Email from Rep Feenstra In this week's roundup: Working for Iowa agriculture, encouraging American energy production, and combating bird flu.     Dear Friend, In this week's roundup: Working for Iowa agriculture, encouraging American energy production, and combating bird flu. 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! FINDING SOLUTIONS TO COMBAT BIRD FLU AND LOWER EGG PRICES In 2014 and 2015, our producers were ravaged by a devastating outbreak of avian influenza. This outbreak, and corresponding depopulation efforts, killed roughly 43 million chickens and more than 7 million turkeys in flocks across 21 states while also impacting more than 960 dairy herds nationwide. Iowa – the number one egg-producing state in the country – alone accounted for about 30 million birds. Now, nearly ten years later, foreign animal disease threatens our flocks and herds once again. Read more below about my recent work to protect Iowa's poultry and egg operations: Finding solutions to the bird flu outbreak In 2014 and 2015, our producers were ravaged by a devastating outbreak of avian influenza. This outbreak, and corresponding depopulation efforts, killed roughly 43 million chickens and more than 7 million turkeys in flocks across 21 states while also impacting more than 960 dairy herds nationwide. Read More MEETING WITH THE IOWA CIVIL AIR PATROL The other week, our Senior Legislative Assistant — Jeff — met with the Iowa Civil Air Patrol. Following last summer’s devastating floods that hit our communities hard, CAP played a pivotal role in helping assess flood damage. I appreciate their service to our great state! CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 185TH'S NEW WING COMMANDER Congratulations to Colonel Adam Carlson on his appointment to serve as the next Wing Commander of the 185th Air Refueling Wing in Sioux City! I thank Colonel Morrison for her years of service and congratulate her on her new mission at Andrews Air Force Base. 185th Air Refueling Wing announces newest Commander The Iowa National Guard has announced their selection for the 185th Air Refueling Wing's new Commander. Read More THE NEXT GENERATION OF IOWA CATTLE PRODUCERS! The other day, the next generation of Iowa cattle producers were in Des Moines to testify about the need to Make School Lunch Great Again! Colton Griffin from Moville, the Moss boys from Hull, and Kayle Englin from Sioux Center got to see Governor Reynolds and talk about cattle farming. Colton even snagged the pen that the Governor used to sign the proclamation declaring May as Beef Month in Iowa! A healthy and balanced diet — that includes Iowa-raised beef — is critical to the health and success of our kids. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: KICKING OFF MY 5TH BIANNUAL 36 COUNTY TOUR Last Thursday, I kicked off my 5th biannual 36 County Tour with a town hall in Cherokee. We discussed a wide range of issues from agriculture and tax reform to border security and domestic energy production. Since 2021, I have made nearly 330 total stops! Fourth District Focus: Kicking off my 5th biannual 36 County Tour with a town hall in Cherokee - The Cherokee Chronicle Times On Thursday, Feb. 20, I kicked off my fifth biannual 36 County Tour with a town hall in Cherokee hosted by Cherokee County Economic Development and the Iowa Farm Bureau. Nearly 25 Iowans joined us ... Read More DISCUSSING THE IMPORTANCE OF UNLEASHING AMERICA'S DOMESTIC ENERGY PRODUCTION It was great to have Iowans with Missouri River Energy Services representatives from Sioux Center, Hawarden, Orange City, and Denison in our office to talk about the importance of hydropower and domestic energy production. In Congress, I’ll keep supporting policies that promote strong, reliable, and affordable power. SUPPORTING IOWA'S HEROES IN CONGRESS I was glad to meet with Iowans with the American Legion to talk about supporting our Iowa veterans. This week, I voted for the Medal of Honor Act to increase pensions for our nation’s roughly 60 living Medal of Honor recipients because it is the least that we can do to honor their service and heroism. As a grateful nation, we owe our veterans so much, including the high-quality healthcare, benefits, and support that they deserve and have earned. INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF IOWA AGRICULTURE Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to meet with representatives from the College of Agriculture and Life Science at Iowa State University. As a proud Iowa State alum, I enjoyed discussing how we can work together to support our students and invest in the future of Iowa agriculture. VOTING TO ENCOURAGE AMERICAN ENERGY PRODUCTION On Wednesday, I voted for a resolution to overturn a Biden-era tax on oil and gas production because we must encourage American energy production to bring down prices at the pump. Republicans are working to unleash American energy production and lower energy costs for our families. MEETING WITH IOWA SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE, MIKE NAIG, TO TALK IOWA AG SECURITY It was great to see my friend, Iowa Secretary of Ag, Mike Naig, today and talk about issues important to Iowa agriculture. We agreed that we need to pass the Farm Bill, combat bird flu, and open new export markets for our producers. Our farmers have a GREAT friend and STRONG ally in Secretary Naig! SUPPORTING IOWA'S RURAL MAIN STREET BUSINESSES IN TIMES OF NEED In Iowa, we’ve faced floods, tornadoes, and derechos that have devastated our communities and hurt our businesses on Main Street. That’s why I voted for the Rural Small Business Resilience Act to help our small businesses access disaster relief and recover. Feenstra Votes to Help Small Businesses Recover after Disasters - KIWA Radio Washington, DC - The US House of Representatives has passed legislation that will help small businesses recover after disasters, thanks, in part, to support from northwest Iowa's Congressman. Staff in [...] Read More SUPPORTING A HEALTHY AND ACTIVE LIFESTYLE FOR OUR KIDS On Thursday, Wes — our Ag & Manufacturing Liaison — attended the ribbon cutting for the new Interactive Arcade at the Boys and Girls Club of Sioux City, which was sponsored by the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce. This is a great investment that will promote a healthy and active lifestyle for our kids! SMALL BUSINESSES ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR RURAL MAIN STREETS After his stop at the new Interactive