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Securing historic funding for breast cancer research. Holding government accountable for taxpayer dollars. Fully funding our military. Ending congressional stock trading. In just one week, Congress came together to pass these historic measures that deliver for Iowa and for our country.
This was a week of real, bipartisan progress to improve health care, increase government transparency, strengthen our military, and restore trust in Congress. I was proud to lead several of these efforts and help deliver results for the American people.
One of the week’s biggest accomplishments was House passage of my bipartisan EARLY Act, legislation to improve breast cancer education, awareness, and early detection for young women. It passed overwhelmingly, 394 to 6. As a physician, I have seen firsthand the difference early detection can make. This legislation raises awareness of breast cancer risks among young women, especially those with a family history or genetic risk factors, and expands access to breast and cervical cancer screenings through the SCREENS for Cancer Act. Cancer prevention should never be a partisan issue, and I am proud Congress came together to help save lives.
We also passed my bipartisan Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act, an important step toward restoring accountability in Washington. The bill requires public disclosure of any taxpayer-funded project that runs more than $1 billion over budget or five years behind schedule. More than a dozen federal projects have racked up over $162 billion in cost overruns, while our national debt has climbed beyond $39 trillion, yet no one is held accountable for the money lost. Iowans balance their checkbooks every month, and Washington should be held to that same standard. A project a billion dollars over budget is not a rounding error; it is a betrayal of the taxpayers who paid for it.
The House also passed my Stop Insider Trading Act, which would ban Members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from purchasing individual stocks. If you write the laws, you should not profit from them. I am one of the few Members of Congress who owns zero individual stocks, because I came here to represent the people of Iowa, not to pad a portfolio.
Finally, the House approved the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act, which strengthens our military and protects Iowa’s critical defense installations. As a 24-year Army veteran, I was proud to secure four amendments, including provisions supporting artillery production at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, strengthening the Rock Island Arsenal workforce, and protecting the historic Rock Island Arsenal Museum. The bill also delivers a pay raise for our troops and supports military families.
Whether it is improving health care, increasing transparency, strengthening our military, or restoring public trust in Congress, this was a productive week for the House and for Iowa. I remain committed to putting Iowa first and ensuring Washington works for the people it serves.
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