My Weekly Column
As the only member of Congress serving on both the House Agriculture Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee, it is important to me that we support the next generation of Iowa farmers and producers. The volatile nature of input costs, insurance rates, regulations, and international affairs makes farming – an already challenging industry – even more difficult.
Nine years ago, on January 31st, 2016, tragedy struck the Root family. 21-year-old Sarah Root, who was driving home to celebrate with her family and friends after graduating from Bellevue University in Nebraska, was hit and killed by an egregiously drunk driver.
The core principle of the American Republic is that it functions at the will of, and with the consent of, the people of the United States. This is outlined in the preamble of our Constitution. It’s a deeply American principle that the rest of the world has admired since our nation’s birth. In the 119th Congress, the people are making their voices heard.
In 2014 and 2015, our producers were ravaged by a devastating outbreak of avian influenza. This outbreak, and corresponding depopulation efforts, killed roughly 43 million chickens and more than 7 million turkeys in flocks across 21 states while also impacting more than 960 dairy herds nationwide.
Like the rest of the Trump administration, our new EPA Administrator, Lee Zeldin, is already off to a roaring start.
There’s no denying that the United States has an opioid crisis. Unregulated, deadly drugs have found their way into our urban centers, our suburbs, and even our rural main streets. Every year, these fatal substances indiscriminately kill hundreds of thousands of Americans regardless of age, race, or creed. There is no questioning what needs to be done.
Earlier this month, I joined more than 120 of my colleagues in introducing H.R. 38, the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. In 1791, the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified by Congress. One of our great Founding Fathers — James Madison — believed that the security and longevity of the American Republic depended on free, well-armed citizens.
On Wednesday January 22nd, I voted for, and the U.S. House of Representatives passed, the Laken Riley Act, which included my legislation with Senator Joni Ernst – Sarah’s Law – as an amendment.
On the evening of Wednesday January 15th, I hosted my first of several telephone town halls for 2025. Nearly 6,000 Iowans joined us to ask questions about topics important to them and to learn more about my work in Congress for our families, farmers, businesses, and rural communities.
At the end of this year, significant portions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which was signed into law in December of 2017, officially expires. That means that – absent congressional action – taxes for Iowa families, farmers, and businesses will increase.