thePallone-ThuneTelephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act. Senator Grassley cosponsored theTRACED Actin the Senate, which was authored by Senator John Thune (R-S.D.). Robocalls aren't just annoying, they can be dangerous. Wily scammers are stealing money and personal information from unsuspecting victims through robocalls.Grassley said. Passage of theTRACED Actwill help bring some much-needed relief of robocalls in Iowa and across the country. It is vital that these scammers are stopped and that enforcement be robust. According to YouMail, there were an estimated 48 billion robocalls in 2018, which is up over 65% since 2016. This number has already been surpassed in the first ten months of 2019. In fact, Americans received a record-high number of 5.7 billion robocalls in October. First Orion predicts that this year 44.6 percent of all calls to mobile devices will be scams. In 2018, the FCC received 232,000 consumer complaints of unwanted calls, a nearly 35 percent increase since 2015. In May, the Senate passed theTRACED Actby a vote of 97-1. In July, the House of Representatives passed theStopping Bad Robocalls Actby a vote of 429-3. These bills were reconciled resulting in thePallone-Thune TRACED Act. ThePallone-ThuneTRACED Act, S. 151, is bipartisan legislation that takes aim at telemarketers who prey on consumers. The following is a summary of the major provisions of the bill: TRACED grants the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) more latitude to pursue civil forfeiture penalties against the worst offendersrobocallers intentionally violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Under current law, the FCC must first issue a citation to a robocaller, and then can only seek penalties within a year of a subsequent violation. This bill would permit the FCC … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-passage-rural-broadband-deployment-and-mapping-bill | Grassley Statement on Passage of Rural Broadband Deployment and Mapping Bill | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today released the following statement on the passage of the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (DATA) Act. I'm concerned that the current FCC maps dramatically overstate broadband access in Iowa in a way that has a negative impact on our funding eligibility, Grassley said. Better data will ensure that funding is available throughout rural America. This bill should help the FCC accomplish these goals. The Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (DATA) Act requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to issue new rules to require the collection and dissemination of granular broadband availability data and to establish a process to verify the accuracy of such data. Grassley has a long history of working to close the digital divide in Iowa. He is a strong advocate for rural broadband deployment and providing the tools necessary to make sure that rural America is not left behind. All Americans ought to be able to share in the opportunity that advanced telecommunications and mobile technology can bring to one's home, classroom, hospital, business, or tractor, Grassley stated. Most recently, Grassley and Sen. Joni Ernst sent a letter on July 8, 2019 to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai regarding the FCC's role in ensuring the accuracy of broadband maps. In August 2019, the FCC voted to create a new Digital Opportunity Data Collection regime based on geospatial broadband coverage maps provided by fixed Internet service providers. The Universal Service Administration Company was charged with the new data collection and will create a portal for collecting the carrier data and allow for crowdsourced challenges to the maps. The FCC is continuing to collect data based on census blocks, but will require fixed broadband suppliers to also provide coverage maps based on shapefiles for more granular data. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-wyden-introduce-bill-tackle-medicare-appeals-backlog | Grassley, Wyden Introduce Bill to Tackle Medicare Appeals Backlog | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Washington Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) reintroduced legislation to reduce the backlog of Medicare appeals cases. The bipartisan Audit & Appeals Fairness, Integrity, and Reforms in Medicare Act (AFIRM) of 2019, establishes new tools for the Office of Medicare Hearing and Appeals (OMHA) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to resolve outstanding appeals cases in a more efficient and cost-effective manner. HHS has made great strides to reduce the backlog of Medicare appeals at OMHA. However, despite their best efforts, more than 300,000 Medicare appeals were still pending as of June this year. As a result, hospitals, doctors and nursing homes are being forced to wait for up to three years for their appeal to be adjudicated. This bill gives HHS the ability to eliminate the backlog more quickly and help prevent bottlenecks in the future, Grassley said. Care providers and seniors shouldn't have to wait years for the federal government to determine it has improperly denied a health care claim and compensate them accordingly. This bipartisan bill has been before Congress for far too long. I thank Chairman Grassley for continuing this bipartisan work and I hope it can become law soon to finally eliminate this backlog, Wyden said. The AFIRM Act (S.3078) builds on the Committee's past oversight and investigative efforts to identify ways to make Medicare appeals more efficient for healthcare providers. In 2015, an earlier version of the AFIRM Act was passed out of the Senate Finance Committee by unanimous consent, but failed to pass the Senate. Since the beginning of the year, Grassley and Wyden have worked to identify opportunities to reduce costs associated with the bill. Earlier versions of the bill were estimated to cost more than $1 billion over a ten year period, while this version is expected to cost just a fraction of that amount. The legislation introduced this week would help HHS adjudicate low-value claims by providing HHS… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/senators-request-comprehensive-study-national-organ-donor-system | Senators Request Comprehensive Study of National Organ Donor System | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Washington Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Todd Young, a member of the Committee, wrote to Health and Human Services Acting Inspector General (HHS OIG) Joanne Chiedi requesting a comprehensive examination of the adequacy of the organ procurement and transplantation system in the United States. President Trump's historic executive order will transform the nation's organ procurement and transplant system. I'm confident that the proposed rule being developed by Secretary Azar as the result of President Trump's directive will save thousands of American lives. But there's also no question that more can be done right now to improve a system that is mired by inefficiency, waste and a serious lack of accountability. Grassley said. Because our organ donation system is so complex, most people don't know how it works, or if patients are being protected. This is why we are taking a look behind the curtain of a system that so many lives depend on. My friend, Marine Dave Gunny' McFarland from Jeffersonville, Indiana, died because his heart transplant never came. That is unacceptable. I won't stop working on this issue until we increase the availability of organs for patients in need, and eliminate the inefficiencies occurring in our organ donation system, Young said. The senators are seeking information about the extent of HHS OIG oversight of OPOs and other information regarding previous relevant investigations. The letter from Grassley and Young can be found HERE.Grassley, Young and a bipartisan group of senators wrote to HHS earlier this year demanding answers to a recent change in the national liver distribution policy made by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Under the new policy, transplant hospitals in areas with rural and low-income populations could see patients waiting longer for a liver match and losing livers donated in their state.-30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.ernst.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=60DD3F05-EB9B-4D21-B2E5-72DAB9B6D546 | Ernst Bill Would Help Iowa CommunitiesLike HamburgMake Temporary Flood Protection Structures Permanent | 2019-12-18 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Joni Ernst | E000295 | www.ernst.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON In April 2019, Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) chaired a Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee field hearing in southwest Iowa where she questioned U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) witnesses on their management of the river and heard from local stakeholders, including Cathy Crain, Mayor of Hamburg, Iowa who described her community's struggles to make their heightened levee permanent. Today, Ernst is putting forward bipartisan legislation, with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), to help communities, like Hamburg, make temporary flood protection structures permanent. Rural communities like Hamburg, Iowa deserve the same flood protection as any other community across the country, said Senator Joni Ernst. Iowa's communities, regardless of their size, should be able to get the flood protection they need, and our bipartisan bill helps them do just that. In emergency situations, the Corps has the authority to construct temporary flood structures. In 2011, it raised the levee protecting Hamburg by about 8 feet to improve the town's defenses against flood waters. This temporary improvement helped withstand the flood waters, but Corps policy dictated that the structure had to be either taken down or built to Corps specificationsat a cost to the town. Because Hamburg could not afford to make the levee permanent, it had to be removed. The Local Expertise is Vital for Effective Embankments (LEVEE) Act gives the Corps the authority to review whether temporary flood control structures should be made permanent. In making these determinations, the Corps is directed to consider the likelihood of needing to construct a similar structure in the future, and the economic and safety benefits of making the structure permanent. The legislation also allows the local cost share for making the structure permanent to be waived for communities with populations less than 10,000, or that are financially disadvantaged or at risk from recurring flood events. Background Atan oversight hearing earlier this year, Sena… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.ernst.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=B2973EAF-E501-475B-A43F-1AA614A33AEA | Ernst Nominates 40 Iowans for Admission to U.S. Service Academies | 2019-12-18 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Joni Ernst | E000295 | www.ernst.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTONU.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Iowa Army National Guard and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, today announced U.S. Service Academy nominations for 40 young Iowans. As a combat veteran, and mother of a West Point cadet, it's truly an honor to nominate these qualified Iowa students for admittance to our U.S. Service Academies. Each of these students has exemplified strong leadership, dedication to academics and commitment to community service. This nomination is an important step in the admissions process, and I'm proud to assist these students in reaching their goal of serving our nation in uniform, said Senator Ernst. Each year, Senator Ernst nominates Iowa students to the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. To learn more about the service academy nomination process, click here. Below is a complete list of the students nominated by Senator Ernst for the Class of 2024. U.S. Air Force Academy Scott Bell Altoona* Anthony Cordes Avoca Anton Dahm Bettendorf Jacob DeJohn Urbandale Keegan Eitter Dubuque* Emma Holesinger Dubuque* Jacob Hrasky Treynor Nolan McGregor Sergeant Bluff Benson Redfern Cedar Falls Jordyn Wagner Clive U.S. Military Academy at West Point Margaret Cristoforo Mt. Pleasant Madison Corey Ankeny Ethan Flege Waverly Grace Greer Iowa City James Pinter Iowa City Luke South Linden Mikail Syed Iowa City Gaige Tvrs West Liberty Jerry Vesey III Bettendorf Wynn Yeager Winterset U.S. Naval Academy Kaylah Ajram-Wright Cedar Rapids Bryce Anstoetter Dubuque John Bell Waterloo Scott Bell Altoona* Chloe David Granger Mason Dunn Bettendorf Mitchell Engelbart Wyoming Keegan Eitter Dubuque* Madison Foht Davenport* MaryClare Greer Iowa City Emma Holesinger Dubuque* Nicholas McGowan Sioux City Lucas Miller Urbandale* Jacob Nelson Bettendorf* Lucas Paskach Des Mo… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://axne.house.gov/media/press-releases/axne-leads-freshman-democrats-calling-senate-pass-usmca-year | Axne Leads Freshman Democrats in Calling on Senate to Pass USMCA This Year | 2019-12-18 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Cynthia Axne | A000378 | axne.house.gov | legacy | Washington D.C. Today, Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) called on the Senate to pass the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) before the end of the year. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Rep. Axne joined six of her freshman House colleagues in demanding that the Leader bring up the deal as soon as the House passes it this week. We are deeply concerned by your statements that the Senate will not take up the USMCA this year, the lawmakers wrote. The Senate cannot leave for recess until you pass the USMCA. The letter highlighted the Senate's previous words of support for the agreement amid statements that now suggest the deal will not be brought up until February. Over the last year, many of our colleagues in the Senate have expressed support for USMCA and their desire to move this deal as quickly as possible, the lawmakers wrote. We have completed the heavy lifting of negotiations and compromise and will send you a bipartisan trade agreement that the President himself supports. USMCA cannot end up in the Senate's Legislative Graveyard. The letter was signed by Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03), Rep. Anthony Brindisi (NY-22), Rep. Angie Craig (MN-02), Rep. Joe Cunningham (SC-01), Rep. Abby Finkenauer (IA-01), Rep. Kenda Horn (OK-05), and Rep. Susan Wild (PA-07). The House is expected to pass the USMCA trade agreement on Thursday. