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WEEK IN REVIEW
Dear Friend,
Today marks one year since the Trump Administration finalized the rule to allow for the year-round sale of gasoline with 15% ethanol (E15).
I fought hard for Iowa’s farmers and producers to secure E15 year-round, and while I’ll continue to push the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to follow through on its commitment to expand biofuel infrastructure and uphold the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), this cleaner, cheaper choice at the pump is a big-win for our consumers and our agriculture economy.
Below are a few items that I’ve been working on for Iowans this past week:
Continuing to Advocate for Iowa’s Biofuel Producers
Throughout COVID-19 Iowa’s biofuel producers have shifted production to manufacture hand sanitizer to help meet the needs of our communities across the state. As more of the economy is safely reopening the need for hand sanitizer at schools, restaurants, churches, factories, and other locations will continue to grow.
This week, Senator Chuck Grassley and I sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking clarity for our producers so they can continue to manufacture alcohol-based hand sanitizer products.
In other biofuel-related news, I joined Senator Grassley and Senator Amy Klobuchar on bipartisan legislation to support these hardworking renewable fuel producers negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Support for Iowa Families
I’m continuing to push for increased support and expanded relief for Iowa’s families as we work to defeat COVID-19.
This week, I sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell asking for adult caregivers to be able to receive the additional $500 direct payments provided through the CARES Act. I also reiterated a call for a version of my bipartisan Credit for Caring Act to be included in the next COVID-19 relief package to help address the financial challenges facing caregivers in Iowa who are tending to some of our most at-risk folks.
Before and during this pandemic, I’ve made supporting Iowa’s child care community a top priority. This week I called for an additional $25 billion in support for child care providers and workers through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). This would be on top of the nearly $32 million I helped secure for our state’s child care providers as part of the CARES Act.
Hearing from Iowans
Every year, my 99 County Tour gives me the opportunity to hear from Iowans directly, and that’s all the more important during this difficult time. Following social distancing and public health guidelines, I resumed my tour this week!
I made stops at an ethanol plant in Fremont County, major employers in Union and Appanoose Counties, learned about efforts to increase broadband connectivity in Decatur County, and met with stakeholders on flood recovery efforts in Mills County. As we work to safely reopen our state, it’s important we communicate and work togetherat the federal, state, and local levels, and with our businessesto help get folks back to work and to get our economies up and running again.
My visit to Inhance Technologies and Lee Container, two major employers in Appanoose County.
I also hosted my eleventh telephone town hall amid COVID-19 with Iowans from across the state this week! We covered a wide range of topics, including my work to support Iowa’s family caregivers.
I was joined on the tele-town hall by Jeff Kahrs, the Regional Director for Region 7 at Health and Human Services (HHS), Lance A. Robertson, Assistant Secretary for Aging and Administrator for the Administration for Community Living (ACL), and Joe Sample, the Executive Director of the Iowa Association of Area Agencies on Aging.
Bonus Read
Click here or on the image above to read my op-ed with Senators Cramer and Perdue calling on Congress to take bipartisan action on broadband.
For more updates on what's happening in Washington, D.C. and Iowa, be sure to 'Like' my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter @SenJoniErnst, and subscribe to my YouTube channel.
Thank you!
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