U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, who represents Iowa’s 4th Congressional District, spoke at U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst’s final annual Roast and Ride fundraiser at the Elwell Family Food Center at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines Oct. 11, 2025. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

In Congress, I’m focused on cutting through the noise in Washington, D.C. and working to advance real policy solutions that benefit Iowa. That’s what Iowans elected me to do and deserve from their representatives. Putting Iowans first and delivering legislative victories for our families, farmers, small businesses, and vibrant communities has always been my mission.

The week of Nov. 17 was no different. With my strong support, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act. Our veterans are American heroes who have made incredible sacrifices to defend our families and communities. They fought to protect our freedoms, defend our flag, and ensure that our nation remains free — yet they never seek recognition or praise. We must ensure that our veterans receive the benefits they have earned and deserve. It’s why I voted to make benefits stronger for our veterans by keeping cost-of-living adjustments in line with Social Security. As a proud Iowan and proud American, I will always support our veterans who have kept our nation the greatest on Earth.

The next day, I led legislation to help aspiring college students understand the full cost and implications of taking out student loans. My Student Transparency for Understanding Decisions in Education Net Terms – or STUDENT Act for short – would provide student loan applicants with an estimate of the total amount of interest they would pay – based on a standard 10-year repayment plan – during or prior to accepting a loan.

As a father of four, ensuring that our kids can pursue educational opportunities and build a future career is important to me. Whether it’s community college or a four-year university, students need to fully understand the cost of taking out student loans, especially the amount of their interest payments. But currently, there is no requirement to explain how much the full cost of a loan would be when considering interest. That’s why we must provide students with an estimate of how much they would pay in interest over the term of their loan. This fix will help keep students out of mountains of unsustainable debt while ensuring that the next generation can chase their dreams and pursue fulfilling educational opportunities.

Finally, I worked with my Iowa colleague, Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, to introduce the Fertilizer Research Act, which aims to provide greater certainty and transparency for Iowa farmers navigating high input costs. It would also require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct a study of the market factors driving up input costs, including competition, long-term market trends, and regulatory costs.

As I’m traveling across the 4th Congressional District, Iowa farmers continue to tell me that the biggest barrier to farm profitability is high input costs. Representing one of the largest agricultural districts in the country, commonsense ways that we can help lower the prices of input costs like fertilizer is critical so that our farmers can keep feeding and fueling our country and the world. Our legislation will deliver more transparency into the factors driving up the cost of fertilizer, and ultimately, help reduce financial pressures for farmers. By lowering costs for our producers, we can keep Iowa farmland in the hands of Iowa farmers and help the next generation carry on our proud agricultural traditions.

Strengthening benefits for our veterans, lowering costs for our farmers, and supporting the next generation of Iowans are all important priorities for me. I’ll keep working to make life more affordable for Iowa families, grow our economy, invest in our main streets, and build a stronger Iowa.

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