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://axne.house.gov/media/press-releases/hamburg-needs-our-help-rep-axne-introduces-legislation-cut-red-tape-provide | Hamburg Needs Our Help: Rep. Axne Introduces Legislation to Cut Red Tape, Provide Greater Flexibility in Critical Levee Construction | 2019-12-18 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Cynthia Axne | A000378 | axne.house.gov | legacy | Washington D.C. Today, Iowa's Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) and Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) introduced legislation in both chambers of Congress to give communities and the Army Corps of Engineers greater flexibility in constructing permanent levees from temporary ones. The bipartisan legislation was jointly led by Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). The Local Expertise is Vital for Effective Embankments (LEVEE) Act would allow the Army Corps of Engineers to begin preconstruction on levee improvements without waiting for congressional approval if a project is determined to be critical to flood prevention and cost less than $25 million. The legislation would also provide full federal funding for projects in flood-prone areas. No town should have to worry that federal red tape stands between them and a devastating flood, said Rep. Axne. What we saw in Hamburg earlier this year proves that we must do something to allow the Corps to act faster and provide full federal funding for flood-prone areas. Our local and on-the-ground experts need to be listened to. I'm proud that this bipartisan, bicameral legislation does just that and addresses this critical issue for Southwest Iowa. In 2011, residents of Hamburg, Iowa worked the Army Corps of Engineers to construct makeshift emergency additions to a levee to combat rising flood waters. The levee saved the town from floodwaters, but was determined to be not adequate enough to be made permanent without changes. After Hamburg could not come up with the funds to make the changes, the additions to the levee were removed. Last spring, Nebraska experienced the worst flooding since 2011," said Rep. Bacon. "Many homes, businesses, livestock and dreams were lost. Under this bill, the Army Corps would be allowed to evaluate repeated and potential areas of flooding and construct levees to prevent such disasters from occurring again. We must take the proper actions to protect communities from future floods and this legislation does just that. Since disastrous floodin… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-stands-with-the-constitution-and-president-trump-votes-against-sore | King Stands with the Constitution and President Trump, Votes Against Sore Loser Democrats Sham Articles of Impeachment | 2019-12-18 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Steve King | K000362 | steveking.house.gov | legacy | Washington D.C- Congressman Steve King releases the following statement after voting against both of the sham impeachment articles introduced by House Democrats. The Articles of Impeachment passed the House of Representatives on a vote of 230-197 (Article One) and 229-198 (Article Two). Not a single Republican voted in favor of the Impeachment Articles; in fact, the Democrats' Impeachment Articles were so meritless that a handful of conscientious Democrats were willing to cross party lines to join Republicans in voting against them. For three years, sore loser Democrats have feverishly attempted to undo election results that they have never accepted, and these sham impeachment articles represent the futile culmination of the far-left's impotent frustration and rage, said King. Leftist Democrats and Never-Trumpers created a Resistance movement to thwart President Trump at every turn, and they have turned Constitutional protections like due process inside-out and upside-down in their quest to remove our remarkably successful President from office. The simple fact of the matter is this: Democrats realize that they can't beat the President in 2020, and they've decided to use the impeachment process as a campaign weapon against him. The people of Iowa see through the Democrats' cynical ploy. Iowans support this President and the great work he is doing for our country, they want their votes for President Trump respected, and they understand that adherence to our Constitution means rejecting the impeachment of a duly-elected President on such baseless, politically motivated charges. In rejecting the Articles of Impeachment, Congressman King stands firmly on the side of the United States Constitution, protecting a duly-elected President from hyper-partisan House Democrats' illegitimate effort to remove him from the office to which the American people, including the people of Iowa, elected him to serve. As a reminder, in the 2016 Presidential election, the people of Iowa voted 51.1% to 41.7% to elect President Trump over … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/video-king-defends-president-trump-against-articles-of-impeachment | Video: King Defends President Trump Against Articles of Impeachment | 2019-12-18 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Steve King | K000362 | steveking.house.gov | legacy | You're accusing Donald Trump of doing that which Joe Biden has confessed to doing! Washington D.C- Congressman Steve King releases the following video of comments he delivered during House debate this afternoon over the Articles of Impeachment that House Democrats have introduced to impeach and seek the removal of President Donald J. Trump from office. King opposes both Articles of Impeachment being brought against the President. To watch the video, please click the image above or on this link. Transcript: I thank you Madame Speaker and I thank the Gentleman for yielding. I start off first that this is the largest and most massive cover-up of such a list of crimes against our country, and it goes so far as to bring impeachment hearings to try to cover all of this up. And I would take you back to October of 2015 when Barack Obama said, Hillary Clinton would never intend to jeopardize our national security.' Again, the following April, the next month, Peter Strzok wrote the statement that was delivered by James Comey. And they've spent Democrat money and Hillary Clinton money in Russia to pick up dirt on Donald Trump! And, then, Joe Biden goes to Ukraine and makes a statement Here's a billion dollars, but you must do what I tell you to do!' You're accusing Donald Trump of doing that which Joe Biden has confessed to doing! And, by the way, Joe Biden was not the opponent of Donald Trump. He's in a 21-way primary for Democrats; he's running third in that race. His [Biden's] opponents are the other 20 Democrats. How would anybody dig in to that mess of 21 people and decide he's going to go overseas and pull some maneuver like this? You have to assign him a motive. You assign him a motive, then you create the dots, then you go dot to dot. But the reality is that it was Biden that was doing the extortion of the power play in order to protect his own son, and it was Donald Trump that was following the law that said you have to ensure that there is not corruption here before this money is handed over. And, by the way, … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-first-step-act-one-year-anniversary-senate-passage | Grassley on the First Step Act: One Year Anniversary of Senate Passage | 2019-12-18 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Prepared Floor Remarks by U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa The First Step Act: One Year Anniversary of Senate Passage Wednesday, December 18, 2019 I come to the floor today to commemorate and celebrate the one year anniversary of a groundbreaking achievement. On December 18, 2018, the Senate passed the First Step Act. Three days later, President Trump signed this monumental bill into law. The First Step Act is the most significant criminal justice reform law in a generation. I'm proud of the work we accomplished a year ago here on the Senate floor by voting it out of this chamber with a roll call vote of 87-12. This historic vote means a lot to me. In fact, in one of the conference rooms in my office here in Washington, I have the official tally sheet from this bill's vote framed and hung on a wall. Now, Iowans, advocates, and those who visit my office can see a piece of history. Our criminal justice system is based on the rule of law. That means when you commit a crime, you should be punished. But the punishment should fit the crime. If the penalty is too harsh, it doesn't do any more to deter criminal activity and it's a bad value for taxpayers. Overly harsh penalties can also make it harder for prisoners who are trying to change their lives to turn over a new leaf. It's worth noting that almost all criminals are eventually released from prison. So our criminal justice system must do more than punish and deter. It must rehabilitate and prepare prisoners to reenter society. And that's what the First Step Act does. It gives non-violent prisoners an incentive to participate in programs in prison like job training, drug treatment programs, and counseling that have been shown to reduce recidivism. The First Step Act also makes sentencing more fair. It leaves tough penalties in place for the worst criminals, but it reduces mandatory minimum sentences giving judges the ability to tailor punishments to fit crimes. Today marks a happy occasion and a time for reflection. However, we must remain focused on the… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-lauds-inclusion-plan-restore-access-justice-us-victims-terrorism | Grassley Lauds Inclusion of Plan to Restore Access to Justice for U.S. Victims of Terrorism in Spending Package | 2019-12-18 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Bipartisan bill allows PA to be held accountable in U.S. courts based on martyr payments to families of terrorists & activities by the PA on U.S. soil. WASHINGTON Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today released the following statement after successfully securing the inclusion of the bipartisan Promoting Security and Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act of 2019 in the year-end appropriations package. In October, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the legislationintroduced by Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.)to ensure American victims of international terrorism can seek justice in U.S. courts. The legislation builds upon the 1992Anti-Terrorism Actauthored by Grassley and responds to the Palestinian Authority's (PA) shameful restriction on humanitarian aid in its effort to thwart accountability for supporting acts of terrorism. It also corrects a recent circuit court decision that effectively closed the courthouse doors to American victims. The American principle that everyone deserves meaningful access to justice is as old as the Constitution itself. That's why, in 1992, Congress unanimously passed theAnti-Terrorism Actto open the courthouse doors to American victims and their families. Unfortunately, recent flawed court decisions gutted the law that had worked for nearly 30 years. When Congress sought to close that loophole, the Palestinian Authority responded by thumbing its nose at our justice system and unnecessarily blocked humanitarian aid from its own people in the process. ThePromoting Security and Justice for Victims of Terrorism Actrestores jurisdiction in U.S. courts and ensures that critical humanitarian aid can continue to flow. This bill marks a rare compromise reached by American victims of terrorism, the State Department, and other key stakeholders. I'm grateful for their tireless work and the efforts of colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and especially the leadership of Senator Lankford, to move this bill forward. After over a year of negotiations, I'm glad … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-partners-leeve-act-make-temporary-flood-protection-structures-permanent | Grassley Partners on LEEVE Act to Make Temporary Flood Protection Structures Permanent | 2019-12-18 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Kirsten Gilibrand (D-N.Y.) in introducing the Local Expertise is Vital for Effective Embankments (LEVEE) Act to help communities make temporary flood protection structures permanent.In April, Grassley participated in a field hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in southwest Iowa chaired by Ernst, in which local stakeholders, including Mayor Crain of Hamburg, described the struggles communities have in keeping levee improvements made in face of flooding permanent. Cities like Hamburg have struggled after disasters to keep their temporary flood protection structures in place to provide further protection from flooding.We should use some good Iowa common sense and not tear down these structures. This bill was discussed at the hearing and we are following through on our commitment. It's important that communities do not have to go through the situation that Hamburg has gone through along our mighty rivers, Grassley said. The Local Expertise is Vital for Effective Embankments (LEVEE) Act gives the Army Corps of Engineers the authority to review whether temporary flood control structures should be made permanent. In making these determinations, the Corps is directed to consider the likelihood of needing to construct a similar structure in the future, and the economic and safety benefits of making the structure permanent. The legislation also allows the local cost share for making the structure permanent to be waived for communities with populations less than 10,000, or that are financially disadvantaged or at risk from recurring flood events. In 2011, the Corps raised the Ditch 6 levee by about eight feet to help protect the town against flood waters. This levee held the floodwaters back, but unfortunately, Corps policy told them they had to take down the additional protection or rebuild it to Corps specifications. Hamburg was unable to come up with the additional funds to rebuild the levee so they were forced t… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-praises-committee-passage-bipartisan-national-bio-and-agro-defense | Grassley Praises Committee Passage of Bipartisan National Bio and Agro-Defense Legislation, Lands Package | 2019-12-18 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined his colleagues, Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) in supporting the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) Act of 2019, which recently passed out of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. National security is a growing priority for the agriculture industry, which faces many potential foreign threats. This bipartisan bill will add another layer of defense for the food supply in our country. I'm glad to see a collaborative cross-agency approach to address emerging threats and prioritize farm and food safety, Grassley said. The Committee passed S. 2695, as amended by a manager's amendment, on a voice vote. Read full text of the bill here.-30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-prescription-drug-pricing-reduction-act-would-help-americans-parkinson-s | Grassley: Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act Would Help Americans with Parkinson’s | 2019-12-18 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Prepared Floor Remarks by U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa Chairman, Senate Finance Committee Wednesday, December 18, 2019 Senator Wyden and I received a letter from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research endorsing our bipartisan Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act. One million Americans have Parkinson's disease. There's no way to stop it or cure it. But thanks to modern medicine, the symptoms can be treated to help patients live a better life. Ninety percent of all individuals diagnosed with Parkinson's disease are on Medicare. Our bill would help these seniors afford their medicine with a cap on out-of-pocket expenses. Now's the time for Congress to act. Not only for those with Parkinson's disease, but for all Americans who need our help. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-fifth-circuit-court-appeals-obamacare-ruling | Grassley Statement on Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Obamacare Ruling | 2019-12-18 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Washington Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today released the following statement regarding the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate. In 2012, the Supreme Court upheld Obamacare, despite serious constitutional issues with the federal government forcing Americans to purchase a product from a private company. Until an ultimate decision is made by the Supreme Court or Congress decides otherwise, the Affordable Care Act will remain the law of the land, Grassley said. Congress should work to ensure that no matter the ultimate outcome, Americans who have pre-existing conditions are protected from losing their insurance or facing discrimination. This is something that has broad, bipartisan support. The only reason for Democrats not to act on legislation like the Protect Act is because they would prefer to keep a partisan political issue alive. That's the definition of putting politics before people and it shouldn't stand. Earlier this year, Grassley joined Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and several other senators in introducing the Protect Act, legislation that would protect Americans with pre-existing conditions and ensure that Americans have the peace of mind knowing that they and their loved ones will never be denied health care coverage or be charged more because of a pre-existing condition.-30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-impeachment-president-trump | Grassley Statement on the Impeachment of President Trump | 2019-12-18 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), president pro tempore of the United States Senate, released the following statement regarding the impeachment of the President of the United States by the House of Representatives. This is a sad day for our country. The impeachment of a president is a serious matter. Today marks the first partisan impeachment of the President of the United States in modern history. The only bipartisanship the American people witnessed today stood opposed to impeachment. The Framers of the Constitutiondid not want impeachment to be a partisan process. The House of Representatives will soon present articles of impeachment to the Senate. I will examine the evidence of the charges presented before the Senateand uphold my oath and duty as a juror. As president pro tempore of the Senate, Grassley will swear in Chief Justice John Roberts, who will preside over the Senate trial. