Op-Ed
In today’s world, electricity is essential. American families rely on electricity daily to heat and cool their homes, wash their clothes, cook their meals, charge their phones, turn on the lights and connect to the world. And while it might seem like magic, electricity is not generated out of thin air. We expect the lights to turn on when we flip a switch and our phones to charge when we plug them into an outlet.
In Congress, my top priority is – and always will be – protecting Iowa taxpayers. While President Biden and congressional Democrats have worked overtime to grow the size of government and waste trillions of taxpayer dollars advancing their socialist vision for our country, I have opposed their wasteful, radical agenda every step of the way and stood strong for American taxpayers and their families. Caught up in their liberal spending agenda, D.C.
After a 40-year decline in entrepreneurship, America has seen a boom in new business creation in recent years. But today, millions of start-ups and Main Street businesses are struggling to stay afloat under a host of recent challenges.
On my 39-county tour, I have spoken with hundreds of independent cattle producers across northwest Iowa. In my conversations with them, they all express the same concern that the big four meatpacking companies are reaping record profits while family-owned cattle farms are barely scraping by.
In 19 months, President Biden and Democrats in Congress have decimated what should have otherwise been a strong economic recovery from the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, their liberal policies have created the worst inflation crisis in 40 years, destroyed American energy independence, wasted trillions of taxpayer dollars on so-called Build Back Better and Green New Deal priorities, and emboldened China to threaten our status as the strongest economic powerhouse in the world.
Over the last several years, the debate surrounding the future of electric vehicles has quickly taken Congress – and the country – by storm. While the notion of zero-emission, carbon-neutral vehicles sounds attractive, too many lawmakers, industry leaders, and government officials have prioritized an electric agenda over real concerns about the reliability and affordability of a government-mandated, EV transformation for hardworking families.
Across Iowa, store shelves are bare, and families are scrambling to find affordable infant formula for their children with limited luck. This is a scary situation – especially for parents – who are spread thin from the pain of inflation, grocery bills, high gas prices, and now, severe formula shortages that threaten the health and development of our children.
For months, I’ve called on the Biden Administration to make E-15 available this summer and year-round. It’s a cheaper, cleaner alternative to regular gasoline that can ease the pain at the pump for Iowans during this unprecedented energy crisis. Finally, after much delay, President Biden authorized an extension for E-15 sales this summer during his recent trip to Iowa, providing some relief to Iowa families, farmers, and our rural communities.