In this week's roundup: My healthcare bills pass the House Ways and Means Committee, my work on the Farm Bill, and my meeting with breast cancer advocates. Dear Friend, In this week's roundup: My healthcare bills pass the House Ways and Means Committee, my work on the Farm Bill, and my meeting with breast cancer advocates. 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! CHECKING OUT NEW ADVANCEMENTS IN AGRICULTURE On Monday morning, I had a great time checking out new advancements in agriculture and cutting-edge innovation that can be applied on the farm. I’ll continue to be a strong voice for Iowa farmers, producers, and our agricultural community! SUPPORTING WOMEN DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER On Tuesday, I sat down with Iowans from Beyond Pink to discuss how we can support women diagnosed with breast cancer. I’m a proud cosponsor of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act, which will help lower barriers and reduce costs for breast cancer treatment. TWO OF MY BILLS PASS THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE TO STRENGTHEN RURAL HEALTHCARE Protecting access to affordable, reliable healthcare in rural Iowa is a top priority for me in Congress. It’s why I’m glad that two bills that I introduced — the Rural Hospital Stabilization Act and the Audio-Only Telehealth Access Act — to support our rural communities passed the House Ways and Means Committee this week. My bills would help keep rural hospitals open by providing critical financial support, particularly to those on the verge of closing, and extend access to over-the-phone telehealth services for our seniors and rural communities with limited broadband connectivity. On my 36 County Tour, I’ve had many conversations with healthcare workers and families about the importance of lowering healthcare costs and protecting our rural hospitals. These bills will help achieve these goals and ensure that our rural communities receive the high-quality healthcare that they need and deserve. STANDING WITH OUR ALLIES IN ISRAEL AGAINST HAMAS TERRORISTS The Biden administration’s decision to delay ammunition and weapons shipments to Israel is a reckless betrayal of trust. Hamas wants to kill as many innocent people as possible and refuses to release hostages. Israel has every right to defend itself from these vile terrorists. President Biden must immediately lift the hold on these ammunition and weapons shipments. Biden administration puts hold on US ammunition shipment ... The Biden administration has reportedly put a hold on a shipment of ammunition to Israel, sparking concerns within the Israeli government. Read more www.foxnews.com CELEBRATING TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK Teachers help our kids reach new heights. I’m grateful to our educators in Iowa — including my parents and my wife who are former teachers — for their dedication and commitment to our students. Our communities benefit from teachers who invest in our kids! WORKING TO PASS A STRONG FARM BILL FOR IOWA The Farm Bill delivers certainty and relief for our producers. The Farm Bill strengthens our position against China. The Farm Bill promotes homegrown American energy. The Farm Bill supports new export markets. The Farm Bill is a vital investment in American agriculture. That's why I'm working to pass a strong Farm Bill for Iowa! CATCHING UP WITH AMBASSADOR BRANSTAD AND THE IOWA CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION I enjoyed kicking off my Wednesday morning with Ambassador Branstad and the Iowa Congressional Delegation with the exception of Senator Chuck Grassley who was probably doing pushups in his office! We’re working together to keep Iowa the best place to live, work, and raise a family! MEETING WITH THE GREATER DES MOINES PARTNERSHIP On Thursday morning, I had the opportunity to meet with members from the Greater Des Moines Partnership to talk about my work to extend pro-growth provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, keep rural hospitals open, and pass a strong Farm Bill for Iowa. I’ll continue to advocate for Iowa’s priorities in Congress. 4TH DISTRICT FUN FACT: TREE CITY USA! Today's fun fact comes to us from Ames, Iowa — Tree City USA! Ames was recently recognized as being a Tree City USA for 40 years! Ames has 40 years as a Tree City USA and 40 parks. It's... To recognize Ames' 40th anniversary as a Tree City USA, and its 40 parks, unique tree art from artist Gary Keenan was commissioned. Read more www.amestrib.com ONE LAST THING: TAKING TIME TO THANK OUR TROOPS Our men and women in uniform are some of the finest Americans. This month and always, we thank our troops for making unthinkable sacrifices to protect our rights and defend our nation both at home and abroad. God bless our troops! MY WEEKLY COLUMN: STANDING UP FOR OUR NATION'S VETERANS! Our veterans are heroes who have dedicated their life to service and risked their own safety to protect our freedoms and defend our flag at home and abroad. On my 36 County Tour, I’ve met with incredible veterans who have relayed their stories of bravery and patriotism to me, emphasizing the importance of protecting our constitutional rights and keeping America the world’s most feared superpower. Upon completing their service and returning to civilian life, our veterans deserve the benefits that they were promised and have earned. In Congress, I’ve voted to safeguard those benefits and ensure that our veterans have access to the high-quality care and services that they are owed. Just the other week, I voted for, and U.S. House of Representatives passed, several pieces of legislation to uphold our commitment to our veterans. First, I supported the Veteran Fraud Reimbursement Act to cut bureaucratic red tape and help veterans who are victims of fraud recover their stolen benefits. If veterans fall victim to fraud or other financial crimes, it’s our duty to ensure that they are quickly and fully reimbursed. We cannot let criminals get away with taking advantage of our veterans without promising our veterans that we will do everything in our power to completely restore their hard-earned benefits. Crooks and fraudsters who target and harass our veterans must be punished to the fullest extent of the law, and our veterans deserve to know that their benefits will always be protected. Second, I voted for the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration Act, which also passed the House. Per its name, this legislation establishes the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration to help veterans and their families find good jobs and pursue other employment opportunities after their service. It also provides educational assistance to veterans who want to further their studies and learn new skills in a wide range of career fields. By equipping our veterans with the tools and resources that they need to enter the civilian workforce and make a living, we can ensure that they are financially secure and stable in both the short and long term. Finally, I voted for the Student Veteran Benefit Restoration Act. This bill — which received wide support in the House — ensures that veterans who were defrauded by a phony educational institution can recover their GI benefits in full. Veterans should not be stripped of their right to pursue an education simply because a fraudulent school exploited their benefits. Educating our veterans must be a top priority for our country because these incredible men and women know the meaning of sacrifice, dedication, and hard work — and they would be an asset to any business or organization. Colleges, universities, and any educational institution must be held fully accountable if they are found liable of defrauding veterans, and similarly, our veterans must be fully protected from these despicable schemes. I’m glad that this legislation safeguards veterans’ ability to pursue their own American Dream. I’m extremely grateful to our men and women who have worn the uniform and pledged their lives in service to our country. They deserve our unwavering support today and always. As a proud American, I will always support our veterans because they are true American heroes who have kept our nation the greatest on Earth. CLOSING POLL FOR THE DAY Do you think criminals who defraud our veterans should be fully punished? Yes Select No Select Unsure/Indifferent Select LAST WEEK'S POLL RESULTS: Do you think that we should prevent Iranian oil from being refined in China? Yes - 54% No - 24% Unsure/Indifferent - 22% 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]