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-trump-drug-importation-plan | Grassley Statement on Trump Drug Importation Plan | 2019-12-18 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Longtime Drug Importation Advocate Grassley Praises Trump Effort to Lower Prescription Drug Prices Washington Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) released the following statement regarding the Trump administration's announcement of a proposed rule to allow certain prescription drugs to be imported from Canada.This is a long time in the making and an important piece of the puzzle to lower prescription drug prices. I applaud President Trump and Secretary Azar for not succumbing to Big Pharma scare tactics and moving forward with this bold but thoughtful plan to finally allow more competition in the marketplace, Grassley said. I've been a longtime advocate of allowing prescription medicine from Canada to be imported to the United States. This proposal would ensure that any drug imported for sale to Americans abides by strict FDA health and safety standards. I look forward to closely reviewing this proposed rule and continuing to work with President Trump and Secretary Azar on bipartisan legislation to lower prescription drug prices.The Trump administration proposed rule mirrors bipartisan legislation from Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Grassley, the Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act of 2019, to import prescription drugs from Canada that meet Food and Drug Administration (FDA) safety standards, pose no risk to the health and safety of Americans, as well as not allowing controlled substances or biologics to be imported.Grassley has repeatedly encouraged increased importation of prescription drugs from Canada and worked to address the ever-increasing costs of prescription drugs. In 2017, Grassley and other senators urged HHS Secretary Tom Price to use statutory authority to fast-track the importation of prescription drugs from Canada. Grassley sent a similar letter to then-Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Matthews Burwell in 2015.Grassley had previously urged HHS and FDA to reinstate unannounced inspections of prescription drug manufacturing facilities in foreign countri… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/icymi-grassley-delivers-soybean-farmers-biodiesel | ICYMI: Grassley Delivers for Soybean Farmers, Biodiesel | 2019-12-18 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Here's what advocates are saying about the Biodiesel Tax Credit extension secured by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) in negotiations this week with House and Senate leadership, which the Senate will take up this week: Passage of the biodiesel tax credit is much-needed good news in rural America. We thank Senator Grassley for working into the wee hours of the morning to ensure this crucial policy finally moves forward. This credit has long been a priority for the Senator, and as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee he has shepherded it through to spark the growth of next generation biofuels. We express the utmost gratitude to Sen. Chuck Grassley, our most ardent champion, for fighting for this policy. The entire U.S. biodiesel industry owes him our humble thanks for his leadership. Biodiesel adds value to every bushel of soybeans The Iowa Soybean Associationis grateful forIowa Senators Grassley and Ernst for their steadfast leadership and tremendous support This is welcome news for the entire renewable fuels industry, and we thank Senator Grassley, Speaker Pelosi and other congressional leadership who made this important compromise possible. ASA is grateful to Congress for its support of the tax creditwhich will help expand markets for soybean growers during an unsteady time. Read more about the expected extension from Iowa Public Radio: Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, worked late into the night Monday to Tuesday finalizing a deal on the so-called tax extenders. I'm happy to report, we've restored the $1 per gallon biodiesel tax credit, and we did it retroactively to its expiring on Dec. 31 2017, Grassley said. That means it will apply to 2018 and 2019 and the provision also calls on it to continue through 2022. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/senators-seek-interviews-former-obama-administration-officials-regarding-burisma | Senators seek interviews with former Obama Administration officials regarding Burisma Holdings and Hunter Biden | 2019-12-18 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) are seeking records from and transcribed staff interviews with five former Obama administration officials: Antony Blinken Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Amos Hochstein Former senior advisor on international energy affairs to Vice President Joe Biden Catherine Novelli Former Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Victoria Nuland Former Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs David Wade Former Chief of Staff to Secretary of State John Kerry These interview requests continue the chairmen's oversight efforts (seehere,here,here, andhere) related to potential conflicts of interest and political influence by Ukrainian elements, including the natural gas firm Burisma, which employed Hunter Biden as a board member while his father was vice president and the public face of the Obama administration's handling of Ukraine.Additional records and interviews related to these matters may also be necessary. The chairmen have requested these individuals to respond by no later than December 23, 2019.On December 6, 2019, Johnson, Grassley, and Graham requested records and transcribed interviews with Andrii Telizhenko and Alexandra Chalupa, two individuals reportedly involved in an effort by Ukrainian embassy officials to undermine the Trump campaign in the 2016 election (see here).Both individuals have since been in contact with the committees and discussions are ongoing regarding document productions and scheduling interviews. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.ernst.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=5CDFCB35-DCC7-48E6-AE8D-ED9C81D6DDC3 | Ernst: Defense Bill Provides Servicemembers with Much-Needed Resources | 2019-12-17 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Joni Ernst | E000295 | www.ernst.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTONU.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), a combat veteran and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats & Capabilities, applauded the bipartisan passage of this year's National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Ernst thanked Senate Armed Services Chairman, Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK), for his leadership and emphasized the importance of the bill, which includes a pay-raise for our troops and supports the needs of our special operators. She also highlighted her provisions that were included in the final bill to expand support for victims of military sexual assault and domestic violence. Click here or the image above to watch Senator Ernst's remarks. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.ernst.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=B47C0707-EA5D-4B33-99D0-19704D3BDB33 | Annual Defense Bill Advances with Ernsts Support and Priorities Included | 2019-12-17 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Joni Ernst | E000295 | www.ernst.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), a combat veteran and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, proudly supported theFiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The final bipartisan, bicameral defense bill includes nearly all of Senator Ernst's priorities, including her proposals to address military sexual assault, to improve Iowa's critical contributions to our nation's defense, and to invest in technological advancements to face the threats of today and well into the future. Having worn our nation's uniform, I take seriously the responsibility we have to provide our servicemembers with the support, authorities, and resources they need to carry out their mission. This bipartisan defense bill includes a number of my priorities that will directly impact all Americans and bolster our national security so that we are outpacing and maintaining a strategic advantage against our adversaries. Congress has passed an annual defense bill 58 years in a row, and in an overwhelmingly bipartisan way, and I'm proud to say that after tremendous hard work and commitment, we've fulfilled our obligation once again. The House and Senate have acted, and I'm confident President Trump will swiftly sign this critical bill into law, said Senator Joni Ernst, the first female combat veteran elected to the Senate. Nearly all of Ernst's priorities from the Senate-passed NDAA were included in the FY20 NDAA Conference Report.Below are a few highlights: Expanding support for victims of military sexual assault and domestic violencethrough provisions focusing on both prevention and successful prosecution of these serious offenses; Improving research on TBIamong servicemembers and strengthening the capacity to track and mitigate injuries caused by blast pressure exposure; Sustaining and enhancing the workload at the Rock Island Arsenal; Ensuring the production of much needed combat munitions at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant; Requesting a briefingon DoD's efficient… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.ernst.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=F568F669-9B2D-4EAF-BA2D-B7971C6FB3A9 | Ernst Leads Bipartisan Hearing on Opioid and Meth Crisis | 2019-12-17 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Joni Ernst | E000295 | www.ernst.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON With Congress dedicating nearly $11 billion to tackle the opioid crisis to date, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) chaired a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing today focused on examining the federal government's strategy for combating the epidemic, including the daunting rates of methamphetamine abuse in Iowa in particular, and to conduct oversight on the nation's top agencies and departments tasked with the job. Click here or on the image above to watch Senator Ernst's opening remarks. Witnesses included top officials from the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The NOPAIN Act Senator Ernst is also joining her colleagues, Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Doug Jones (D-AL), in introducing a bipartisan bill to provide more non-opioid pain treatment options for Medicare beneficiaries, to help prevent abuse. The NOPAIN Actor the Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation Actwould help alleviate barriers for Medicare beneficiaries to use non-opioid pain management alternatives. Under current law, hospitals receive the same Medicare payment for both opioid and non-opioid prescriptions. This creates a disincentive for doctors to prescribe non-opioids, given that traditional opioids are typically dispensed by a pharmacy at little or no cost to the hospital. The NOPAIN Act addresses this payment disincentive by requiring the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide separate Medicare reimbursement for non-opioid pain management options. Senator Ernst's full opening remarks in today's hearing are below: Since 1999, more than 700,000 people have died from a drug overdose in the United States. Increased opioid addiction and the production of deadly synthetic opioids have exasperated America's staggering overdose death rates. In 2017, more than 70,000 people died from drug overdoses, making it the leading cause of injury-related death in the Unite… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://axne.house.gov/media/press-releases/axne-votes-fund-our-military-increase-grants-local-police-invest-cancer | Axne Votes to Fund our Military, Increase Grants for Local Police, Invest in Cancer Research, and Protect our Elections | 2019-12-17 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Cynthia Axne | A000378 | axne.house.gov | legacy | Washington D.C. Today, Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) joined Democratic and Republican colleagues in the House in voting to pass a four-bill package of appropriations bills and provide funding certainty to support our national security for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2020. The bill passed by the House today, H.R. 1158, provides funding for the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Commerce, and other key executive branch agencies tasked with protecting our nation and its citizens. I'm proud to have the backs of those Americans who work every single day to keep our country safe by voting today to keep their agencies open and increase investments in programs that are essential to the national defense, said Rep. Axne. This legislation will protect our elections, support our local law enforcement, and invest in our national security. A number of provisions in the final bill reflect priorities for Iowa and issues which Rep. Axne wrote to members of the House Appropriations Committee to advocate for: $65 million for the National Guard Counter-Drug Program, which the Iowa National AirGuard participates in $847 million for the Small Business Administration, including $261 million for Entrepreneurial Development Programs and $135 million for Small Business Development Centers Allows Customs and Border Protection to hire an additional 240 Agriculture Specialists to help protect against the African Swine Fever $425 million for State Election Security Grants to improve election systems and protect our elections from interference $492.5 million for Department of Defense Cancer Research, including breast, kidney, ovarian, and rare cancer research $22.3 billion for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), including $17.8 billion for disaster response and recovery efforts and $2.9 billion for state and local grants $3.28 billion in grants to local and state law enforcement, including the Byrne JAG program and funding to address blacklogs in sexual as… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://axne.house.gov/media/press-releases/axne-votes-invest-health-and-education-infrastructure-and-rural-communities | Axne Votes to Invest in Health and Education, Infrastructure, and Rural Communities | 2019-12-17 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Cynthia Axne | A000378 | axne.house.gov | legacy | Washington D.C. Today, Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) voted to pass a package of appropriations bills and tax extenders, investing in key programs that help Iowans and provides funding certainty for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2020. These investments in Iowa will be key to increasing access to health care and a quality education, investing in our rural communities, growing small business investments, helping our seniors, ensuring environmental protections and honoring our responsibilities to our veterans, said Rep. Axne. In addition, I'm happy to see much-needed tax provisions to extend critical biofuel tax credits and permanentlyrepeal health care taxes that would hurt Iowans. The bill includes a revival of the biodiesel tax credit until 2022 and an extension of the second generation biofuel tax credits until 2021, provisions that Rep. Axne has fought for since coming to Congress and which will create good-paying green jobs, support Iowa farmers and producers. The bill passed by the House today, H.R. 1865, provides funding for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and other key executive branch agencies and programs. A number of provisions in the final bill reflect priorities for Iowa and issues which Rep. Axne wrote to members of the House Appropriations Committee to advocate for: $3.4 billion for Community Development Block Grants to provide grants to cities, counties, and rural areas to help meet the needs of low-income families $1.5 billion in unspent 2017 funds for disaster relief, which can now go to those impacted by the 2019 flooding $2.8 billion for Alzheimer's disease research, $27 million for Diabetes Prevention Program, and $195 million for the Cancer Moonshot re… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://axne.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-cindy-axne-statement-week-s-article-impeachment-vote | Rep. Cindy Axne Statement on this Weeks Article of Impeachment Vote | 2019-12-17 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Cynthia Axne | A000378 | axne.house.gov | legacy | I came to Congress to work for middle class Iowans getting people better health care and better-paying jobs while making the Federal government more accountable. When I took the oath of office, I swore to protect the Constitution and our democracy. After carefully reviewing the evidence presented from the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees, it's clear the President abused his power by using $400 million in taxpayer money for his own personal, political gain and obstructed Congress by ordering his administration to refuse to testify or provide subpoenaed documents. That's why today, I am announcing my support for the articles of impeachment. While the impeachment process continues, I will continue my work to lower health care and drug costs, increase access to job training programs, and help our neighbors affected by natural disasters. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://finkenauer.house.gov/media/press-releases/finkenauer-secures-child-care-and-rural-broadband-investments-iowa-s-first | Finkenauer Secures Child Care and Rural Broadband Investments for Iowas First Congressional District in Appropriations Package | 2019-12-17 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Abby Finkenauer | F000467 | finkenauer.