Arcade at the Boys and Girls Club of Sioux City, our Ag & Manufacturing Liaison — Wes — attended the ribbon cutting for RJ's Indoor Golf and Bar in Sioux Center. Around 100 people were on hand for the celebration! RECOGNIZING THE INCREDIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF JIM KERSTEN TO FORT DODGE AND WEBSTER COUNTY Thursday night, our Regional Director — Jim — attended the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance Annual Dinner. Jim Kersten, Vice President at Iowa Central Community College, received the Alliance’s prestigious Catalyst Award for his contributions to Fort Dodge and Webster County! CELEBRATING THE RECIPIENTS OF THE GOOD FARM NEIGHBOR AWARD: JASON AND JAMI SHERER Today, our Regional Director out of Council Bluffs — Abby — was on hand in Pisgah when Secretary Naig presented the Good Farm Neighbor Award to Jason and Jami Sherer, owners of Cobb Hollow Farm. Along with their two daughters, these great Iowans represent our rural values! ONE LAST THING: DON'T WAIT ON HOLD; USE IRS ONLINE TOOLS FOR FAST HELP With the 2025 filing season underway and the anticipated high demand for IRS phone lines around the Presidents Day holiday, the IRS today encouraged taxpayers to visit IRS.gov and use online tools to get immediate answers.  On IRS.gov, taxpayers can use the Let Us Help You page that covers most topics for filing season and beyond. In addition, people can get free help online with self-service options. Skip the mail: File electronically and choose direct deposit. Approximately 93% of taxpayers file their federal income tax returns electronically, and most choose direct deposit to receive their refunds. According to Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service, paper refund checks are 16 times more likely to have an issue, like the check being lost, misdirected, stolen or uncashed. Skip the wait: Get tax info with an Individual Online Account. Individuals with Social Security numbers or Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN) can create or securely access their Individual Online Account and get the latest information about their federal tax account. Skip the wondering: Check refund status online. The popular Where’s My Refund? tool on IRS.gov has the most up-to-date information available about a taxpayer’s refund status. Recent improvements to Where’s My Refund? allow taxpayers to see more detailed refund status messages in plain language, reducing the need for taxpayers to call the IRS. Skip the phone: Get answers to tax questions online. The Interactive Tax Assistant (ITA) tool on IRS.gov provides answers to several tax questions specific to individual circumstances. Skip the headache: Use online checklists when preparing to file. Taxpayers can find out what tax paperwork and records they need to file an accurate and complete return on IRS.gov. Taxpayers should have all their important and necessary documents before preparing their return. Skip the guessing: Check eligibility for EITC using online tax assistant. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) helps low- to moderate-income workers and families get a tax break. The Earned Income Tax Credit Assistant on IRS.gov can help individuals determine, among other things: If they are eligible to claim the EITC, If they have any qualifying children or relatives and the estimated amount of their credit. Skip the worry: Use an IP PIN to protect against tax-related identity theft. An Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) is a proactive way to protect against tax-related identity theft. Tax-related identity theft occurs when someone uses stolen personal information, including Social Security numbers, to file a tax return claiming a fraudulent refund. Skip the stress: Find a reputable tax professional at IRS.gov. The IRS also reminds taxpayers that a trusted tax professional can prepare their tax return and provide helpful information and advice. People can use the IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications to find a preparer who is skilled in tax preparation and accurately files income tax returns. Skip the surprise: Use the Tax Withholding Estimator. Taxpayers should check their tax withholding every year, especially if they experience a major life change. The Tax Withholding Estimator tool allows taxpayers to estimate the federal income tax they want their employer to withhold from their paycheck. IR-2025-22: Don’t wait on hold; use IRS online tools for faster help provides additional information, also available in other languages. FYI: FORT DODGE OFFICE CLOSED BUT WE REMAIN HERE TO HELP! A few weeks ago, our district office in Fort Dodge was flooded. While this office is closed for repairs, our team is still here to serve you! Please visit Feenstra.House.Gov or call us at 515-302-7060 if we can be helpful with navigating the federal government. MY WEEKLY COLUMN: WORKING TO FULLY AND PERMANENTLY REPEAL THE FEDERAL DEATH TAX The core principle of the American Republic is that it functions at the will of, and with the consent of, the people of the United States. This is outlined in the preamble of our Constitution. It’s a deeply American principle that the rest of the world has admired since our nation’s birth. In the 119th Congress, the people are making their voices heard. My legislation — the Death Tax Repeal Act — to permanently eliminate the death tax on our family farms and small businesses has been cosponsored by 176 of my House colleagues and received vocal support from many Iowans just the other week on my fifth biannual 36 County Tour. Farmers, families, manufacturers, and small business owners of all sizes agree that this tax is unjust and must be repealed. Read more about my work below: My weekly column: Working to fully and permanently repeal the federal death tax The core principle of the American Republic is that it functions at the will of, and with the consent of, the people of the United States. This is outlined in the preamble of our Constitution. It's a deeply American principle that the rest of the world has admired since our nation's birth. Read More CLOSING POLL FOR THE DAY Do you support the Trump Tax Cuts? Yes No Unsure / Indifferent LAST WEEK'S POLL RESULTS: Should farm assets be counted against farm kids when applying for college financial aid? Yes - 30% No - 57% Unsure/Indifferent - 13% 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 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice