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Friends, 

Before I share some quick updates, I wanted to take a moment to remember those who lost their lives in yet another senseless act of gun violence in Highland Park, IL over the weekend.

Let’s be clear – no one should ever feel unsafe at school, at work, at the grocery store, at the movie theater, and, in this case, at a Fourth of July parade for families.

The recent gun legislation that President Biden signed into law is a step forward, but we have a lot of work still ahead of us, and I’ll be fighting every step of the way until our children and families feel safe in our communities. 

I’ve spent the last two weeks visiting with folks and listening to what’s on their minds. 

I welcomed USDA Sec. Vilsack back to Iowa for an important announcement for farmers impacted by natural disasters and held a roundtable discussion to hear what farmers need in the upcoming Farm Bill.

I also sat down with Iowa native Rep. Katie Porter to talk about my bill that will increase competition in the meatpacking industry to support local producers and drive prices down and introduced a new bill to crack down on deceptive ads from Big Pharma companies that keep consumers in the dark about their medication side effects.

To learn more about what I’ve been up to, keep reading.

Getting Farmers Their Fair Share

There’s no better group of people to discuss what should be in the next Farm Bill, which will be done in 2023, than a bunch of Iowans – which is why I hosted a listening session in Adel last week with USDA Rural Development Iowa State Director Theresa Greenfield, USDA Farm Service Agency State Director Matt Russell, and agricultural leaders.

I want to make sure I have the right information on what’s working well, what’s not working well, what programs we could tweak, where we’ve got gaps, and where farmers think we should expand. This is just the first listening session that I will host ahead of the Farm Bill reauthorization next year, and look forward to continuing to hear more about how we can make sure farmers succeed.

WATCH my tour and announcement with Sec. Vilsack!

I also hosted a familiar face for a farm tour and an announcement in Minburn – former Iowa Governor and current USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack!

We spoke with the Nelson and Shirley families about the 2020 derecho that devastated their property and the new USDA relief money available for farmers with stories just like theirs to help them get back on their feet.

I worked hard to get these funds signed into law and into the hands of farmers and I’m thrilled that USDA has already distributed over $4 billion in aid to farmers across Iowa and the country.

If you or someone you know owns a farm that was impacted by natural disasters in our state in 2020 and 2021, I encourage you to contact your local Farm Service Agency county office before July 22nd and see if you qualify.

I’ll continue working hard to make sure that every farm across Iowa gets its fair share of relief when disaster strikes.

Conversation on Increasing Transparency and Driving Meat Prices Down with Rep. Katie Porter

WATCH my conversation with Rep. Katie Porter!

Right now, four large meatpackers control over 80% of the market – pushing out local producers and causing the price of meat to skyrocket – crushing families throughout our state and the entire country.

Iowa’s producers deserve a fair chance to enter the market, so I introduced the bipartisan Cattle Market Transparency Act with fellow Iowa Representative Randy Feenstra. This legislation, led by Senator Grassley in the Senate, would restore fairness and transparency to the market and crack down on the abuses of the big four meat packers.

I had the chance to break down why this bill is so important with lifelong consumer advocate and Iowa native, Rep. Katie Porter! Be sure to check out our conversation.

Standing Up to Big Pharma and Cracking Down on Deceptive Ads

If you watch T.V. regularly, chances are you’ve seen commercials for prescription drugs filled with beautiful images of beaches, flowers, and dancing people – you name it.

While they make for great commercials, the reality is that Big Pharma corporations are using those predatory tactics to distract consumers from the potentially dangerous side effects of their medications.

This week, I helped introduced new legislation to crack down on these misleading ads and make sure that consumers are equipped with the information they need to make informed decisions when it comes to their medications.

Earlier this year, I introduced legislation to ensure that these ads from Pharma corporations wouldn’t be subsidized by Iowa tax dollars, and I’ll keep fighting to hold drug companies accountable and lower prescription drug prices for Iowans.

Be well, 

Cindy