Friends,

Thank you for taking time to read my weekly update. Below you'll learn more about what I'm doing in Washington to support Iowans in the first district.

Iowa Congressional Delegation Breakfast

I had the pleasure of starting my week with the entire Iowa congressional delegation at breakfast. This is the first time in decades we've had an entirely Republican delegation, and we are committed to bringing home results to Iowans.

Loans are Loans, Even Student Loans

As Iowans know, a loan taken out is a loan that must be repaid—no matter the specific type. Democrats and the Biden administration, however, are pushing to “forgive” or “absolve” student loans, which results in the remaining cost of those loans being transferred to hardworking taxpayers. This transfer of debt is unfair and seemingly unconstitutional. Our own Attorney General Brenna Bird was at the Supreme Court just this week to challenge the legality of President Biden’s forgiveness plan.

Instead of allowing students to rack up tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt to go to school, we should be working to ensure they have a complete understanding of the loan process. This week, I joined Senator Grassley in leading the Iowa delegation in introducing the Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loans Act, legislation that would require Institutes of Higher Education (IHEs) to counsel students before any federal loans are disbursed. Student loans are a serious financial commitment and should be treated as such. It’s crucial we ensure our students are equipped with the guidance needed to make an informed decision and that they understand the process to pay these loans back.

Another way we can work to alleviate financial stress from our students is by ensuring they have a clear understanding of different kinds of post-secondary education. Trade schools, for instance, provide a full education for students prior to entering the workforce but don’t always carry the same financial burden as a four-year university program. Many students enroll in traditional four-year colleges and institutions without knowing these alternative programs exist and end up unnecessarily carrying the burden of tuition for decades.

I’m encouraged by the work of my colleagues, particularly Senator Grassley, to improve resources available to our students as they consider taking out loans. If we can help our students understand the process by which they receive and the ultimate of cost (with interest) of federal student loans, we will be one step closer to helping to relieve them of their debt through hard work. I look forward to continuing our work—I will always fight to support our students in Iowa.

Iowans in DC

It is always great to meet with Iowans while they are in Washington! It truly is my favorite part of serving in Congress. Speaking to residents of the First District allows me to stay informed of what is going on in their communities and what I can do to help.

I started my week with the Iowa Broadcasters Association. I appreciate them taking the time to speak with me about their efforts to protect free over-the-air broadcasting.

It was a pleasure to meet with the Iowa Soybean Association to discuss their priorities for the upcoming farm bill. I will always stand up for our farmers and producers in Congress!

I enjoyed meeting with Iowa State student leaders during their trip to Washington. I appreciate them taking the time to discuss college affordability and mental health issues facing students.

I had a great meeting with Iowa Credit Unions to discuss important legislative issues that impact the financial needs of Iowans. I look forward to continuing to work together!

Floor Speeches

On Monday I spoke on the Floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to recognize Ben Kueter of Iowa City who took down Hempstead’s Joe Lewis in a technical fall to win his fourth state title in wrestling—only the 32nd time in the history of the Iowa state wrestling tournament. He’s also only the 7th to complete an undefeated high school career, with an outstanding record of 111-0 with 105 career bonus-point wins.

I’m proud of Ben’s accomplishments and I join all of Iowa in being proud that he continues to represent our state at the highest levels. I’m also honored that he’s chosen to continue his wrestling career in Iowa City at the University of Iowa—Go Hawkeyes!

Legislative Roundup

This week I reintroduced the Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loans Act, legislation that would require Institutes of Higher Education (IHEs) to counsel students before any federal loans are disbursed. 

I also joined Representative Feenstra (IA-04) in introducing the NWS Communications Improvement Act to upgrade the National Weather Service's communication network, and Representative Burgess (TX-26) in introducing Patient Access to High Quality Health Care Act, legislation to repeal changes made by the Affordable Care Act prohibiting certain physician referrals for hospitals.

I also voted in favor of the following bills:

• H.R. 347 - “To require the Executive Office of the President to provide an inflation estimate with respect to Executive orders with a significant effect on the annual gross budget, and for other purposes”
• H.J. Res. 30 - “Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights”
• H.R. 1108 - “To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to extend the authority of the Federal Communications Commission to grant a license or construction permit through a system of competitive bidding."
• H.R. 1059 - “To authorize notaries public to perform, and to establish minimum standards for, electronic notarizations and remote notarizations that occur in or affect interstate commerce, to require any Federal court to recognize notarizations performed by a notarial officer of any State, to require any State to recognize notarizations performed by a notarial officer of any other State when the notarization was performed under or relates to a public Act, record, or judicial proceeding of the notarial officer's State or when the notarization occurs in or affects interstate commerce.”
• H. Res. 132 - “Responding to the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria on February 6, 2023.”
• H.R. 538 - “To require the disclosure of a camera or recording capability in certain internet-connected devices."

Committee News

This week I spoke at two joint House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearings, as well as a House Veterans' Affairs Committee oversight hearing.

I also spoke at our first Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Roundtable entitled, "Preparing for the Future by Learning from the Past: Examining COVID Policy Decisions."

In the News

This week I joined Rob Schmitt Tonight on Newsmax to talk about why fully understanding the origin of covid-19 is a critical component of preparing for future pandemics.

To watch my full interview, click HERE.

Other News

I also joined the Western Caucus Foundation in Fort Worth, Texas for an Agriculture Summit this week. While there, we were able to address issues impacting our farmers and producers across the nation and priorities for the upcoming farm bill.