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC Today, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01)) voted to provide new investments in high-quality child care, rural broadband, registered skilled apprenticeship programs, as well as a historic five-year extension of the biodiesel tax credit. These Iowa priorities were secured as part of a legislative package to fund the government through Fiscal Year 2020. The package included both appropriations and tax provisions and passed with bipartisan support. "From day one, I have worked across the aisle to get this done for our district and state. From passing legislation through committee, to holding hearings with biodiesel producers testifying, it has been a bipartisan effort to get here,Finkenauer said.I came to Congress to make sure Iowa's voices and working families were heard. From constituents visiting the office to roundtables and town halls in the district, this package covers the priorities we heard and its effects and funding will be felt in homes across Iowa. Provisions included will help doctors serving patients in rural communities, invest in our crumbling infrastructure, expand access to high-quality child care, fund rural broadband projects, and provide certainty for our biofuel and soybean producers who work hard every day for a strong Iowa economy. Without a doubt, the package we passed today is a big win for Iowa. The House passed two separate appropriations packages today, both with significant bipartisan support. The packages fund federal departments and agencies, along with the nation's military. In addition, they include a package of tax provisions that are being extended and expired last year, like biodiesel and second-generation biofuels. Finkenauer Priorities Included in the Appropriations Package Early childhood programs get an increase of $1.1 billion, helping ensure that northeast Iowans can access child care and early education no matter where they live Provides $175 million for registered skilled apprenticeship programs, a $15 million increase over last fiscal year Repeals… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://finkenauer.house.gov/media/press-releases/finkenauer-statement-articles-impeachment | Finkenauer Statement on Articles of Impeachment | 2019-12-17 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Abby Finkenauer | F000467 | finkenauer.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC Today, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01) released the following statement on the House's upcoming vote on Articles of Impeachment against President Donald Trump: On January 3rd of this year, I had the distinct honor and privilege to raise my right hand on behalf of my neighbors across Iowa's First Congressional District and swear I would support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I would bear true faith and allegiance to the same. I think of that oath, and my constituents who I'm grateful to serve, every day. Tomorrow, after reviewing months of testimony from national security experts, our intelligence community, and the words and actions of the President of the United States, I will continue to uphold that oath. I will be supporting both articles of impeachment and honor my duty to defend our constitution and democracy from abuse of power at the highest level. This decision is not, and was never about politics, and this shouldn't be about political parties or elections. It's about facts, dignity in public service, and honoring those who fought and continue to fight to protect our sacred democracy.I'll continue to do my job with the same values and respect I grew up with here in Iowa. It will soon be up to our US Senators if they choose to do the same. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://finkenauer.house.gov/media/press-releases/finkenauer-statement-inclusion-biodiesel-tax-credit-extension-key-legislation | Finkenauer Statement on Inclusion of Biodiesel Tax Credit Extension in Key Legislation | 2019-12-17 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Abby Finkenauer | F000467 | finkenauer.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC Today, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01) released the following statement on the inclusion of a five-year biodiesel tax credit extension in the year-end tax extenders legislative package: "From day one, I have worked across the aisle to get this done for our district and state. From passing legislation through committee, to holding hearings with biodiesel producers testifying, it has been a bipartisan effort to get here. While today is a good day for an industry that has been dealt so many unnecessary blows, we should have passed this earlier in the year so our biodiesel producers had the certainty they need to make investments and move the industry forward. No one should have to make plans for closures and layoffs because of Congress failing to do its job. I will keep fighting for our farmers, rural small business owners, and state to ensure we do not see this type of damage again with a common sense tax credit that helps Iowa's biofuels industry grow and helps employ hard-working Iowa families." Finkenauer's Work on Extending Biodiesel Tax Credit Monday, Finkenauer alsooffered an amendment to H.R. 5377 This is part of her efforts to make sure the biodiesel tax credit is extended before the end of the year. Congress had previously extended the tax credit retroactively for 2017, but left it expired for 2018 and beyond. This year, Finkenauer was joined by Senators Grassley and Ernst, as well as industry leaders, at a press conference supporting the legislation. Finkenauer testified before the Ways and Means Committee earlier this year, sharing the stories of Iowa producers and businesses that would benefit from the legislation. Reaction to Extending Biodiesel Tax Credit Extension Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw said, We thank Congresswoman Finkenauer for impressing upon House leadership the importance of the biodiesel tax credit to supporting rural jobs and robust ag markets. She worked diligently drum up support among House members and to ensure the tax credit… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-discusses-votes-against-14-trillion-in-irresponsible-spending-bills | King Discusses Votes Against $1.4 Trillion in Irresponsible Spending Bills | 2019-12-17 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Steve King | K000362 | steveking.house.gov | legacy | Too much money, too little time, and no process that allowed for any kind of oversight. Washington D.C- Congressman Steve King releases the following video of comments he delivered during a Facebook Live broadcast today. In his remarks, King discusses his reasons for voting against irresponsible spending bills totaling $1.4 Trillion in spending that were rushed through the House of Representatives today with little to no opportunity for Members to review the contents prior to the votes. While there are things in each of the bills that King likes (see the included list of King's legislative successes below), such as the tax extenders package for the Bio-diesel credit (King was a cosponsor of that legislation), in the end it came down to this: To watch the video, please click on the image or on this link. "The first thing I request is this: I want regular order. I want an open process. I want an opportunity to weigh in on these pieces of appropriations bills with amendments. I want to hear the debate on the amendments that others might have offered. And, in the end, I want also fiscal responsibility. $1.4 Trillion in spending without scrutiny is not fiscal responsibility. . .The whole picture was too much money, too little time, no process that allowed for any kind of oversight by the regular members on the floor of the House of Representatives." Despite his opposition to the underlying bills, Congressman King was incredibly successful in ensuring that many of his most important legislative priorities received funding. According to a document prepared by the House Appropriations Committee, the following King priorities were included in the 12 bills passed in the House of Representatives today. Congressman Steve King (IA-4) Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies $1 million is provided for the new Genome to Phenome program at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. No language is included to interfere with the mandatory funds provided to the Market Access Prog… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-completes-2019-social-media-series-cornwatch-soybeanwatch | Grassley Completes 2019 Social Media Series #CornWatch, #SoybeanWatch | 2019-12-17 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a family farmer, completed his two social media series called #CornWatch and #SoybeanWatch that gave followers an inside look at farming operations on the Grassley family farm in New Hartford, Iowa. His 20-week series highlighted the progression, from planting to harvest, of the farm's corn and soybean crops. Most people have never stepped foot on a family farm, let alone know about all the complexities that go into planting, growing and harvesting a bountiful crop. The purpose of my #CornWatch and #SoybeanWatch series was to highlight how this small group, only 2 percent of Americans, do the work that feeds and fuels the world. The process of seeing a crop from beginning to end is one that many wouldn't have an opportunity to see, including most of my colleagues in Washington. My hope is that everyone was able to learn more about farming through my #CornWatch and #SoybeanWatch series' and how important farming is to the country's success. While this is the second year in a row that Grassley has featured his #CornWatch series, this is the first year that he launched his #SoybeanWatch series. Grassley created #SoybeanWatch to help provide additional education about another important crop to Iowa. As one of only two farmers in the Senate and the senior senator of one of the top agricultural states in the country, Grassley has been an outspoken advocate for farmers and Rural America. Grassley has been a steadfast proponent of the Renewable Fuel Standard. He's continued to act as a watchdog over the EPA so they do not undercut ethanol and biodiesel production. Grassley's also been a champion for the biodiesel industry, ensuring that the biodiesel tax credit was guaranteed by Congress through 2022.Grassley also took action when there was a liquid propane shortage in Iowa this fall. After hearing concerns from people from every corner of the state, he joined his colleagues, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Gov. Kim Reynolds in pushing the Federal Energy Regulatory Comm… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-partners-bill-stop-flow-drugs-pill-mills | Grassley Partners on Bill to Stop Flow of Drugs to Pill Mills | 2019-12-17 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is cosponsoring bipartisan legislation to give the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) additional tools to hold drug distributors, manufacturers and pharmacies accountable for identifying, reporting and stopping suspicious orders of controlled substances. The Preventing Pill Mills Through Data Sharing Act was introduced by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and also cosponsored by Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). The bill builds upon the Using Data to Prevent Opioid Diversion Act, which was enacted last year as a part of a comprehensive package to combat the opioid addiction crisis. As communities across the country continue to battle the flood of heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine and other illicit opioids, we can't ignore the drug dealers wearing white coats. Bad actors in the legitimate medication supply chain have also contributed to the spread of opioid addiction and overdoes. In some cases, pharmacies have provided small communities with lethal volumes of highly-addictive pills far beyond what could reasonably be prescribed. This bill ensures that the Drug Enforcement Agency is able to collect and share data necessary to identify and prevent suspicious drug orders. It builds on several bills I've pushed to attack the opioid crisis on multiple fronts, Grassley said. Thousands of opioids, often bought from pharmacies, are flooding our communities and leading to devastatingly high levels of addiction and prescription drug-related overdose deaths. One West Virginia town of 392 people received nearly 9 million pills in a single year. We cannot allow pharmacies to order far more drugs than they can responsibly distribute, and drug manufacturers and distributors to supply them. The data needed to stop pharmacies from becoming pill mills already exists, we just have to make it accessible so suspicious orders can be spotted and reported to the authorities. That's exactly what this bill does and I'm proud to introduce… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-passage-national-defense-authorization-act | Grassley Statement on the Passage of National Defense Authorization Act | 2019-12-17 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) released the following statement on the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020. The annual funding bill provides critical resources for national defense, military readiness and support for the nation's service members. National defense is the number one responsibility of the federal government, and ensuring our military efforts receive appropriate resources is critical to the safety of our country. This legislation also includes a well-deserved pay raise for members of our armed forced. I will continue to conduct robust oversight to help cut wasteful military spending while also ensuring our men and women in uniform have everything that they need to perform their mission, Grassley said. Grassley introduced an amendment to the FY 2020 NDAA legislation that would have increased transparency by requiring the DOD to report to Congress on contracting practices, specifically on the sole source spare parts contracts for which the DoD is unable to obtain accurate cost data. This amendment is a product of Grassley's continuous oversight work on overpriced spare parts purchased by the DoD. The NDAA as passed by Congress includes similar language requiring the GAO to report on the DoD's efforts to secure reasonable prices in contracts.Grassley also sent a letter to the leadership of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees urging them not to adopt a House provision in the FY 2020 NDAA that would have restricted audit firm transparency requirements that are already in effect. That provision was ultimately not included, and the law requiring audit firms to report all disciplinary proceedings to the DoD will remain in place.Earlier this year, Grassley sent aletterto then-Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan asking for more information about how the DoD contracts with businesses and other entities in overpricing, specifically citing TransDigm. Additionally, Grassley asked about DoD's process to collect cost data from thos… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-temporary-funding-health-programs-opens-door-prescription-drug-pricing | Grassley: Temporary Funding for Health Programs Opens Door to Prescription Drug Pricing in 2020 | 2019-12-17 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Washington Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today released the following statement regarding critical health program funding included in the year-end appropriations package. Grassley and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) have been leading the charge to lower prescription drug prices in Congress.This deal ensures funding for critical health programs won't lapse and provides long-term certainty for some programs, including health research crucial to medical innovation and discovery. By extending some programs until May of next year, Congress will have the opportunity to act on prescription drug pricing and finally make good on a promise nearly all of us have made, Grassley said. The inclusion of the CREATES Act is a good first step toward addressing abuse and establishing a freer and fairer prescription drug marketplace, but much more must be done if Americans are truly going to see lower prices at the pharmacy counter any time soon. Funding for Medicare, Medicaid and key human services programs are within the jurisdiction of the Senate Finance Committee. Background on funding provisions can be found below. Funded until May 21, 2020: Medicare: Extension of the work geographic index floor that increases Medicare payments to rural health care providers, a priority of Grassley's;Extension of funding to support activities related to quality measurement and provider performance in the Medicare and Medicaid programs; andExtension of funding for the Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) that helps low-income seniors with Medicare enrollment. Medicaid: Funding for Money Follows the Person program in Medicaid to help states provide transition services to help people move from nursing facilities to home or community-based settings;Funding of a spousal impoverishment protection in Medicaid; andFunding for the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic demonstration in Medicaid. Human Services: Funding of the Health Professions Opportunity Grant program; andExtension of the Sexua… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-two-year-anniversary-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act | Grassley on the Two Year Anniversary of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act | 2019-12-17 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Prepared Floor Remarks by U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa Chairman, Senate Finance Committee Tuesday, December 17, 2019 This week marks the second anniversary of the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Thanks to theses historic tax cuts and reforms, Americans have more money in their paychecks and pocketbooks. Individuals and families have more to spend or save for retirement. Small businesses and entrepreneurs have more to invest in their employees and business operations. As a result, we have experienced the longest U.S. economic expansion in history, higher wages and historically low unemployment. I am proud to say on this two year anniversary that tax reform has been a resounding success. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-welcomes-inclusion-retirement-savings-legislation-spending-package | Grassley Welcomes Inclusion of Retirement Savings Legislation in Spending Package | 2019-12-17 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | The SECURE Act Mirrors the Bipartisan Grassley-Wyden Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act Washington Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today released the following statement after successfully securing the inclusion of legislation based on his bipartisan bill with Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore) in the year-end appropriations package. TheSECURE Actincludes theRetirement Enhancement and Savings (RESA) Act of 2019,legislation Grassley introduced earlier this year with Wyden. This legislation will help more Americans save for their retirement and help more American businesses invest in their employees' future financial security, Grassley said. Government should be doing everything it can to help Americans save more of their own hard-earned money so they can retire with peace of mind, dignity and independence. Passing this bipartisan bill was one of my top priorities as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee this Congress. I'm glad after months of delay it will finally become law. The SECURE ACT includes reform proposals to increase retirement savings in several ways, including: Improving an existing type of retirement plan called a multiple employer plan or MEP. Such plans would be expanded to make it easier for small employers to join together to sponsor a single retirement plan for their workers. This would help millions of Americans save for retirement, and reduce plan-administration costs for small businesses;Helping workers to ensure they have adequate income in retirement by creating new rules for employers that offer lifetime-income arrangements in their retirement plans;Enhancing the ability of employees to transfer their retirement plan assets to a new retirement plan when they change jobs;Encouraging employees to increase their retirement savings annually through automatic increases in contributions to 401(k) plans and requiring employers to provide estimates of how much an employee's account would provide during retirement if it were invested in an annuity; and,Continuing t… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/year-end-spending-package-includes-wins-biodiesel-disaster-affected-areas | Year-End Spending Package Includes Wins for Biodiesel, Disaster Affected Areas | 2019-12-17 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Washington Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) made the following comments on the deal reached by lawmakers regarding temporary tax code provisions also known as extenders. After years of uncertainty for many Americans, we've finally come to an agreement on the future of these temporary tax policies. Many people in my state, farmers and processors alike, can breathe a sigh of relief that Congress will extend the biodiesel tax credit retroactively and through 2022. That industry employs more than 60,000 Americans, including thousands of Iowans. This extension provides important, longer-term stability for them and their communities. As chairman of the Finance Committee, I led the effort to get this top priority done. We are also extending tax relief needed to help rebuild in areas where natural disasters have devastated homes and businesses. This will help people in Iowa who saw historic, damaging floods in 2019 as well as Californians and others who've endured some of the biggest wildfires in recent history. We found a path to extend a small but significant set of policies by negotiating through midnight last night. This may not be the package I'd have pushed for on my own, but it's a reasonable way forward that provides certainty where before there was only anxiety for many Americans. The package includes the extensions of the following policies: Multi-year extension of the Biodiesel Tax Credit through (2022);Multi-year extension of the Short-line Railroad Tax Credit (through 2022);Extension of disaster tax relief;Single-year extension of the Wind Energy Production Tax Credit;Resolution of tax-exempt organization parking tax;Clarification of the tax benefits for rural electric cooperatives (RURAL Act). Full text of the legislative package can be found HERE. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://loebsack.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397337 | Reps. Loebsack, Latta, Long and McEachin Praise House Passage of Legislation to Improve Broadband Data Maps | 2019-12-16 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Dave Loebsack | L000565 | loebsack.house.gov | legacy | Today, Representatives Dave Loebsack (IA-02) and Bob Latta (OH-05) authors of the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (DATA) Act (HR 4229), along with its cosponsors, Reps. Billy Long (MO-07) and Donald McEachin (VA-04) issued the following statements praising the House passage of the bill. The Broadband DATA Act is bipartisan legislation that would improve the accuracy of the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) broadband availability maps by changing the way broadband data is collected. The bill now heads to the Senate where similar legislation has been introduced Senators Amy Klobuchar (MN), Roger Wicker (MS), Gary Peters (MI) and John Thune (SD).In 2019, it is simply unacceptable that many families, small businesses, farmers, educators and healthcare providers in rural areas don't have the necessary access to high-speed internet. When this bill becomes law, we will finally begin to fix the bad broadband maps that for too long have often misstated speed and availability, said Congressman Dave Loebsack. I have often said there are two things needed to connect rural America to highspeed broadband and that is dollars and data. But without reliable data, the dollars do not matter. Garbage in, is garbage out. You have to have good data to know where the problems exist, otherwise it is a waste of taxpayer dollars. I am pleased that the Broadband DATA Act, which will help address those issues, has passed the House. I look forward to working with the Senate to get the Broadband DATA Act to the President's desk.Our country's technological capabilities are revolutionizing the way Americans communicate and work with each other, but due to inaccuracies in our maps that identify where people can and cannot access the internet, some people are being left behind. The passage of this bill means more Americans, whether they live in urban, suburban, or rural communities, will be able to participate in our 21st century economy, because we will be able to better pinpoint where internet access is lack… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.ernst.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=1F01B171-7BDE-4F47-9687-29C927D50F62 | Ernst: We should expect and demand the highest standard of care for Iowas veterans | 2019-12-16 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Joni Ernst | E000295 | www.ernst.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Followinga Government Accountability Officereport detailing that Veterans Health Administration facilities are hiring providers with a history of misconduct, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), the first female combat veteran elected to the Senate, has fought tirelessly to ensure our nation's veterans are receiving the highest standard of care. Building on her efforts, Ernst joined Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) in putting forward a bipartisan bill to ensure the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is sufficiently vetting and training veteran health providers. We should expect, and demand, the highest standard of care for Iowa's veterans and those across the nation. This bipartisan bill builds on my effort to ensure the VA is held accountable for who they're hiring to provide treatment and care to our nation's veterans, said Senator Ernst. Our nation's veterans have earned the right to the very best care, and it is outrageous that the VA is not sufficiently vetting its health care providers, said Senator Hassan. Following the VA's failure to even respond to a letter asking how it will remedy the issues raised in the Government Accountability Office report, my colleagues and I are introducing bipartisan legislation to ensure that the VA takes action so that veterans are not cared for by providers with a history of misconduct. Arizona veterans rely on the VA for critical health care. Our bipartisan legislation ensures VA medical professionals are qualified to provide the high standard of care Arizona veterans have earned, said Senator Sinema. In October, the senators sent an oversight letter to the VA requesting detailed information about the steps it will take to implement the report's recommendations, but the Senators have yet to receive a response. So, the senators put forward the bipartisan Veterans Health Administration Caregiver Retention and Eligibility Determination (VHA CRED) Act of 2019 which addresses the problems raised in the Government Accountability Office report b… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.ernst.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=F4CDFA35-EF4E-4AEF-80C2-28FA6149BC19 | In 2019, Ernst Continues to Fight Relentlessly and Deliver Real Results for Her Fellow Iowans | 2019-12-16 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Joni Ernst | E000295 | www.ernst.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON From securing E15 year-round, to breaking ground on the Cedar Rapids flood mitigation project, and from seeing her FARMERS FIRST Act in action providing mental health resources for farmers, to having her veterans billthe HAVEN Actsigned into law, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) continued to fight relentlessly to deliver real results for Iowans this year. 2019 was a great year, and I'm proud of the work we've done to help Iowa's farmers and producers, to support our families and communities impacted by the terrible spring floods, to lower the costs of health care and prescription drugs, and to get trade deals finalized, said Senator Joni Ernst. Another year also means another 99 counties in the books! For the fifth time, I've completed my 99 County Tour, holding 35 town halls and hearing directly from thousands of Iowans in every corner of our state. There's plenty to build on in the year ahead, and I look forward to continuing to fight relentlessly for my fellow Iowans. As 2019 comes to a close, Senator Ernst is reflecting on the last year and highlighting the work she's done to deliver real results for her home state of Iowa. VIDEO: Click HERE or on the image below for a video recap of Senator Ernst's 2019. AUDIO: Click HERE for an audio file download of Senator Ernst describing some highlights from 2019. Some highlights from 2019: 99 County Tour Held 35 town halls in every corner of the statefrom rural areas like Red Oak, to Iowa's most populated area, Polk County; has held a public event in every single county in Iowa since being elected. Upholding the RFS Secured E15 year-round by the summer driving season; negotiated an agreement with the White House to guarantee 15 billion gallons of ethanol. Providing flood relief Broke ground on the Cedar Rapids flood mitigation project, following years of relentless efforts to secure $117 million; passed a federal disaster relief package to support Iowans, which included a provision to extend USDA funds to cover Iowa farmers who had lost stored… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://axne.house.gov/media/press-releases/citing-end-year-tax-extender-uncertainty-rep-axne-introduces-amendment-revive | Citing End-of-Year Tax Extender Uncertainty, Rep. Axne Introduces Amendment to Revive Biodiesel, Biofuel Tax Credits | 2019-12-16 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Cynthia Axne | A000378 | axne.house.gov | legacy | Washington D.C. Today, Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) and Rep. Abby Finkenauer (IA-01) submitted two amendments to H.R. 5377 that would revive the expired biodiesel tax credit and extend tax credits for Iowa's second generation biofuels. The amendments would support Iowa farmers, incentivize investment in green jobs, and finally revive essential tax credits after their expiration at the end of 2017. As the Congress considers bills this week to extend and adjust tax provisions, we are determined to fight for the investments that will support our farmers, rural communities, and good-paying green jobs, said Rep. Axne. At a time when Iowa farmers are facing hardship, Congress cannot ignore the importance of including these critical provisions. The biodiesel tax credit is important for Iowa farmers, producers, rural small businesses, and hard-working families, said Rep. Finkenauer. From day one, I've been working with colleagues on both sides for the aisle, and in both the House and Senate to get bring this credit back. I have stressed to House leadership how important this credit is to the First Congressional District, and to the entire state of Iowa. While I wish this is something that would've been resolved during the last Congress, I will keep working to make sure I get this done for Iowans. Today's amendments are another push to get that done. As a member of the Biofuel Caucus, Rep. Axne has been fighting for the biodiesel tax credit since coming to Congress. In her first full month representing Iowa, Rep. Axne joined the entire Iowa Democratic delegation to call for a multi-year extension of the biodiesel tax credit. In April, Rep. Axne introduced the Biofuel Tax Credit Bill to make the second generation biofuel producer tax credit permanent. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://axne.house.gov/media/press-releases/three-axne-lead-bills-pass-house-help-modernize-grants-broadband | Three Axne-lead bills pass the House to help modernize grants, broadband | 2019-12-16 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Cynthia Axne | A000378 | axne.house.gov | legacy | Washington D.C. Today, the House of Representatives passed three bipartisan bills backed by Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03): the Grant Reporting Efficiency and Agreements Transparency (GREAT) Act, the Mapping After Public Scrutiny (MAPS) Act, and the Broadband Data Act. With the passage of these bills, the House has now passed 66 bills that have been written or co-sponsored by Rep. Axne. In order to remove red-tape and modernize the process, the GREAT Act would establish uniform reporting requirements and create a single public website to publish grant data. By standardizing the process, the bill will make it easier and cheaper for Iowans to receive grants and increase transparency and accountability to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse in federal grant spending. I've heard too many stories from Iowans struggling to navigate federal grant applications, said Rep. Axne. Often times, grants are just awarded to big organizations who can afford a professional grants writer, and I've talked to folks running a small business who have a great idea, but don't know how or where to apply for grants. H.R. 150, the GREAT Act, was one of Axne's first bills to pass the House in January 2019. The Senate held the bill until October, when it finally passed unanimously. Now, the House has approved the Senate's changes and will send the bill onto the White House for signature. The GREAT Act was one of the first bills I supported because Iowans need equal access to grant funding, just like any other state, said Rep. Axne. That's also why I've launched my Iowa Flood Funding Tracker, to show Iowans where disaster relief funds are being spent in Iowa. Iowans need equal access to grant funding, just like any other state. H.R. 4227, the MAPS Act, and H.R. 4229, the Broadband DATA Act, both work to improve the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mapping process for rural broadband and wireless service. The Broadband DATA Act, introduced by Rep. Loebsack (IA-02), would require the FCC to develop a new mapping process, with full, verifiable infor… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://finkenauer.house.gov/media/press-releases/finkenauer-announces-3-million-grant-iowa-head-start-programs | Finkenauer Announces $3 Million Grant for Iowa Head Start Programs | 2019-12-16 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Abby Finkenauer | F000467 | finkenauer.