Friend,

It’s a new year, but my commitment to accessibility and transparency remains the same. This week, I hit the ground running with three in-person town halls in Delaware, Linn, and Poweshiek Counties (marking 37 in-person town halls total!) to hear from Iowans and answer unscreened, unfiltered questions. We covered topics including border security, child care, the upcoming Farm Bill, and my commitment to restoring fiscal responsibility.

I will continue meeting Iowans where they are and proposing commonsense solutions to the challenges we face. Read on for more information on this week's 22 County Tour stops!

Best,

Nothing Bundt Cakes

Our first 22 County Tour stop of the year was pretty sweet! I loved getting to know the team at Nothing Bundt Cakes in Dubuque and hearing more about the warm welcome they’ve received from the community since opening two years ago this month.

Delaware County Town Hall Meeting

Our first town hall meeting of the week was in Delaware County! I provided an update and took questions on the importance of reauthorizing the Farm Bill, ensuring parents have a voice in their child’s education, and reining in the Biden bureaucracy.

Linn County Town Hall Meeting

At my Linn County town hall meeting, I discussed my efforts to improve child care access, the importance of restoring fiscal responsibility, and the Biden Administration’s failures at our Southern Border.

Vinton-Shellsburg Animal Learning Lab

The Vinton-Shellsburg Ag Education program and Animal Learning Lab provides students with learning opportunities in animal production and technology and gives those interested in agriculture careers hands-on experience. I enjoyed learning more about their program and meeting with students. The future of agriculture is bright!

Hometown Foods

Hometown Foods is a staple in Traer. Their team is dedicated to serving the community and treating customers like family. I appreciated learning more about their mission as a local grocer and discussing the importance of fixing supply chain issues, including through my REAL Trucking Act!

Poweshiek County Town Hall Meeting

Our third town hall meeting of the week was in Poweshiek County! I enjoyed providing an update to those in attendance and answering questions about border security and reining in reckless government spending.

ICYMI: Empowering Iowa's Workforce

Shortly before the holidays, I unveiled my Workforce Innovation and Empowerment package. This package is comprised of three bills that identify and address workforce gaps to help connect Iowans with career advancement opportunities, particularly in skilled trades, and provide pathways to continued success for workers. Bottom line: you don't need a four-year degree to be successful, and it is past time our policies reflected that!

• The BEST Act provides a tax credit for employers that maintain a qualified training program for employees who are not seeking a college degree, empowering skilled workers to advance in their careers and strengthen our workforce. 
• The Workforce Solutions Act identifies barriers to new career paths in the energy and manufacturing sectors to help workers prepare to take on new opportunities in these dynamic fields, particularly with the transition to Industry 4.0 that I’ve seen firsthand across Iowa. 
• The REAL Trucking Act enables 18-20-year-olds to obtain Commercial Drivers Licenses for interstate travel.

You can read more about this effort here.

Headline Highlights

Des Moines Register: Iowa's workforce needs training, opportunities. How new legislation could help.

KGAN: Border security top issue at Hinson town hall, but inaction in Congress also on minds of voters

KCRG: Rep. Ashley Hinson makes town hall stop in Manchester