My Weekly Column
Our veterans are heroes who have dedicated their life to service and risked their own safety to protect our freedoms and defend our flag at home and abroad. On my 36 County Tour, I’ve met with incredible veterans who have relayed their stories of bravery and patriotism to me, emphasizing the importance of protecting our constitutional rights and keeping America the world’s most feared superpower. Upon completing their service and returning to civilian life, our veterans deserve the benefits that they were promised and have earned.
The powerful tornadoes that struck parts of Southwest Iowa were devastating, especially for communities in Pottawattamie County and Shelby County that bore the brunt of the destruction. According to some reports, there were roughly 24 tornadoes that touched down in Iowa with winds reaching as high as 165 mph. Our prayers remain with those impacted as we work to rebuild.
On my 36 County Tour, I have met with families, small business owners, and childcare providers who are rightfully concerned about the skyrocketing cost of childcare. As a father of four, I agree that we need real solutions to lower costs for our families, especially as inflation eats away at paychecks and gas prices are on the rise.
Every month, when Iowa families look over their finances and put together a budget, the price of gas is always an unpredictable factor in spending decisions. While people in urban centers have access to other transportation options, in rural Iowa, we drive – everywhere. Going to work, driving to church, seeing friends in other communities, and taking our kids to school and practice all require a car – and in the wintertime, an electric vehicle just won’t cut it.
Personal responsibility and accountability are virtues fundamental to any functioning society. Everyone makes decisions based on different goals and aspirations, and we are all ultimately responsible for the choices that we make. Yet, contrary to common sense, President Biden has decided that people who signed paperwork to take out student loans and have a legal and financial obligation to repay them are entitled to debt forgiveness at the expense of American taxpayers.
On my 36 County Tour, workforce issues and labor shortages are topics of constant and repeated concern when I’m meeting with farmers, small business owners, manufacturers, childcare centers, hospitals, and other enterprises. With so many job openings in Iowa and nationwide, we need to do everything possible to help our businesses, manufacturers, and hospitals hire, train, and retain quality employees.
The Farm Bill is an important investment in our hardworking farmers and producers, the competitiveness of American agriculture, and the strength of our economy. From trade, energy, and conservation to crop insurance, rural development, and access to affordable credit, every title of the Farm Bill touches a critical component for agriculture and our rural communities.
In my weekly column last week, I outlined my strong opposition to President Biden’s $7.3-trillion budget for Fiscal Year 2025. As I noted, this proposal would hike taxes on our families, farmers, and businesses by $5.5 trillion, leave our country with a $1.8-trillion budget deficit for FY 2025, and balloon our national debt by trillions and trillions of dollars. It must be resoundingly rejected for the good of our fiscal health and financial stability.
More than a month after federal law requires, President Biden finally submitted his budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2025 to Congress. The $7.3-trillion price tag alone is reason enough to throw this budget in the trash where the rest of President Biden’s trillion-dollar spending packages should have also gone.
Last month, the country learned the tragic news that 22-year-old Laken Riley – a nursing student from Georgia – was murdered by an illegal immigrant while out on a jog in broad daylight. As a father of four, my heart breaks for the friends and family of Laken who are enduring unimaginable pain right now. As an American, I am outraged that President Biden refuses to secure our border and keep our communities safe.