Warme

With Holy Week underway and Easter Sunday approaching, this week at the Capitol has been a time to reflect on faith, service, and the human impact of the work before us. I had the opportunity to attend the Iowa Prayer Breakfast, where 1,400 Iowans gathered for the 65th year to study God’s word, sing worship songs, and pray for our elected leaders. Governor Kim Reynolds also offered remarks and shared that throughout her time in office, she has leaned on the Lord for guidance and strength in the work she does each day.

Whenever I share about religious activities within the government sphere, I am reminded of the importance of religious freedom in our country. The separation of church and state does not mean there is no prayer in public spaces. Instead, it protects the individual liberty of all Americans to worship as they choose, or not at all. When I was sworn into the Iowa Senate, I took my oath on a book of faith of my choosing–the Bible–and each day the Senate begins with a prayer led by a different member. Our governments were formed by people of faith, evidenced by all 50 US state constitutions mentioning God or a divine reference at least once, totaling nearly 200 instances. Religious events of all kinds reinforce the freedoms we are blessed with as Americans and Iowans, and I am grateful for the ability to live out and express our faith openly.

This week, I also had the opportunity to meet Rob McCoy, pastor to Charlie Kirk, at the Capitol. He shared stories about Charlie and spoke about the role of faith in public life. One message that stood out to me was his reminder that politics is the highest form of community and that if we are called to love our neighbor, we are also called to engage in the public square. That perspective highlights how service, faith, and leadership can come together in a meaningful way.

In addition to these moments of contemplation, we continued important legislative work. I was proud to floor manage House File 2543, a subacute mental health bill that passed the Senate with bipartisan support. This legislation focuses on improving access to step down mental health care for Iowans who do not need hospitalization but still require structured support. By reducing unnecessary barriers and improving care coordination, this bill will help more Iowans receive timely treatment while also easing the burden on law enforcement, emergency departments, and hospitals. It is a practical step toward strengthening our mental health system and ensuring care is available when and where it is needed.

We also used our Health and Human Services Committee time this week to host a cancer research presentation by the University of Iowa College of Public Health, which I helped organize in partnership with Senate Minority Leader Janice Weiner. This ongoing work is focused on identifying risk factors, closing data gaps, and developing prevention strategies, and subsequent reports will dive further into environmental and genetic factors. By taking a thoughtful, research-driven approach, we can make more informed decisions and work toward reducing the impact of cancer on Iowa families.

As we head into Easter weekend, I hope you will join me in reflection on the importance of faith, service, and community. I remain grateful for the opportunity to serve and to continue working on your behalf.

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Kara Warme, a Republican from Ames, represents District 26 in the Iowa Senate.