In this week's roundup: My plan to keep Social Security solvent, my vote to support small businesses following disasters, and our worsening debt crisis. Dear Friend, In this week's roundup: My plan to keep Social Security solvent, my vote to support small businesses following disasters, and our worsening debt crisis. 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! PASSING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT AND GIVING OUR JUNIOR ENLISTED TROOPS A 19.5% PAY RAISE Last Friday, I voted for the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, which includes a well-deserved and much-needed 19.5% pay raise for junior enlisted troops and a 4.5% pay increase for all other servicemembers. It also works to address the crisis at our border by fully funding the deployment of the National Guard to help secure the border, supporting counternarcotics operations at the border, and requesting a detailed report by the Department of Defense on the serious threat posed by Mexican cartels that are flooding our communities with deadly drugs and other dangerous materials. Additionally, this NDAA designates an official within the Department of Defense to monitor and report to the American people the expansion of Chinese military bases overseas, prevents Chinese spies from infiltrating our military bases and top-secret research facilities, and prohibits the federal government from sharing sensitive defense information with China. Rep. Feenstra Votes Yes With Iowa U.S. House Delegation... Iowa 4th District Representative Randy Feenstra was among the 217 yes votes that helped a 19.5 percent pay raise for junior enlisted servicemen and women pass through the U.S. House of Representatives. The lower chamber approved the Read more www.1380kcim.com BEING NAMED A CHAMPION OF HEALTHCARE INNOVATION Last week, I was honored to be named a Champion of Healthcare Innovation by the Healthcare Leadership Council for my work to support medical innovation and increase access to high-quality, affordable healthcare in our rural communities. I’ll continue to advocate for policies that benefit patients and lower costs for our families. WORKING TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE SOCIAL SECURITY The facts are clear. If we don’t act now to save Social Security, our seniors will face anywhere between a 21% to a 25% cut to their benefits. It's unacceptable. That's why I'm working with my colleagues to roll out a plan to keep Social Security solvent so that our seniors continue to receive the benefits that they paid for and undoubtedly deserve. Feenstra: My plan to keep Social Security solvent for... During her recent testimony before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Treasury secretary Janet Yellen admitted what many of us have known all along. President Joe Biden has no plan Read more www.nwestiowa.com CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF AGGIES IN SERGEANT BLUFF! Yesterday, my caseworker — Ann — was in Sergeant Bluff to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Aggies. Earlier this year, owner, Cathy Bishop, was named the 2024 Iowa Small Business Person of the Year. Congratulations, Cathy! Here’s to many more years of success for Aggies! WE NEED TO PASS THE FARM BILL ASAP Passing the Farm Bill means: Keeping China away from American farmland Strengthening crop insurance for our farmers Opening new export markets for agriculture Funding agriculture education in our classrooms Overturning California's Prop 12 mandates on our hog farmers Keeping American agriculture strong Our farmers and producers are counting on us to get it done! CRAWFORD COUNTY FARM BUREAU MEMBER APPRECIATION DINNER Last night, my Regional Director based out of Council Bluffs — Abby — attended the Crawford County Farm Bureau Member Appreciation Dinner. When agriculture is successful, our communities thrive. That's why I will always be a strong voice for our farmers and producers! OUR NATION'S FISCAL FOUNDATION IS DETERIORATING According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, our budget deficit will grow to $1.92 trillion for FY 2024 — up from $1.69 trillion in FY 2023. We'll pay $892 billion in interest on our debt this year and our budget deficit will soar to $24 trillion over the next decade. We need to end reckless government spending, balance our federal budget, and reduce our nearly $35-trillion national debt. IN-PERSON RESOURCES FOR FARMERS IMPACTED BY RECENT STORMS On Friday June 28th, local, state, and federal agencies will be in Ankeny from 12 PM to 8 PM to help farmers impacted by the tornadoes and other severe weather that we had this past spring. As always, please reach out to my office if we can be helpful. WORKING TO SUPPORT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES! Last week, my Regional Director in Council Bluffs — Abby — met with the SBA Disaster Relief Team and the Council Bluffs representative for the Small Business Development Center. Our small businesses form the foundation of our vibrant main streets in rural Iowa. These businesses — and the entrepreneurs who take major risks to start them — are critical to growing our economy and keeping our communities strong. When severe weather or other disasters strike, it’s absolutely vital that our small businesses have access to the financial support that they need to keep their doors open and keep employees on payroll. That’s why I voted for the Rural Small Business Resilience Act to help our businesses get through tough times, navigate uncertainty after disasters, and keep our economy growing. 4TH DISTRICT FUN FACT: THE LOCATION OF THE FIRST PIZZA RANCH! Today's fun fact comes to us from my hometown of Hull, Iowa — home to the nation's very first Pizza Ranch! Opening on December 21, 1981, our families have been eating at Pizza Ranch for over forty years! Iowa Man on His Way to Visiting Every Pizza Ranch Restaurant Jason Halkias really loves the Pizza Ranch buffet. Read more khak.com ONE LAST THING: CONGRATULATING JADEN BORCHERS FOR BEING SELECTED AS A RUNNER-UP IN THE CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION Today, I want to congratulate Jaden Borchers from Unity Christian High School in Orange City for being selected as one of the runners-up in the 2024 Congressional Art Competition in the 4th Congressional District. His artwork — “Corn Fields at Four” — is already up in my Sioux City district office! MY WEEKLY COLUMN: OUR DEBT CRISIS IS A TICKING TIME BOMB On June 18th, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) – the government agency tasked with monitoring our nation’s fiscal health – confirmed my serious concerns with President Biden’s reckless spending agenda. His administration’s fiscal policies have not only caused cumulative inflation to skyrocket by over 20% since he took office, but they have also accelerated our accumulation of debt to levels that are beyond unsustainable. According to the CBO’s analysis, our national debt will surpass $50 trillion in a decade, the debt will equal approximately 122% of our annual economic output, and federal deficits will eclipse $24 trillion over the next ten years. This report also found that our budget deficit for this fiscal year will swell to nearly $2 trillion – up from about the $1.6 trillion figure that the CBO projected just four months ago – and we will pay roughly $892 billion just to finance the interest obligations on our national debt. Read more in my weekly column below. My Weekly Column: Our debt crisis is a ticking time bomb On June 18th, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) - the government agency tasked with monitoring our nation's fiscal health - confirmed my serious concerns with President Biden's reckless spending agenda. Read more feenstra.house.gov CLOSING POLL FOR THE DAY Do you think that we should increase manufacturing in the United States? Yes Select No Select Unsure/Indifferent Select LAST WEEK'S POLL RESULTS: Do you support a 19.5% pay raise for our junior enlisted troops? Yes - 67% No - 19% Unsure/Indifferent - 14% 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]