My Weekly Column
Buying a home is a significant investment. For most families, it’s their most valuable asset. Our homes foster fond memories, bring families together, and have exemplified the American Dream for generations. However, thanks to the failed economic policies of the Biden Administration, the dream of homeownership has quickly dissipated for many Americans. Skyrocketing interest rates, higher taxes, more red tape, and record inflation spurred by wasteful government spending all prevent American families from investing in their future.
This week, biofuels made headlines in our nation’s capital and lawmakers from across the country – who never thought twice about the unlimited potential of homegrown ethanol and biodiesel to lower gas prices and make our country energy independent again – took notice.
The passage of Title IX shepherded in a new generation of opportunities, equality, and fairness for female athletes nationwide. Since its codification in 1972, female participation in athletics – at both the high school and collegiate levels – has skyrocketed. According to the National Collegiate Athletics Association, fewer than 30,000 college athletes were women in 1972, and now, over fifty years later, more than 218,000 college athletes are women. High school athletics also experienced the same growth.
This week, on the heels of expanding the invasive and costly jurisdiction of WOTUS, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveiled crushing, new regulations on American vehicle manufacturers. At President Biden’s direction, new cars, trucks, and tractors sold in the United States would be required to comply with his administration’s foolish plans to manipulate our free-market economy to impose electric vehicles on rural America, increase our reliance on China for critical minerals, and advance his Green New Deal agenda.
On my Feenstra Agriculture Tour, I have met with countless farmers and producers to discuss the upcoming Farm Bill and commonsense policies that will protect the productivity, profitability, and international competitiveness of Iowa agriculture. From maintaining like-kind exchange and step-up in basis to defending vital crop insurance programs, our farmers rely on economic certainty and policy consistency to feed and fuel our country and the world.
In 2019, the United States became energy independent for the first time in 62 years – a major milestone for our nation’s energy and national security. That same year, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the price of a gallon of gasoline averaged $2.60 nationwide and just $2.49 in the Midwest while household electricity bills averaged $115 for American families.
Quantum computing is an intangible phenomenon that often elicits images of supercomputers and spaceships. However, the world of quantum is vast, and its potential is unlimited, particularly for our rural communities and main street businesses.
Every five years, Congress reauthorizes the Agriculture Improvement Act – better known as the Farm Bill – to protect the productivity, profitability, and international competitiveness of American agriculture. As the second largest agriculture-producing district in the nation, I am working to ensure that every farmer, producer, and agricultural stakeholder in Iowa has a seat at the table when the Farm Bill is negotiated and eventually signed into law.
Domestic energy production – particularly ethanol and biodiesel – is critical to Iowa’s economy and our national security. In Iowa, our biofuels industry supports roughly 57,000 jobs and generates $7.2 billion towards our GDP. Iowa is also home to 42 ethanol plants and 11 biodiesel facilities, which respectively produce 4.7 billion gallons of ethanol and 410 million gallons of biodiesel annually.
As the second largest exporter of agricultural goods in the nation, trade is vital to our economy in Iowa. 415,000 jobs are supported by trade in our state, and in 2018, Iowa exported roughly $14.4 billion in goods and services. As such, our farmers, producers, manufacturers, and agricultural community rely on strong trade agreements that open foreign markets and maintain our global competitiveness.