Columns

Twas likely a week of family gatherings for many, and I'd imagine many spent a fair bit filling up their tanks to make it to said gatherings. Indeed fuel prices have risen high compared to a slouch of a year when fewer people were driving anywhere under what was then a 9-month-old pandemic. ...

The holidays are quickly approaching, and that means you’ll likely be adding gifts to your physical and online shopping carts.   This year, however, shopping may look a bit different amid supply chain shortages and shipping delays. Then there are the ever-present scammers lurking in the shadows, waiting to take advantage of your generosity.  ...

This Thanksgiving holiday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is joining the State Highway Safety Offices in Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska to share an important lifesaving reminder: Buckle Up — Every Trip. ...

Recently, the Governor’s Child Care Task Force released its report of recommendations to improve access to child care in Iowa. Based on the report, the governor announced the following actions: • $200 million for funding stabilization grants for day cares...

It's been more than five years since I first shyly slunk into a Clay County Board of Supervisors meeting with pen and paper at the ready. I don't know how many public meetings I've attended in our region since that day, but I'd say it's more than the average bear. And I was glad to have been present when something small but important happened at the most recent Dickinson County Board of Supervisors meeting...

Don’t dilly dally. The deadline for Medicare recipients to update their health insurance coverage for next year is Dec. 7, 2021. More than 644,000 individuals are enrolled in Medicare in Iowa. During open enrollment, beneficiaries may join or switch from original Medicare to Medicare Advantage. ...

Stakeholders in journalism, news and the general welfare of a fact-based democracy have been beside themselves in recent weeks as a little-known bill that they hoped would slip its way into the broader Build Back Better plan was treated as little more than an expendable remnant. ...

The legislature convened in special session on Oct. 28 to vote on the proposed redistricting maps. The redistricting bill, Senate File 621 was the second proposed plan for redrawing Iowa’s congressional and legislative districts. Just as was done for the first proposal, this plan was drafted and submitted to the legislature by the nonpartisan Legislative Service Agency...

It seems like every week we are learning more and more about not only the possible origins of COVID-19, but about our own government’s involvement in dangerous scientific experiments overseas – including at the now-infamous Wuhan Institute of Virology in Communist China. It’s disturbing, and I continue to hear from Iowans who want both answers and accountability...

From Valley Forge to Vietnam, the Battle of the Bulge to the Battle of Fallujah, America’s sons and daughters have put their lives on the line for freedom since the Revolutionary War. More than 41 million Americans in U.S. history have served in the Armed Forces, including 16 million World War II veterans who consequently earned the title the Greatest Generation for their heroism and sacrifice fighting for freedom because it was the “right thing to do.” Exactly 100 years ago, on Nov. ...

A pair of sentences happened to line up together in the latest COVID-19 update I bylined, and their juxtaposition took me down a couple pegs emotionally speaking. "Another death related to COVID-19 was recorded in the county between the Oct. 15 and Oct. 22 reports, bringing that local total to 52 deaths. Vaccination rates in Dickinson County have changed by less than 3 percent in any given demographic since at least September."...

Located in the nation’s capital, this memorial honors law enforcement officers across the country who have lost their lives in the line of duty, working to protect the safety of fellow citizens in their local communities. The memorial observed its 30th year this October and continued its annual recognition of fallen peace officers in federal, state and local law enforcement who made the ultimate sacrifice. ...

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, this coming winter could be one of the longest and coldest we’ve seen in years. But that’s not the only thought that should send a chill down Iowans’ spines. While temperatures are dropping, energy prices are expected to be much, much higher...

On Oct. 21 at 10 a.m., the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency released the second round of redistricting maps. Currently, House District 2 includes Clay County, Palo Alto County and the southern third of Dickinson County and Milford. The First set of maps were declined by the Senate on Oct. 5. Under the new maps, Dickinson County and Palo Alto Counties would stay together and be joined by a portion of Kossuth County and a portion of Clay County, in a newly formed House District 10...

You have probably heard; the state of Iowa is doing pretty good coming out of the pandemic financially. I do ask for your forgiveness, up front, in this newsletter with all the data and numbers as I usually try not to do that, but it is unavoidable with this topic. ...

In September of 1998, I launched the College Savings Iowa 529 plan to offer families a tax-advantaged way to save and pay for the rising costs of education. The plan has since grown at an exponential rate, recently reaching over $6.3 billion in assets across 276,500 active accounts. Our past and present participants have also withdrawn more than $3.6 billion to pay for education expenses at eligible institutions around the country and abroad...

