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Friends, 

Unfortunately, coronavirus is not in Iowa’s rearview mirror yet – and I’m fighting to make sure our district and state are getting the resources and taking the necessary steps to continue fighting this pandemic.

We must continue to respond to COVID-19 as an immediate danger and threat to the safety of our citizens – especially as we’ve seen Iowa’s positive cases double in just a matter of weeks, including explosive new outbreaks at our meatpacking plants.

Here is a brief update on some of the responses I’m fighting for in our continuing struggle to contain and eliminate this disease. 

Protecting Essential Services – and Your Communities – Through Support for Local Towns and Counties

I hosted a roundtable with over a half dozen local Iowa mayors to discuss how COVID-19 might affect the essential services in their towns.

I’ve spoken to our mayors, councilmembers, city planners, and county leaders across central and southwest Iowa – and all of them have expressed deep concern about their fiscal health after coronavirus required them to halt many of the activities that help support their vital services.

Our firefighters, teachers, police officers, and other municipal workers – and the towns they support – should not have to bear the burden of budget cuts after taking the necessary steps to slow the spread of coronavirus in Iowa. 

That’s why, this week, I introduced new bipartisan legislation to help state and local governments make up revenue lost due to the COVID-19 outbreak to prevent cuts to essential services including emergency response, public safety, education, and local infrastructure repair.

With this legislation, we can ensure our local governments and state are supported along with our small businesses, agricultural economy, and health systems.

Our Meatpacking Plants Need Protection from COVID-19 

This week, we saw new heartbreaking details about the outbreak of COVID-19 at our meatpacking plants – including the revelation that one plant in our district, in Perry, had more than 50% of its workforce contract the disease.

As President Trump used the Defense Production Act to mandate that these meatpacking plants stay open, I joined my House colleagues Rep. Abby Finkenauer and Rep. Dave Loebsack to urge the President to use the same authority under the Defense Production Act to produce and provide enough personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect our meatpacking workers.

Our agriculture industry is critical to Iowa’s economy – but a healthy supply chain is only possible with healthy workers. The same determination to keep food on our shelves must be extended to ending any shortage of supplies that will protect and aid those deemed essential while working during this ongoing public health crisis.

An Important Victory for Expanding Access to Telehealth for Iowans Needing Important Therapeutics

This week, we secured a big victory for Iowans who utilize therapy services like physical therapy or speech pathology who have been forced to still get face-to-face care in order to keep themselves on track during the coronavirus outbreak – all because the the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) hadn’t fully authorized telehealth capabilties for their treatment.

Last month, I introduced bipartisan legislation to expand telehealth services, ensuring Iowans with illnesses and injuries have the same access to therapies in their home that we’ve granted for other medical services.

After introducing that bill, CMS announced that they will expand telehealth for four of these critical therapies: physical therapy, speech pathology, occupational therapy, and audiology.

I hope that these services will get up and running quickly to ensure vulnerable Iowans don’t need to risk unnecessary travel in order to keep receiving their care, and I will continue fighting to expand virtual options for other health care services during this outbreak.

There’s Still Time To Submit Artwork for the Congressional Art Competition!

Each spring, the Congressional Art Institute sponsors the Congressional Art Competition to recognize and encourage the artistic talent in the nation, as well as in Iowa’s Third Congressional District.

There is still time for high school students to submit original pieces of art to my office – the deadline has been extended to May 22nd!

Students should email their submission to [email protected]. The artwork submission must include a photo of the artwork, a Student Information & Release Form (which can be downloaded here) and a 100-200 word summary of your piece.

Find the submission instructions here.

If you or someone you know still needs help during this outbreak, please write to me!

Thank you, 

Cindy