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Dear Friend –
Before we head into the weekend, I wanted to give you some information about what I have been working on this week.
We Need More Iowa in Washington
It is heartbreaking that my colleagues across the aisle voted to block debate on a commonsense police reform bill – the JUSTICE Act.
As I said on the Senate floor this week, Congress needs to follow Iowa’s lead on this issue. Folks, right here in Iowa, both Democrats and Republicans acknowledged their police reform bill wasn’t perfect, but agreed it was a good first step towards addressing the issues facing our country. We need more Iowa in Washington.
Click here or on the image above to watch my remarks.
EPA Should Reject ‘Gap Year’ Waivers, No EPA Nominee Gets My Vote Until We Have Answers
During these uncertain economic times, we need to support all of our farmers across Iowa and our nation. That’s why I’m joining with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and others in urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reject petitions for Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for past compliance years.
Granting these petitions would worsen the unprecedented economic challenges facing the biofuels industry and demand that the EPA apply the 10th Circuit decision nationally. These petitions are inconsistent with congressional intent, the EPA’s own guidance, and most importantly – the interests of Iowa’s farmers and rural communities who rely on the biofuel industry.
Until we get these answers, the nominee for Deputy Administrator at EPA does NOT have my vote. Iowa’s hardworking ethanol and biodiesel producers are sick of being yanked around by Andrew Wheeler and the EPA. Our producers need certainty; until we get that, no EPA nominee is getting my vote.
Anarchy Cannot Continue, Won’t Be Funded by Taxpayers
While I support peaceful protests and dialogue, we cannot allow anarchy to continue on our streets. That’s why I introduced the Ending Taxpayer Funding of Anarchy Act, which would restrict federal funding for anarchist jurisdictions – like CHAZ – or jurisdictions that abdicate their constitutional duty to their citizens to uphold the rule of law and provide police, fire, or emergency medical services due to non-governmental actors.
If city officials or state leaders fail to do their job and protect their citizens, the federal government – American taxpayers – aren’t going to pay for it. Local officials are letting chaos continue in their streets, and in some cases, preventing law enforcement from protecting the public. That’s not the America I know or fought for. This bill is straightforward and holds local leaders accountable to the people.
Holding China Accountable
On Wednesday, during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, I questioned legal experts about China’s role in the outbreak of COVID-19.
Folks, China has proven that they will do anything they can to get a leg up, whether that is stealing sensitive military secrets or letting people die to avoid taking responsibility for the spread of COVID-19. I believe we must force China to pay for this deadly obstruction. It would be a travesty to let the Chinese Communist Party go unpunished, allowing them to continue their cycle of lying.
Click here or on the image above to watch my remarks on holding China accountable.
Not only must we hold China accountable for their actions, but we must decrease our dependence on the communist country. That’s why I introduced a bill to incentivize pharmaceutical and medical device and supply manufacturers to relocate to the United States. While China is our trade partner, there’s no doubt we can find ways to produce and manufacture goods and supplies right here in the US, and this bill is a good step toward that end.
Members of Congress Need to Be Transparent about PPP Loans
In my efforts to hold Washington accountable, this week, I put forward a simple bill that would require members of Congress to disclose if they received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. It’s called the Transparency Requirements Aimed at Congressional Expenditures Act (TRACE Act).
The PPP has saved countless businesses and the jobs of millions of Americans, but those in Congress who are voting on it—or any issue where a potential conflict of interest may exist—need to be upfront about it. This bill would require members of Congress, spouses of members of Congress, and employees of Congress to submit a financial disclosure form within 15 days of receiving a loan through the PPP.
Continuing to Connect with Iowans
A key part of my job is hearing directly from Iowans! It’s how I bring their voices with me as I fight for them in Washington. This week, I had the chance to hear from some of Iowa’s veterans on a telephone town hall. We had the honor of being joined on the call by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie.
It’s been a key priority for me to ensure my fellow veterans in Iowa, and across the country, are receiving the benefits they were promised and a quality of care we can all be proud of. Part of that effort is ensuring our veterans have access to all of the resources available to them, and I was glad to host a telephone town hall to help that effort!
I also had the chance to visit with child care providers during a Q&A session with providers in the Iowa City area and a virtual town hall hosted by the Child Care Resource and Referral of Northeast Iowa. Whether it’s more assistance through a future COVID-19 package or allowing these essential workers to keep more of their hard-earned dollars, I’m committed to fighting for Iowa’s child care community. As we safely get back to work, it’s critical we ensure Iowa’s moms and dads have access to child care and providers have the support they need to care for our kiddos.
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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