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WEEK IN REVIEW
Dear Friend –
Hearing from Iowans in every corner of our state—from the smallest towns to the biggest cities—is one of my top priorities. This week, I continued to do exactly that by hosting my first telephone town hall of the year with farmers and other members of our state’s agriculture community, and I’m grateful to Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig for joining the discussion.
Click here to read more about my tele-town hall from KYOU.
While I continue working to defend the livelihoods of all Iowans, I wanted to share a few highlights from what else I’ve been working on this week:
Let’s Safely Get Our Kids Back Into School
This week, I was proud to help introduce the Put Students First Act of 2021, legislation which would prohibit federal funding to schools that do not provide an in-person learning option by April 30, 2021.
The science and the data show that we can and should safely and responsibly reopen our schools. It’s time we put our kids first, get political incentives and the narrow interests of public sector unions out of the way, and do the right thing by safely returning students to the classroom.
Holding Bad Actors Accountable
Following a report that bureaucrats at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) participated in a “widespread and well-known” scheme misspending millions of taxpayer dollars over a decade, I introduced legislation to hold these bad actors accountable.
The misspent funds were intended for the development and procurement of vaccines, drugs, therapies, and other medical countermeasures needed to respond to public health emergencies—like a pandemic. This is criminal, and it’s why Congress should take action to create more transparency and accountability and ultimately to help prevent future abuse of Iowans’ tax dollars.
Advocating for Iowa Agriculture
Building on my efforts to defend and promote Iowa’s biofuel industry, I joined my colleagues in urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take action to restore integrity in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).
I was also proud to help introduce a bill that directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a grant program to support the deployment of renewable fuel infrastructure.
As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee , I questioned USDA Secretary nominee Tom Vilsack on the future of the RFS and President Biden’s executive action to transition to electric vehicles.
I also questioned President Biden’s nominee to lead the EPA, Michael Regan, on his commitment to defending the RFS and his view on the new Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.
Fighting for Justice
This week, nearly every Senate Democrat rejected my effort to require federal law enforcement to prioritize detaining and prosecuting illegal immigrants charged with violent crimes, similar to my bill, Sarah’s Law.
Click here or on the image above to watch my remarks.
By rejecting this commonsense measure, my Democratic colleagues sided with violent illegal immigrants – like Sarah’s killer – and turned their backs on justice.
Protecting Iowa Jobs and Small Businesses
I received unanimous support from my Senate colleagues for my amendment to prevent a $15 federal minimum wage hike during a global pandemic, a move that could kill jobs for lower-wage workers and severely burden Iowa small businesses and rural economies that are facing unprecedented challenges amidst COVID-19.
BONUS READ
If we want there to be jobs left for workers to go to, both during and after this pandemic, a huge spike in the federal minimum wage is simply unsustainable. Instead, we should provide targeted relief to families and businesses and facilitate an economic recovery across our state and country.
Click here or on the image above to read my column in the Sioux City Journal.
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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