Serving our nation in uniform was one of the greatest honors of my life. It left me with countless experiences, lifelong friends and lessons that I carry with me every day. It also provided me with a deep appreciation and understanding for the unique challenges our servicemembers and veterans face. ...

A: I’ve got good news for Iowans who’ve been waiting too long for less expensive, over-the-counter hearing aids to reach the marketplace. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), nearly 38 million American adults have hearing loss. Having difficulties with hearing make it harder to socialize and easier to become isolated, especially for older Americans. ...

You might be surprised to learn that the upcoming city-school election may have a bigger impact on your daily life than who is elected president, senator or governor. While races for those higher offices receive greater attention, the locally elected officials play a more direct and immediate role in your community...

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect consumers, both physically and financially.   “The pandemic has resulted in many losses for Iowans, including their homes,” Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller said. “Renters who have experienced hardship as a result of the pandemic are in need of help. There are several programs in our state that seek to address these issues, and I urge Iowans to seek this vital assistance.”  ...

Iowans keep getting slammed at the gas pump and when they check out at the grocery store. Inflation is climbing, pushing up prices on everyday goods and services with price increases for food, housing and energy swallowing up consumer purchasing power. ...

In August alone, Customs and Border Protection encountered more than 208,000 people attempting to enter the U.S. illegally—an increase of 318 percent during the same exact time just one year ago. And the harsh reality is the situation shows no signs of improving. ...

The state of Iowa ended Fiscal Year 21 with a surplus of $1.24 billion, putting the state in a strong financial position and proving what can happen with conservative, responsible budgeting practices. For the past several years, Senate Republicans have been working to control spending and pushing for sustainable budgeting, while ensuring we fund our priorities in the most important areas, like public safety, education, health care and broadband...

This week the General Assembly convened a special session to consider and act upon the proposed legislative and congressional district maps drawn by the Legislative Services Agency. Senate File 620, the proposed redistricting plan, failed to pass in the Senate by a vote of 32-18...

This week marked the 20th anniversary of the launch of the U.S. military offensive in Afghanistan against the Taliban and al Qaeda in response to their ruthless attack on America. As a result of our nation’s resolve and the sacrifice and service of our brave men and women over the past two decades, Osama bin Laden is dead and our homeland has been guarded against additional large scale terror attacks. ...

A robust manufacturing sector supports good-paying, high-quality jobs. For 245 years, the pioneering spirit of the American people has propelled the United States to soaring heights of innovation and prosperity, anchored by top of the line manufacturing that helps diversify our economic strength, from agriculture to renewable energy, construction and medicine. ...

I hadn't been at my first news desk long when I learned rule No. 1 in this job is "Don't make yourself part of the story" (rule No. 2 was "Don't publish the first installment of a series until you've actually got the last one written" in case you were wondering). Anyway, rule No. 1 can make for a fine balancing act — we want to engage the community on local topics, but that discussion should never become the crux of the story...

The Biden administration is searching under every couch cushion in America to pay for its reckless multi-trillion dollar spending spree. I’ve got news for the big spenders. Nickle and diming America’s wage earners and retirees won’t pay for the $4.2 trillion package they want to ram down the throats of the taxpaying public and saddle our kids and grandkids with massive debt for generations to come. ...

On Sept. 16, the Legislative Service Agency released its first proposed plan for Iowa’s new congressional and legislative districts. There have been three public hearings where Iowans shared their thoughts on the map and the process and additional written public statements have been received by LSA. ...

Earlier this year, Washington Democrats rammed through a massive, nearly $2 trillion bill full of partisan pet projects and Democratic Party wishlist items under the guise of “COVID relief”—all without any Republican support. Fast forward to today, they are looking to continue down their reckless tax-and-spending spree with another $3.5 trillion package, also without any Republican support. They are showing no signs of slowing down their irresponsible spending habits...

The debt limit is the amount of money the U.S. Treasury is authorized to borrow to meet spending obligations. The Constitution grants Congress the power of the purse strings and under federal law, the legislative branch of the federal government must approve borrowing authority to allow the executive branch to pay the bills. ...

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently announced that, within the next month, the federal government will exhaust so-called “extraordinary measures” that are being used to fund our debt obligations. Put simply, this means a fight to raise the debt ceiling will be at the top of the agenda when the House reconvenes next week...

  Each week, when Congress wraps up its work in Washington, D.C., I can’t wait to return home to Iowa. Most weekends, that means heading out on my 99 County Tour to connect with folks, share updates on what I’m working on in the Senate on their behalf, and hear about the issues they’re facing. I also get the opportunity to visit with a number of local reporters who help keep Iowans informed and up to date as I visit each county...