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC Today, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01)announced Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (HACAP) will receive a $3,079,374 federal grant for its Head Start programs. The grant will be distributed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Children in our communities deserve every opportunity to succeed, and that starts with proper early childhood education, Congresswoman Finkenauer said, This grant will ensure HACAP can keep serving kids in our community to give them the chance to thrive from the very start. I am thrilled to see such a worthy organization receive an investment like this. I will keep working to make sure the kids in our district are supported so they are not held back from following their dreams. Background on HACAP & Head Start HACAP is a community action agency serving 6 counties in Eastern Iowa. Its Head Start and Early Head Startare comprehensive early childhood development programs that serve children from birth to age 5, pregnant women, and their families. As child-focused programs, they have the overall goal of increasing theschool readiness of young children in low-income families. In addition to center-based school readiness programs, Early Head Start provides a home program for pregnant women and children age birth-3. There are no fees for children & families enrolled in Head Start/Early Head Start. All supplies and materials are provided for enrolled children. Head Start/Early Head Start program services are funded through grants. Awarded grants are from the federal, state and local levels. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://finkenauer.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-finkenauer-introduces-amendment-revive-biodiesel-biofuel-tax-credits | Rep. Finkenauer Introduces Amendment to Revive Biodiesel, Biofuel Tax Credits | 2019-12-16 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Abby Finkenauer | F000467 | finkenauer.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC Today, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01)and Congresswoman Cindy Axne (IA-03) submitted two amendments to H.R. 5377 that would revive the expired biodiesel tax credit and extend tax credits for Iowa's second generation biofuels. These two amendments would support Iowa farmers, incentivize investment in good-paying jobs, and finally revive essential tax credits after their expiration at the end of 2017. The biodiesel tax credit is important for Iowa farmers, producers, rural small businesses, and hard-working families. From day one, I've been working with colleagues on both sides for the aisle, and in both the House and Senate to get bring this credit back, Congresswoman Finkenauer said. I have stressed to House leadership how important this credit is to the First Congressional District, and to the entire state of Iowa. While I wish this is something that would've been resolved during the last Congress, I will keep working to make sure I get this done for Iowans. Today's amendments are another push to get that done. As the Congress considers bills this week to extend and adjust tax provisions, we are determined to fight for the investments that will support our farmers, rural communities, and good-paying green jobs, said Rep. Axne. At a time when Iowa farmers are facing hardship, Congress cannot ignore the importance of including these critical provisions. Finkenauer's Work on Extending Biodiesel Tax Credit Congress had previously extended the tax credit retroactively for 2017, but left it expired for 2018 and beyond. This year, Finkenauer was joined by Senators Grassley and Ernst, as well as industry leaders, at a press conference supporting the legislation. Finkenauer testified before the Ways and Means Committee earlier this year, sharing the stories of Iowa producers and businesses that would benefit from the legislation. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-gives-update-usmca-us-china-trade-and-impeachment-morning-tv | Grassley Gives Update on USMCA, U.S.-China Trade and Impeachment on Morning TV | 2019-12-16 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) discussed USMCA, Phase 1 of the new U.S.-China trade deal, and impeachment proceedings this morning on Cavuto Coast to Coast on Fox Business Network and Balance of Power on Bloomberg TV. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-leahy-hail-inclusion-creates-act-year-end-spending-agreement | Grassley, Leahy Hail Inclusion of CREATES Act In Year-End Spending Agreement | 2019-12-16 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Reforms would save taxpayers $3.7B. by removing obstacles to lower-cost prescription drugs Washington Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Monday hailed the inclusion of their legislation to combat anticompetitive practices used by some brand-name pharmaceutical and biologic companies to block entry of lower-cost generic drugs in the domestic appropriations package filed today in the House. The Creating and Restoring Equal Access To Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act would deter pharmaceutical companies from blocking cheaper generic alternatives from entering the marketplace. The bill is sponsored by Leahy and cosponsored by Grassley who, like Leahy, is a former Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Other leading cosponsors are Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Amy Klobuchar, leaders of the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights. A companion House bill was introduced by Representatives David Cicilline (D-R.I.) and Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.), the Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law, joined by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and Representatives Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and David McKinley (R-W.Va.). Patients are increasingly facing skyrocketing medication costs, and anti-competitive practices by some brand-name pharmaceutical companies are partially to blame. These companies block access to more affordable generic alternatives, hurting consumers and costing taxpayers billions. The bipartisan CREATES Act puts a stop to this abuse, and encourages greater competition and consumer choice, which lowers prices, while respecting intellectual property of drug makers. This bill saves taxpayers an estimated $3.7 billion on top of reducing sticker prices at the pharmacy counter. Passing the CREATES Act is an important step in a broader bipartisan effort to impro… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-prescription-drug-pricing-affects-everyone | Grassley: Prescription Drug Pricing Affects Everyone | 2019-12-16 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Prepared Floor Remarks by U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa Chairman, Senate Finance Committee Monday, December 16, 2019 I recently heard from an 81-year old Iowan who is battling cancer. She told me that one test cost more than $12,700, almost an entire year's income. On top of that, her medication is more than $4,700 a month. She's on Humana and Medicare, but that's not enough for her to afford her medicalbills. Too many Americans share this Iowan's story. That's why we must pass thePrescription Drug Pricing Reduction Actto finally help Americans afford the critical medications they need. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.ernst.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=A70AB4E9-B186-40C9-9CB8-AF0DA7B36A1A | Ernst Week in Review | 2019-12-14 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Joni Ernst | E000295 | www.ernst.senate.gov | legacy | Calling on Congress to Work Together for Iowans With just a few weeks left in 2019, Senator Joni Ernst is calling for her colleagues Democrats and Republicans to put politics aside and work together on issues where there should be common ground, like funding the government, supporting U.S. servicemembers, passing the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), and providing resources for fellow survivors of sexual and domestic abuse. Click hereor the image above to watch Senator Ernst's remarks. Ernst also took to the Senate floor to outline the need for bipartisan work on these important issues and her willingness to continue working with her Democratic colleagues despite their distractions and delays. Click here or on the image above to watch Senator Ernst's remarks on the floor. Applauding Phase One China Trade Deal As Iowa's fourth largest trading partner, China is a critically important market for Iowa's farmers and manufacturers. Following the news of a phase one trade agreement between the U.S. and China, Senator Ernst, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Energy and Rural Development, thanked President Trump and his administration for their commitment to securing a phase one deal and called on China to follow through. China has been a bad actor for years, and this president has consistently stood up to their harmful trade tactics and worked to get a good deal in place, one that will especially benefit Iowa agriculture. Fighting for Paid Leave for Iowa's Working Families Senator Ernst, a mother and leader on the issue of paid parental leave, joined Ivanka Trump, senior advisor to the President, Dr. Laurie Todd-Smith, Director of the Women's Bureau at the U.S. Department of Labor (DoL), and her colleagues at the White House this week for a working families summit. Senator Ernst remains committed to working alongside her colleagues and the administration to provide commonsense paid leave solutions for families across Iowa. Senator Ernst and her colleagues discuss paid leave… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.ernst.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=A5DB7664-0BC8-46E7-AD2C-B5DA064AF558 | Ernst Statement on Phase One China Deal | 2019-12-13 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Joni Ernst | E000295 | www.ernst.senate.gov | legacy | WASHIGTON U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), chairman of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Energy and Rural Development, issued the following statement regarding the U.S-China phase one trade deal: As Iowa's fourth largest trading partner, China is a critically important market for our farmers and manufacturers. I'm glad to see there will be no new tariffs going into effect this week. China has been a bad actor for years, and this president has consistently stood up to their harmful trade tactics and worked to get a good deal in place, one that will especially benefit Iowa agriculture. I'm grateful to President Trump and his administration for their commitment to securing a phase one deal. It's time for China to follow through. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://axne.house.gov/media/press-releases/show-iowans-money-ahead-trip-flood-affected-counties-axne-unveils-iowa-flood | Show Iowans the Money: Ahead of Trip to Flood-Affected Counties, Axne Unveils Iowa Flood Funding Tracker to Hold Government Accountable | 2019-12-13 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Cynthia Axne | A000378 | axne.house.gov | legacy | Des Moines, IA Today, U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) announced the creation of a new Iowa Flood Funding Tracker for constituents to track updates on disaster relief funding being spent in Iowa after disastrous flooding earlier this year. The tracker will boost transparency and hold our federal agencies accountable by allowing Iowans to see directly where the funding that was approved by Congress is being spent. The documents provided in the tracker are the first batch of updates from three federal agencies that Rep. Axne demanded last month provide specific updates on the disaster relief funding being spent in Iowa. I am pleased to launch the Iowa Flood Funding Tracker today to ensure transparency and allow Iowans to see where federal agencies are spending relief dollars in the flood-affected areas of Iowa, said Rep. Cindy Axne. While Congress has ensured this funding is available, I still hear from constituents that flood areas are not getting the assistance they need. I will continue to hold federal agencies accountable demanding they show Iowans the money' and update our tracker to ensure the information is public for all to see. The letters released on the tracker today include updates provided from the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Small Business Administration. The tracker is available on the Congresswoman's official website at: https://axne.house.gov/disaster Tomorrow, Rep. Cindy Axne will host two Connect with your Congresswoman (CWYC) town halls in Fremont and Pottawattamie counties, and will provide constituents at those town halls with updates on flooding recovery dollars being spent in their area. I look forward to hearing from my constituents directly tomorrow about their experience navigating this recovery process and providing them with this update, said Rep. Cindy Axne. As this recovery continues, I will continue working to get answers and make this process easier. In November, the House passed bipartisan legislation co-sponsored by Rep. Axne to moder… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-colleagues-urge-epa-to-uphold-rfs-with-rule-ensuring-15-billion | King, Colleagues Urge EPA to Uphold RFS with Rule Ensuring 15 Billion Gallons Are Blended into Fuel Supply | 2019-12-13 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Steve King | K000362 | steveking.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Steve King, a member of the Congressional Biofuel Caucus, releases the text of a letter he signed that has been sent to members of the interagency panel producing the final rule regarding the EPA's October 15, 2019 announcement of the Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Program and standards for 2020 and biomass-based diesel volume for 2021. The letter was circulated by Rep. Rodney Davis and Rep. Roger Marshall, and it includes 19 Members of Congress as signatories. It may be seen at this link. The letter requests that the EPA issue a final rule that ultimately ensures that a minimum of 15 billion gallons are blended into the nation's fuel supply starting in 2020. In addition, the letter asks the EPA to propose a fix in the final rule that will more accurately capture the number of gallons that will be lost should waivers be granted in the future. The proposed fix would require the EPA to consider the actual gallons waived when doing Renewable Volume Obligation calculations, in place of a projected number provided by the agency that frequently underestimates the harm done by waivers. The EPA's use of small refinery exemptions (SRE) to undercut the RFS has resulted in a crisis in the corn belt, and the agency must now act to produce a final rule that will preserve and protect the RFS's volume requirements, said King. To do this, the final rule must provide for at least 15 billion gallons to be blended into the fuel supply beginning next year, and it must ensure that the EPA accurately accounts for future waived gallons. This letter tells the EPA how to fix the problem they have created, and it's signatories are united in support of protecting the integrity of the RFS. Protecting the integrity of the RFS from the damage caused by SRE's is a major priority for Congressman King. King introduced two bills in June (HR 3410 and HR 3411) that seek to address this problem. HR 3410 requires that there be no net reduction in RFS volume obligations. HR 3411 contains a r… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-china-trade-deal | Grassley Statement on China Trade Deal | 2019-12-13 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Washington Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today released the following statement regarding the United States' Phase One trade deal with China. This is a very positive development. Easing tensions and lowering tariffs is welcome news. This paves the way for a broader agreement that must address non-tariff barriers and intellectual property issues, Grassley said. President Trump should be commended for working toward a strong, enforceable trade deal that will require China to abide by international trade norms and the rule of law. Iowa in particular will benefit from China's purchasing of agricultural products, especially hog, corn and soybean farmers. But China must know that this gesture of goodwill does not mean the United States will accept anything less than a full and enforceable trade deal. I applaud President Trump, Ambassador Lighthizer and Secretary Mnuchin for their hard work and urge them to remain committed to securing a deal that does away with China's unfair trade practices. