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Friends, 

I have been back and forth between Washington, D.C. and Iowa these past couple of weeks. In that time, I have introduced new legislation that will help our health care providers and I hosted my 70th town hall since I was sworn into Congress. 

I have a lot to share, including information on how you can enter the 2021 Third Congressional District Photo Contest. 

Keep scrolling to read about the work I've been doing for you!

My 70th Town Hall

I met with constituents in Urbandale earlier this month at my 70th town hall to talk about a variety of issues, including infrastructure and the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier this month, I hosted my 70th town hall since I was sworn in as the Representative for Iowa's Third Congressional District in 2019. I'm incredibly thankful for everyone who came out to ask questions and to hear what I have been working on in Congress. 

My goal has always been to make sure Iowans' voices are heard in Washington, D.C., and town halls are my favorite way to meet constituents. I have held so many town halls, the Town Hall Project named me the Most Accessible Freshman Member of Congress during my first year in office.

Last year, I was also named as a finalist for the Congressional Management Foundation’s Democracy Awards in the category of ‘Transparency and Accountability’ in part for my consistent planning of town halls and widely attended events during my first term.

My town halls are open to the public and are always posted on my website and my Facebook and Twitter accounts. If you've missed a town hall in your area, or if you have a question for me, you can also contact me by clicking here. 

Giving Health Care Providers More Time to Spend Relief Funds

I recently introduced bipartisan legislation with fellow Iowa Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks to ensure health care providers have additional time to use financial assistance they received from the Provider Relief Fund (PRF).

I previously helped approve $178 billion for the PRF to help reimburse providers for lost revenue or expenses attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, incomplete and inconsistent program guidance has caused hospitals and health providers to postpone spending this relief assistance over concerns of failing to abide by this unclear guidance. 

The Provider Relief Fund Deadline Extension Act would allow providers who received PRF awards before June 30, 2020, to have until at least December 31, 2021, or the end of the COIVD-19 public health emergency, whichever is later, to use their award.

As long as our nation's health care providers are still fighting on the frontlines to treat patients and defeat COVID-19, I will continue fighting for them.

House Approves $10,196,672 for Local Projects

I invited educators and labor leaders to a roundtable at Des Moines Area Community College's Urban Campus earlier this month to discuss the importance of supporting skills training programs in Iowa.

I recently voted with a majority of my colleagues in the House to approve a package of appropriation bills that would include more than $10 million in direct investments for nine projects across Iowa's Third Congressional District. 

These bills would provide $3.2 million to repair glycol storage tanks at the Des Moines International Airport, more than $725,000 to expand programs and add facilities at the Ringgold Child Care Center in Mount Ayr, and much more. You can read about all of the projects by clicking here.

These projects would support the success and prosperity of our communities, and I am proud to see this support included in the bills that I voted to approve. These bills now head to the U.S. Senate for potential amendment and approval.

The 2021 Third Congressional District Photo Contest

The 2021 Third Congressional District Photo Contest is under way, and I'm collecting photos that showcase the beauty and community of central and southwest Iowa. 

Photos must be taken within the Third Congressional District, which includes Adair, Adams, Cass, Dallas, Fremont, Guthrie, Madison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Polk, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Taylor, Union, and Warren Counties. Entrants must be residents of Iowa's Third Congressional District. 

More information can be found by clicking here, and submissions may be sent to [email protected]. Submissions are due by 6 p.m. on August 15 and must include full name, email, and mailing address.

A panel of photographers and local educators will help select finalists, and then the public will have the opportunity to vote for winners by liking their favorites on my Facebook page.

I look forward to seeing all of your submissions. 

Be well, 

Cindy