My Weekly Column

On July 1, 2020, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) – which was signed into law nearly two years earlier – entered into force, formally replacing the North American Free Trade American (NAFTA). True to its original intent, this law reduced trade barriers for our farmers, opened new markets for American agricultural exports, and established a revitalized framework for free and fair trade between the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Our nation is more than $31.4 trillion in debt. It is a figure so daunting that it seems almost insurmountable to resolve. To put this number into perspective, every American taxpayer — already facing record-high inflation, skyrocketing interest rates, and economic instability — is on the hook for nearly $95,000 in federal debt. Our current fiscal trajectory is unsustainable and financially irresponsible. We need to implement commonsense spending reforms and promote policies that encourage economic growth and reduce our crippling national debt.

In Iowa, we respect our police and proudly back the men and women in blue 100%. They put their lives on the line every day to protect our families and communities expecting no recognition in return. Despite calls from some of my colleagues to dismantle our police departments and demolish the rule of law, I reject these dangerous proposals. We must defend – never defund – our brave police and law enforcement officers. Their service and sacrifice are to be commended and recognized, not dismissed and mocked.

President Biden’s border crisis isn’t just a slick slogan; it’s a national security crisis that threatens the sovereignty of our nation, the wellbeing of our families, and the safety of our communities. Since the beginning of the Biden Administration, more than five million illegal immigrants have crossed our southern border, with 1.3 million evading apprehension by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.

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.