In this week's roundup: My visit to Minden with Governor Reynolds, my analysis of President Biden's budget, and my week in D.C. Dear Friend, In this week's roundup: My visit to Minden with Governor Reynolds, my analysis of President Biden's budget, and my week in D.C. That and more – remember to follow my Facebook page by clicking here and my Twitter page by clicking here to stay up-to-date throughout the week! SUPPORTING OUR NEIGHBORS IN MINDEN AND OTHER IMPACTED COMMUNITIES The day after destructive tornadoes impacted our district, I traveled to Minden with Governor Reynolds to meet with local officials, speak with community members, and assess the damage. As I made clear, we will use every tool available to help our communities recover and rebuild. I also want to thank the volunteers and first responders who are on the ground in Minden providing food, water, and other supplies to families with nowhere else to turn. MEETING AN AMAZING FAMILY IN MINDEN In Minden, I met a wonderful family whose home suffered significant damage from the tornado. Even in the face of devastation, they had smiles on their faces. Iowans are resilient — and we’re going to help folks in Minden and other impacted communities rebuild and recover. PRESIDENT BIDEN'S BUDGET INCREASES TAXES AND ENDORSES MORE RECKLESS GOVERNMENT SPENDING On March 11th, more than a month after federal law requires, President Biden finally submitted his budget proposal for fiscal year 2024-25 to Congress. While the $7.3 trillion top-line price tag of President Biden’s budget is bad enough, it’s the fine print that’s concerning for me. This budget extracts as many taxes as possible from our families, farmers, and businesses and would seriously harm our economy. Read my full analysis of President Biden's budget in my op-ed for the Northwest Iowa Review below. Feenstra: Fine print of Biden's 2024-25 budget is... On March 11, more than a month after federal law requires, President Joe Biden finally submitted his budget proposal for fiscal year 2024-25 to Congress. Read more www.nwestiowa.com FOLLOWING DEVASTATING TORNADOES, TWO OF MY BILLS PASSED THE HOUSE TO HELP KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE FROM SEVERE WEATHER The powerful tornadoes that struck parts of Southwest Iowa last week were tragic. As our community has come together to take care of our neighbors, it is vital that the National Weather Service has the capability to use every tool available to keep our families and communities safe from severe weather. When it comes to dangerous storms, every second matters and can be the difference between life and death. My bills – which passed the U.S. House of Representatives – help ensure that our weather radar can better detect inclement weather, especially low-hanging tornadoes, and modernize the National Weather Service’s outdated communications network to disseminate time-sensitive information more quickly. These reforms will save lives, keep Iowans informed, and deliver accurate and timely updates during storms. Two Feenstra-Led Bills Pass U.S. House of Representatives Today, two bills led by U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) were included in a larger weather package - the Weather Act Reauthorization Act - which passed the U.S. House of Representatives. The two pieces of legislation are the National Weather... Read more kiow.com DISCUSSING BROADBAND EXPANSION IN RURAL IOWA On Wednesday morning, I had a great discussion with local broadband providers from Iowa. We talked about the need to deliver high-speed internet to our rural communities and I specifically mentioned my bill to secure 100 megabits per second for both upload and download speeds. MEETING WITH COMMUNITY BANKERS OF IOWA It was good to have Community Bankers of Iowa in my office to discuss how we can best support our community banks. We covered my ACRE Act, which will make ag and home loans more affordable in rural Iowa, and my opposition to Section 1071 regulations that would restrict access to capital and increase the cost of loans. PROTECTING OUR VETERANS FROM FRAUD AND OTHER FINANCIAL CRIMES On my 36 County Tour, I’ve had the privilege of meeting with veterans and hearing their incredible stories of heroism and patriotism at home and abroad. These brave men and women deserve the benefits that they were promised and have earned. That's why I voted for the Veteran Fraud Reimbursement Act. If veterans fall victim to fraud or other financial crimes, it’s our duty to ensure that they are quickly and fully reimbursed — which this legislation accomplishes. I will always support our veterans because they are true American heroes. CHATTING WITH FOLKS FROM POLARIS I enjoyed meeting with folks from Polaris and discussing the motorcycle industry at large this week. I’ve had the chance to tour the Polaris facility in Spirit Lake and left very impressed. I’ll continue to advocate for policies that help our businesses and manufacturers succeed in Iowa. CELEBRATING NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS WEEK During National Small Business Week, we recognize the incredible small businesses that power our economy and create good jobs in our communities. In Iowa, our small businesses keep our main streets vibrant. I’ll continue to support policies that help our businesses succeed. SPENDING TIME WITH THE NEVADA FIRE CHIEF AND MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS I had a great meeting with Nevada Fire Chief Ray Reynolds and members of the International Association of Fire Chiefs the other day. We had a productive conversation about how we can help prevent fires, support our firefighters, and keep our families and communities safe. PRESIDENT BIDEN CONTINUES HIS UNCONSTITUTIONAL STUDENT-LOAN BAILOUTS President Biden's student-loan bailouts are unconstitutional, unfair, and unacceptable. Iowa taxpayers should not be forced to foot the bill for more of Biden's reckless spending and government handouts. Biden announces fresh round of $6.1 billion in student... President Biden announced another mass student loan handout on Wednesday, which includes giving another $6 billion to students impacted by the "predatory" Arts Institutes. Read more www.foxbusiness.com 4TH DISTRICT FUN FACT: THE CITY OF MURALS! Today's fun fact comes to us from Rock Rapids, Iowa — the city of murals! There are 36 different murals throughout the city! If you haven't visited before, this is your calling to do so. City of Murals Visit the post for more. Read more rockrapids.com ONE LAST THING: A STORY OF RESILIENCY In 2021, family-owned Malvern Grocery — run by Tom Mulholland — was destroyed by a fire. Last summer, I had the opportunity to meet with Tom and he assured me that the fire that destroyed his grocery store would not deter him from reopening. Iowans are resilient and hardworking people — and Tom is an incredible example of that resiliency. Years after being destroyed by fire, Malvern grocery... Final action appears near for the reconstruction of Mulholland's Grocery Store in Malvern. Construction bids should open soon to rebuild the business following a 2021 fire, said owner Tom Mulholland. Read more nonpareilonline.com MY WEEKLY COLUMN: IMPROVING WEATHER RADAR AND COMMUNICATIONS 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. Iowans are no strangers to severe weather, which is why I’ve been working on legislation to help keep our families out of harm’s way when storms and tornadoes strike. Fortunately, just the other week, two bills that I introduced to improve weather radar and communications passed the U.S. House of Representatives as part of a larger weather package. Read more in my weekly column below. My Weekly Column: Improving weather radar and communications 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... Read more feenstra.house.gov CLOSING POLL FOR THE DAY Do you think that we should prevent Iranian oil from being refined in China? Yes Select No Select Unsure/Indifferent Select LAST WEEK'S POLL RESULTS: Do you think that university presidents who fail to keep Jewish students safe should be fired? Yes - 73% No - 15% Unsure/Indifferent - 12% If you have more thoughts on this week's question, feel free to leave your comments on my official website HERE. We are government together, and I am here to serve you. Your thoughts, concerns, and comments are very important to me. Always feel free to call (202) 225-4426 or visit my website at feenstra.house.gov. Sincerely, Rep. Randy Feenstra Member of Congress ‌ ‌ ‌ Rep Feenstra | 1440 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]