Feenstra

Traveling across Iowa on my 36 County Tour, I hear from so many small business owners and workers who want a government that works for them, not against them. For the last four years, the Biden administration was playing ball with foreign nations, outsourcing American manufacturing, and stifling domestic industry with red tape and burdensome regulations. From the factories in Rock Valley to the main street businesses of Marshalltown, our communities flourish when we support policies that empower small business owners, cut red tape, and fuel economic growth.

One of my top priorities has always been ensuring that Iowa’s small businesses can keep more of their hard-earned money to invest in growth and good-paying jobs. That’s why I’ve been a staunch advocate for restoring immediate R&D expensing, a critical provision of President Trump’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill,” that allows businesses to fully deduct the cost of new equipment and investments in the year they’re made. For Iowa’s manufacturers, this means that they can upgrade machinery and software, expand facilities, and hire more workers without being crippled by outdated tax rules. This ensures Iowa industries remain on the cutting edge of research, development, and technology. We also created new immediate expensing for the construction of American factories and agricultural facilities, ensuring that we can more quickly build the manufacturing plants that we need to compete against foreign nations and grow our economy.

Another important provision in President Trump’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” is the small business deduction that provides tax relief to pass-through entities like family farms, small manufacturers, and main street enterprises across Iowa — Section 199A. This provision allows our small businesses to deduct up to 23% — which we increased from 20% — of their qualified business income, putting more money back into their pockets to reinvest in their operations, hire new employees, and invest in their local communities. In Iowa, family-owned businesses are the heart of our communities. Many storefronts have family names that go back generations. For small business owners, the small business deduction is a lifeline. From my seat on the House Ways and Means Committee, I’ve been a strong proponent of preserving and expanding this deduction to prevent tax hikes on our small businesses, manufacturers, and domestic industry.

Supporting Iowa’s rural Main Streets also means helping them provide for their employees. I introduced the Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit Extension and Enhancement Act to do just that. This legislation expands the tax credit for small businesses offering paid family and medical leave and makes it easier for employers to support their workers during critical life events, like welcoming a new child or caring for a loved one. Enhancement of this credit ensures that Iowa’s small businesses can offer competitive benefits without sacrificing their bottom line. With just 20% of workers at businesses with fewer than 99 employees having access to PFML, this legislation would be a gamechanger for families, businesses, and workers alike. Employees get the support they need, and businesses can attract and retain top talent.

In Congress, I’ll continue to fight for pro-growth policies that empower our manufacturers, support our Main Streets, and keep Iowa’s economy strong. Right now, that means working with my Republican colleagues to pass President Trump’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill.” This historic legislation will supercharge American industry, grow domestic manufacturing, and strengthen our small businesses.

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Randy Feenstra, a Republican from Hull, represents Iowa’s Fourth District in the U.S. House.