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-submission-usmca-congress | Grassley Statement on Submission of USMCA to Congress | 2019-12-13 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Washington Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today released the following statement regarding the U.S. Trade Representative's submission of legislative text and accompanying material to Congress of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). This is an important milestone for USMCA. Americans have been waiting for more than a year for House Democrats to act, and now Congress can finally consider this trade agreement negotiated by President Trump and Ambassador Lighthizer, Grassley said. I expect the House of Representatives will pass USMCA soon. The Senate Finance Committee will then review the trade agreement and report it out of committee as well. Final passage in the Senate is within sight and USMCA will soon be the law of the land. This is a historic win for farmers, autoworkers, manufacturers and all Americans. President Trump made a promise to reform the outdated NAFTA. After a lot of hard work, he's made good on that promise. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/qa-raising-red-flags-about-world-bank | Q&A: Raising Red Flags about the World Bank | 2019-12-13 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | With U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley Q: Why are you raising concerns about World Bank loans to China? A: When I got wind the World Bank approved an over $1 billion a year plan to award China with low-interest loans through 2025, I raised a big red flag. These loans are categorized for structural and environmental reforms under the World Bank's International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) division. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson says the funds will be used for poverty alleviation. This U.S. Senator wasn't born yesterday. News reports have linked World Bank funds to the ruling Communist regime's systematic repression of Muslim Uighurs in the Xinjiang province, which includes mass internment and forced labor. Let's be clear. Institutions like the World Bank have an incumbent responsibility to vet human rights risks when money is handed out for so-called technical and vocational education and training. This language mirrors what the Chinese Communist Party euphemistically calls its internment camps. There's two big reasons Americans see red when they hear about deals like this. For starters, the American taxpayer should not be put on the hook to underwrite loans for the world's second largest economy. China is our biggest competitor. And right now, every farmer in Iowa is hurting from the tariff turf war playing out at the trade negotiating tables. What's more, freedom-loving Americans should not send money to a Communist regime and subsidize projects in a country that imprisons and enslaves people based upon their ethnicity and religious beliefs. Misusing American tax dollars to support the agenda of China's repressive Communist regime is entirely objectionable and unacceptable. Q: What are you doing to protect U.S. tax dollars and protect religious liberty? A:I'm on the same page with President Trump's Treasury Department when Secretary Mnuchin objected to the World Bank's plan. China is the world's second largest economy. It needs to graduate from World Bank lending programs, which are int… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://loebsack.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397336 | Loebsack Praises House Passage of the Lower Drug Costs Now Act | 2019-12-12 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Dave Loebsack | L000565 | loebsack.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement today after the House passed H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which will finally give Medicare the power to negotiate directly with drug companies and makes the lower prices negotiated by Medicare available to Americans with private insurance. In Iowa's Second Congressional District, there are 115,293 people enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan and 566,387 people enrolled in private health insurance all of whom stand to benefit from the passage of this legislation. Additionally, the cost savings from H.R. 3 will be reinvested back into both Medicare, to expand the benefits provided to include comprehensive dental, vision and hearing coverage for senior citizens, and for research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to accelerate the search for the next scientific breakthrough. It is past time that Medicare is able to negotiate with drug companies, similar to what the Veterans Administration has been doing for years. These negotiated prices will then be passed along to Iowans who have private healthcare insurance. I am also very pleased that the cost savings contained in this bill will be reinvested back into Medicare to give Iowa's seniors needed dental, vision and hearing coverage, and expand research at the NIH. No family should have to sit at their kitchen table and have to decide between putting food on the table and paying for their prescriptions. This historic legislation takes the necessary steps to ensure that conversation does not have to happen. Along with many other bills, it is time for the Senate to step up, debate and pass this legislation to help families across the country. The Lower Drug Costs Now Act would lower drugs costs and expand benefits: - Give Medicare the power to negotiate directly with the drug companies to bring down prices and create powerful new tools to force drug companies to the table to agree to real price reductions. - Make the lower drug prices negotiated by Medicare available to A… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.ernst.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=97F90789-12EA-496A-99B7-87CFBC7A5CE6 | Ernst Joins White House Working Families Summit with Ivanka Trump | 2019-12-12 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Joni Ernst | E000295 | www.ernst.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTONU.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), a mother and leader on the issue of paid parental leave, joined Ivanka Trump, senior advisor to the President, Dr. Laurie Todd-Smith, Director of the Women's Bureau at the U.S. Department of Labor (DoL), and her colleagues at the White House today for a working families summit. Click here for a downloadable link to the photos. Affording all moms and dads the flexibility to spend time with their newborn or adopted baby is something Iowans, and Americans want to see happen, said Senator Ernst. It's past time we modernize our family leave policies to reflect the evolving needs of today's workforce and reduce the barriers that pose challenges for parents balancing family and work. I'm grateful for Ivanka Trump's leadership to find a pathway forward on this critical issue, and I remain committed to working alongside my colleagues and the administration to provide commonsense paid leave solutions for families across Iowa. In March, Senator Ernst and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) put forward a paid parental leave plan that is budget neutral and flexible for parents who choose to opt in. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://axne.house.gov/media/press-releases/axne-introduces-legislation-fund-clean-energy-construction | Axne Introduces Legislation to Fund Clean Energy Construction | 2019-12-12 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Cynthia Axne | A000378 | axne.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC Today, Rep. Cindy Axne joined Reps. Debbie Dingell (MI-12), Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE-AL), and Paul Tonko (NY-20), chair of the Environment and Climate Change subcommittee, in introducing the National Climate Bank Act, legislation that creates a federal bank to invest in clean energy and emissions reduction projects. The National Climate Bank will use $35 billion of public capital to support up to $1 trillion of private investment in renewable energy generation and projects to improve energy efficiency across the economy. "While serving at the Iowa statehouse, I worked under both Republican and Democratic governors to make Iowa a leader in wind energy," said Rep. Cindy Axne. "This not only gave Iowans cleaner, cheaper electricity, it also created thousands of jobs. Creating a National Climate Bank will spur investment in clean energy projects nationwide. Leveraging federal investment to partner with the private sector is an essential step in dealing with climate change, and will help make America a leader in green technology and infrastructure." The National Climate Bank would combat climate change by mobilizing private capital to increase access to clean energy and upgrade our existing energy infrastructure tomake the United States a world leader. The National Climate Bank will provide capital to encourage investment in a wide range of sectors, including renewables, storage, transportation, transmission, resiliency, efficiency, reforestation, agriculture, and industrial de-carbonization. The Bank will also explore new and innovative approaches to reduce emissions, in addition to funding state and local green banks. These banks have had success in supporting both large projects like utility-scale wind and solar farms and small scale upgrades like household solar and wind generation. A Senate version of the bill was introduced by Senators Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). Similar legislation, the Green Bank Act of 2019, was introduces by S… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://axne.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-axne-votes-lower-prescription-drugs-price-iowa-seniors-and-families-adds | Rep. Axne Votes to Lower Prescription Drugs Price for Iowa Seniors and Families, Adds Amendment to Cut Red Tape | 2019-12-12 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Cynthia Axne | A000378 | axne.house.gov | legacy | Washington D.C. Today, Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) voted for passage of H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act, a measure that will lower prescription drug prices and improve the quality of health care for Iowa seniors and families. Prior to passage of the final bill, the House voted unanimously to add Rep. Axne's amendment to tackle excessive health care administrative costs to the final package. Every week, I hear from Iowa seniors and families in my district about their struggle to pay for their prescription drugs, said Rep. Cindy Axne. I've heard stories of Iowans skipping meals, rationing their drugs, and depleting their retirement saving just to afford the medications they need to live. I'm proud to vote today to cap Medicare drug costs, allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices, and save taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars to ensure that no Iowan ever has to decide again between buying medication and making ends meet. The Lower Drug Costs Now Act would allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drugs every year, and extend those savings to Americans across the country. It will also create a $2,000 out-of-pocket cap for seniors, while ensuring that drug companies can't charge Americans more than 20% higher prices that other countries, like Great Britain or Australia. It also increases investments into more innovative, affordable cures and treatments. It is endorsed by AARP, Protect Our Care Iowa, and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. I am fed up with pharmaceutical lobbyists writing laws that benefit their bottom lines, said Rep. Axne. The Lower Drug Costs Now Act would lower prescription drug prices across the board, help our seniors keep their retirement savings. I know how important improving our health care system it it's literally life or death. I'm proud to support this bill, to improve it with my amendment, and to continue fighting for Iowans in Congress. Prior to final passage of the bill, the House voted by voice vote to adopt Rep. Axne's amendment to create a gra… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://finkenauer.house.gov/media/press-releases/finkenauer-successfully-amends-and-passes-historic-bill-lower-prescription-drug | Finkenauer Successfully Amends and Passes Historic Bill to Lower Prescription Drug Prices and Expand Medicare Coverage for Iowans | 2019-12-12 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Abby Finkenauer | F000467 | finkenauer.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC Today, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01) voted to pass H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act, and successfully offered a bipartisan amendment that would require TV advertisements for prescription drugs to include how much a 30-day supply or typical course of treatment would cost. Requiring drug companies to disclose pricing information in advertising is something that Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, President Trump, and members of both parties support. This is something I hear about in our district every time I go home and has been a top priority for me here in Congress. I've hosted prescription drug roundtables around our district to hear what Iowans are struggling with when it comes to prescription drug prices, Congresswoman Finkenauer said, We've got a major problem in this country and we need to fix it. The Lower Drug Costs Now Act gets at the heart of the problem - it puts people first, and it even expands Medicare for Iowans and ensures more transparency in drug costs through my amendment. I am proud of this bill and the work that has been done on it, and today we took a huge step forward in lowering the costs of prescription drugs and expanding Medicare. The legislation is expected to save nearly a half-trillion dollars over the next decade, and that savings would be invested to expand Medicare and provide dental, vision, and hearing services for seniors and conduct medical research at the National Institutes of Health. H.R. 3 will lower the cost of prescription drugs by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices directly with pharmaceutical companies and lower costs for people who have Medicare as well as those with private insurance. Finkenauer's Floor Speech on Iowans' Rx Drug Stories and Amendment on Drug Cost Transparency While introducing her amendment on the House floor, Finkenauer shared stories from Iowans who are struggling to afford prescription drugs. After sharing those stories, Finkenauer said, These are the reasons that we are here today, that we fight for legislation like thi… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/haitian-ambassador-thanks-congressman-king-for-king-s-humanitarian-work | Haitian Ambassador Thanks Congressman King for Kings Humanitarian Work | 2019-12-12 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Steve King | K000362 | steveking.house.gov | legacy | Ambassador Denis- We know he is a true friend of Haiti. He has been helping the social and religious organizations, and we are two men of God. We believe strongly and know that prayer can help Haiti to go forward. Washington D.C- Congressman Steve King releases the following video of comments made today by the Haitian Ambassador to the United States, Herve H. Denis, in which the Ambassador expresses thanks to the Congressman for the work he is doing to address the humanitarian crisis in the impoverished Caribbean nation. Earlier this year, less than 24 hours after a meeting between King and Ambassador Denis, USAID announced that they would be sending emergency food assistance to the Island, a development that prompted Ambassador Denis to send a thank you letter to King noting that thanks to your involvement and keen diligence, the people of Haiti were able to receive assistance in this strenuous moment that my country is facing. King is also the lead sponsor of a House Resolution, H. Res 619, which expresses support for the Haitian people while condemning the violence that has recently disrupted the political process in that nation. To view the video, click on the image or on this link. Transcript: Congressman Steve King: Hi, I'm Congressman Steve King here with Ambassador to the United States from Haiti, Herve Denis. We've developed a friendship here over the many months going past, and we've seen what's happened with the terrible earthquake in Haiti and that's brought the attention of America. There's so many Americans that want to help out in Haiti and I've made a trip down and seen the disaster and built friends down there as well. I just appreciate that we're working together to continue to move Haiti up towards first-world status one day. There's so many people down there that can benefit from the work we are doing together. Ambassador Denis: Thank you to Congressman King for the help he provides to us, first of all the earthquake and