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Fuel costs are a consistent and fluctuating part of any family budget, and Americans with lower and fixed incomes face the largest burden when prices spike. During the summer of 2022, when drivers had serious sticker shock at the gas pump, the average price of gas eclipsed five dollars nationwide, and states with especially restrictive energy policies, like California and New York, registered average gas prices of $6.40 and $4.90, respectively.
In October, my biannual 36 County Tour took me to the 185th Air Refueling Wing (ARW) in Sioux City to meet with members of the Iowa Air National Guard and receive an update on ongoing military construction projects at the base. While I’ve been fortunate to tour the 185th on several occasions, this visit was especially memorable. I had the opportunity to fly in a KC-135 Stratotanker and participate in a refueling mission with F-16 fighter jets from the South Dakota Air National Guard. To say that this experience was incredible is an understatement.
When I’m out on the road traveling on my 36 County Tour, Iowans tell me their legitimate concerns that illegal immigrants are voting in our elections. It’s a concern that I share as well, and I agree that we must ensure that only American citizens vote in American elections. Secure elections are a vital component of our representative form of government.
In August, I stepped back on campus at Iowa State where I graduated with my master’s degree in public administration years ago. My time in Ames was a formative part of my life and my studies helped guide my role as City Administrator of my hometown of Hull from 1999 to 2006, and my current work in Congress for our families, farmers, students and businesses across Iowa’s 4th Congressional District.
On Saturday August 10th, the Iowa State Fair set an all-time single-day attendance record — more than 128,000 people walked through the gates to spend quality time with family, friends, and neighbors and participate in this time-honored Iowa tradition. In total, over 1.1 million people made the trip to Des Moines to eat an assortment of fried foods, play games, win prizes, and check out the hundreds of booths littered throughout the fairgrounds. Just like the attendance record, this year’s State Fair included another unique feature. For the first time in recent memory, the U.S.
This year, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a major blow to the federal bureaucracy.
One of the best parts of my job representing Iowa in Congress is meeting with familiar faces on Capitol Hill. It’s a reminder of why I am grateful to serve our families, farmers, businesses, and rural communities – a responsibility that I take very seriously. The other week, I had the chance to do just that when the Sioux Center Chamber of Commerce made the trip out to Washington, D.C.
The American economy is powered by small businesses. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), there are over 33 million small businesses nationwide that employ more than 61 million Americans – accounting for nearly 46% of all U.S. employees and more than 43% of our nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). American businesses stand at the cutting edge of new breakthroughs, innovative technologies, and enhanced efficiency that make our country one of the most competitive in the world.
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. Being transparent and accessible to my constituents is very important to me, and I will continue to advocate for commonsense policies that support our families and advance our shared Iowa values.