Deaths and illnesses from COVID-19 have caused immeasurable pain and suffering among American families for more than a year. The pandemic is distressing our economy, supply chains and schools, causing continued anguish and uncertainty for U.S. households across the country. ...

Senate File 619 made a number of changes to Iowa's tax law. One division in particular, dealt with the phase-down and eventual elimination of the Iowa Inheritance Tax. In Iowa, an inheritance received by a lineal ascendant or descendant of the deceased is exempt from the Iowa inheritance tax. ...

Twenty years ago, terrorist who were intent on destroying our Republic attacked our citizens and country in a heinous way by deliberately flying airplanes into buildings with the intent to instill fear. The thought is that the fear would cause our country to pull back into itself and become less free and more isolated. In this process, Americans would become less free...

You didn’t buy a $750 television from Amazon. Then why are you getting an email from the online retailer notifying you of the impending delivery of a big screen, but only if you pay a few hundred dollars first? You aren’t going to receive a television and you’re not getting a legitimate email. ...

While I am always encouraging families and loved ones to save for the children in their lives no matter the time of the year, September is especially noteworthy as it is College Savings Month. With many children back in school, it serves as a great time to remind the community how important it is to invest in the education dreams of our youth...

  A: As the world observes the 20th anniversary of 9/11, it’s notable that an entire generation of Americans was born after the horrific terror attacks. No matter if you watched it unfold on television in real time or read about it in school, it’s still inconceivable that hijackers jetted across New York City’s skyline on a sky blue September morning and struck the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. ...

When Spencer’s Clay County Fair announced the show with Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits and Gary Lewis & The Playboys, all I could think of was, “that show will have a lot of amazing songs coming from that stage. It will be like a jukebox stuck on play with amazing hit songs coming out of the speakers.”...

As an American, I can criticize my government and not be punished by that government. It is a freedom that each American enjoys. In the last few weeks, I have criticized the Biden Administration for its ineptness and inadequacies. Unlike China, where criticizing the government is met with punishments, our system of freedom of speech should be encouraged...

My 99 county tour is one of the most important things I do to make sure I’m representing Iowans well. When Iowans first elected me to Congress, I represented 18 counties in Iowa’s third congressional district. Since day one, I made it a priority to keep in touch and keep my nose to the grindstone. ...

Earlier this week, the American people faced a surreal and gut-wrenching reality—America left our own behind. The president broke a promise to our citizens and to those who bravely served alongside us as he ended the U.S. mission in Afghanistan, and the Taliban celebrated...

Good day, and welcome to page four. If you've not already done so, I recommend you turn to the front page of this fine publication (who are we kidding? You're most likely on your phone, so tap the back button and then hit the news tab). I say this only because, in recent weeks, I've been told both in writing and in person that this opinion page — page four — needs more work, specifically that it needs something to counter conservative Republican viewpoints...

This week, Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education, through the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER II), announced over $8.6 million in competitive grants to 64 school districts to assist in providing mental health support and other wraparound services to students and families. ...

The market disruptions along the food supply chain last year created havoc from farm to fork, impacting producers, processors, grocers, restaurants and consumers. When COVID-19 shutdown processing facilities, the bottleneck resulted in a humanitarian disaster and financial hardship for many livestock farmers and poultry producers. ...

Over the years, we have gotten to know one another and for me, I have enjoyed getting to know the people, towns, and areas of House District 1. Also, over the years I have talked briefly about my military service and time overseas. Today, I want to point out a foreign policy failure that will have ripples of repercussions for years to come and will influence the way other countries treat the United States...

Throughout the last week, Iowans have contacted my office about loved ones stuck in Afghanistan. The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan has created a perilous situation for thousands of U.S. citizens and Afghans who helped allied operations in Afghanistan over the last two decades. ...

Revenue figures for the first month of the new fiscal year were lower when compared to July of last year according to the non-partisan Legislative Services Agency. But the drop when compared to FY 2021 was expected, as deadlines tax payments were not delayed past the start of the new fiscal year and quarterly filing of income tax withholding payments and sales tax were not due until after July 31 thanks to the month ending on a weekend...

According to CDC data through June, the overall case fatality rate for COVID-19 has dropped to 0.59 percent. What is case fatality rate? According to Rich Condit a virologist and emeritus Professor at the University of Florida, “CFR is the ratio of the number of deaths divided by the number of confirmed cases of disease.” Another metric used is infection fatality rate. ...