recently with the humanitarian crisis in Haiti and all he did with his in… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-delivers-11-iowa-veterans-stories-library-congress | Grassley Delivers 11 Iowa Veterans’ Stories to Library of Congress | 2019-12-12 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) delivered recorded interviews and documents comprising the stories of service from 11 Iowa veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces to the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project. Last month, Grassley's office interviewed veterans at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown to document their service to the nation. This is the second time Grassley has submitted interviews to the Library of Congress. A list of the records he has contributed to the project can be found here. Grassley also recently published an op-ed on his experience participating in the program. These stories will be preserved in the permanent collection of the Library, making accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. I want to thank all our veterans who have sacrificed in defense of our freedoms. Their service ensures that all Americans will live in peace and prosperity for generations to come, Grassley said. Established by Congress in 2000, the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. To date, more than 1,200 stories from Iowans have been recorded by the project. Iowa veterans who would like to have their story recorded can contact Grassley's Veterans Fellow at veterans_fellow@grassley.senate.gov or call the senator's Des Moines office at 515-288-1145.Grassley's leadership on behalf of veterans also includes his oversight work to hold the Department of Veterans Affairs accountable. Last year, Grassley and Sen. Joni Ernst raised questions about improperly canceled diagnostic exams at the Iowa City VA. The internal watchdog at the VA this week reported nearly one-fourth of the radiology orders it investigated at the facility were improperly canceled. Grassley will continue pressing the VA to… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-measure-reauthorizing-domestic-violence-hotline-and-emergency-shelters | Grassley Measure Reauthorizing Domestic Violence Hotline and Emergency Shelters Passes Committee | 2019-12-12 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee today approved Sen. Chuck Grassley's (R-Iowa) bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) as part of a broader package of child and family safety legislation, known as the CAPTA Reauthorization Act. The programs approved will make a real difference to families across the country who deal with domestic violence and abuse. No one should face those problems alone and our provisions will make sure there's help for any child, woman or man who needs it. I thank Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray for their leadership and continued work to improve child and family safety, Grassley said. The legislation that Grassley introduced in January extends the main source of funding for programs established under the FVPSA.These programs, administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, include emergency shelters and other supportive services for survivors of domestic violence across the country. The bill also extends funding for the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Congress first adopted FVPSA in 1984, and its most recent authorization expired several years ago.Grassley's reauthorization measure was merged with a related provision introduced by Sens. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Murkowski (R-Alaska) and approved as part of a child safety and welfare package.The original version of Grassley's bipartisan reauthorization bill is cosponsored by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-house-passage-prescription-drug-bill | Grassley Statement on House Passage of Prescription Drug Bill | 2019-12-12 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Washington Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today released the following statement regarding passage in the House of Representatives of legislation to lower prescription drug prices. While this legislation misses the mark, I'm glad the House has acted and I applaud both Democrats and Republicans in the chamber for recognizing the need to address this issue, Grassley said. According to the independent CBO, the House bill would result in dozens fewer potentially life-saving or life-extending drugs being developed. That could include the cure to Alzheimer's disease or cancer. Congress must fix this broken system, but not at the cost of critical innovation that could save and improve countless American lives. Big Pharma is spending millions of dollars opposing any reforms that will cut into their billions of dollars of profits. Any solution must be bipartisan if it's going to stand a chance of becoming law. Right now, the only significant, bipartisan proposal in the Senate is the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act that I authored with Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden. I know some Democrats would prefer a different approach, as would some Republicans. But the moment is ripe for compromise. Americans are quite literally sick of not being able to afford their prescription medications. The House has acted, and now the Senate must act.-30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://loebsack.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397335 | Iowa Reps Call on Administration to Uphold Integrity of RFS | 2019-12-11 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Dave Loebsack | L000565 | loebsack.house.gov | legacy | Today, Congressman Dave Loebsack (IA-02), Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01), and Congresswoman Cindy Axne (IA-03) sent a letter to Russell Vought, the Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), as well as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler and President Trump, about the EPA's October supplemental proposed rule regarding the reallocation of Small Refinery Exemptions (SRE) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). On Friday, December 6, 2019 the EPA sent their proposed rule to OMB for final review. The Members of Congress expressed serious concerns that the rule as drafted fails to keep the RFS whole, and called on Vought to ensure that the final rule upholds the Administration's guarantee of blending 15-billion gallons of conventional ethanol on an annual basis, as is mandated by law. CLICK HERE to read the letter.As we travel through our districts in Iowa, we hear first-hand from farmers, renewable fuel producers, and rural communities about the harm caused by the explosion of small refinery exemption (SRE) applications that EPA has approved in recent years. These conditions have caused three ethanol facilities to close permanently and another fourteen to idle, affecting nearly 3,000 jobs and hundreds of millions of corn bushels on an annual basis, the Members wrote. The RFS promises our rural economies that 15-billion gallons of conventional ethanol and increasing volumes of advanced biofuels such as biodiesel will be blended into the nation's transportation fuel supply. Without a binding commitment that EPA will account for exemptions granted by EPA, this rule fails to keep the RFS whole.The Members concluded, The Office of Management and Budget must ensure that the final rule upholds the integrity of the RFS, avoids further plant closures, and provides farmers and producers certainty going forward. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.ernst.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=526CEA24-2273-42BB-961E-8475914AFF11 | Ernst, Colleagues Push Bipartisan Bill Prioritizing Childrens Health Care Research | 2019-12-11 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | IA | Joni Ernst | E000295 | www.ernst.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTONFollowing sharp reductions in pediatric medical researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) is introducing bipartisan legislation to increase pediatric-focused research at the NIH by addressing challenges in researcher recruitment and retention and by creating a pipeline of early-career pediatric researchers. A strong pipeline of pediatric researchers is essential to ensuring kids in Iowa, and across the country, have access to innovative cures and treatments for the complex medical conditions that they and their families are facing, said Senator Ernst. We must work to ensure that children are being adequately represented in federal research. That's why I've put forward this bipartisan bill that will bolster pediatric-focused research and in turn help to improve the lives and health of our children and families. Ernst's legislation is cosponsored by Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Bob Casey (D-PA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH). I am proud to support investments in pediatric scientists and research that will helpreduce the suffering experienced byour nation's children.By bolstering the pediatric-scientist workforce, we are creating opportunities forscientificadvancements that will not only improve the health and livelihood of kids across the country but also reduce the burden of disease faced by Americans in later-life, said Senator Coons. The PACT Act would work to stop the steady decline in pediatric research workforce development through a new focus on recruiting and retaining more physician-scientists to work on better treatments and cures for childhood diseases. Children in Mississippi and across the nation will benefit from increased access to cutting-edge care at places like Children's of Mississippi and St. Jude, said Senator Hyde-Smith. Expanding pediatric medical research opportunities is vital to ensure paths to the highest quality care for children and innovation in medicine, said Se… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://axne.house.gov/media/press-releases/iowa-reps-call-administration-uphold-integrity-rfs | Iowa Reps Call on Administration to Uphold Integrity of RFS | 2019-12-11 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Cynthia Axne | A000378 | axne.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Today, Congresswoman Cindy Axne (IA-03), Congressman Dave Loebsack (IA-02), and Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01) sent a letter to Russell Vought, the Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), as well as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler and President Trump, about the EPA's October supplemental proposed rule regarding the reallocation of Small Refinery Exemptions (SRE) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). On Friday, December 6, 2019 the EPA sent their proposed rule to OMB for final review. The Members of Congress expressed serious concerns that the rule as drafted fails to keep the RFS whole, and called on Vought to ensure that the final rule upholds the Administration's guarantee of blending 15-billion gallons of conventional ethanol on an annual basis, as is mandated by law. CLICK HERE to read the letter. As we travel through our districts in Iowa, we hear first-hand from farmers, renewable fuel producers, and rural communities about the harm caused by the explosion of small refinery exemption (SRE) applications that EPA has approved in recent years. These conditions have caused three ethanol facilities to close permanently and another fourteen to idle, affecting nearly 3,000 jobs and hundreds of millions of corn bushels on an annual basis, the Members wrote. The RFS promises our rural economies that 15-billion gallons of conventional ethanol and increasing volumes of advanced biofuels such as biodiesel will be blended into the nation's transportation fuel supply. Without a binding commitment that EPA will account for exemptions granted by EPA, this rule fails to keep the RFS whole. The Members concluded, The Office of Management and Budget must ensure that the final rule upholds the integrity of the RFS, avoids further plant closures, and provides farmers and producers certainty going forward. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://axne.house.gov/media/press-releases/opioid-detection-prevention-bills-pass-house | Opioid Detection, Prevention Bills Pass the House | 2019-12-11 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Cynthia Axne | A000378 | axne.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. - The U.S. House of Representatives passed two bills to improve detection and safe handling of opioids that will help ensure police officers, customs officials, and other Homeland Security safety personal are better protected from exposure while working to prevent the influx of opioids entering the United States. The House passed H.R. 4761, the DHS Opioid Detection Resilience Act of 2019, in a 393 - 1 vote and H.R. 4739, the Synthetic Opioid Exposure Prevention and Training Act, in a 393-0 vote. Police officers and customs officials work to keep our communities safe, but often they don't know what type of drugs they might come in contact with on the job. That's why these bills work to ensure they have adequate equipment to test and protect themselves against exposure, said Rep. Axne. I'm proud to have voted for these bills, and to see them pass overwhelmingly. Between 1999 and 2017, over 700,000 Americans died due to drug overdose, while countless more struggled with addiction. Tragically, 68% of drug overdose deaths involved opioids. At the peak of this epidemic, there were 81 active opioid prescriptions for every 100 people in American. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://finkenauer.house.gov/media/press-releases/finkenauer-and-bost-introduce-legislation-address-rural-teacher-shortages | Finkenauer and Bost Introduce Legislation to Address Rural Teacher Shortages | 2019-12-11 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Abby Finkenauer | F000467 | finkenauer.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC Today,U.S. Reps. Abby Finkenauer (D-IA) and Mike Bost (R-IL) introduced bipartisan legislation to combat inadequate funding and teacher shortages in rural schools. The Rural Education Investment Act requires the Secretary of Education to determine the percentage of K-12 students living in rural areas and ensures it is equal to the percentage of Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) grant dollars going to schools in rural areas. The TQP Grant Program allows teachers to be placed in a full-time classroom clinical practice while completing Master's-level coursework. All Iowa students deserve access to a high-quality education wherever their home may be, Congresswoman Finkenauer said, From Grinnell, to Northwood, to Waukon, the Rural Education Investment Act will help ensure Iowa schools have a pipeline of great teachers. After attacks on our public school teachers in the Iowa state legislature, we must do everything we can in Congress to recruit and retain teachers in our state. I am proud to join Congressman Bost in pushing for this bipartisan bill to become law. We must continue to look at finding solutions to build up and support our teachers and our kids. All students deserve access to a quality education, regardless of where they live, said Congressman Bost. A major part of that comes by educating and training highly qualified teachers. While Southern Illinois is blessed with many amazing educational professionals, rural communities face unique challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified teachers. I'm proud to lead this bipartisan effort to ensure that rural areas receive assistance and resources necessary to grow the next generation of America's leaders. Through establishing model residency programs, the Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) program is essential in preparing educators of the 21st century, said Marc Egan, Director of Government Relations, National Education Association. NEA is proud to support the Rural Education Investment Act to ensure rural communities benefit from TQP and rec… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |
Advanced export
JSON shape: default, array, newline-delimited, object
CREATE TABLE [releases] (
[url] TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
[title] TEXT,
[date] TEXT,
[year] TEXT,
[month] TEXT,
[party] TEXT,
[chamber] TEXT,
[state] TEXT,
[member_name] TEXT,
[bioguide_id] TEXT,
[domain] TEXT,
[scraper] TEXT,
[source] TEXT,
[date_source] TEXT,
[text] TEXT,
[has_text] INTEGER,
[collected_at] TEXT,
[updated_at] TEXT
);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_date]
ON [releases] ([date]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_year]
ON [releases] ([year]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_party]
ON [releases] ([party]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_chamber]
ON [releases] ([chamber]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_state]
ON [releases] ([state]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_bioguide_id]
ON [releases] ([bioguide_id]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_has_text]
ON [releases] ([has_text]);