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Working Families Tax Cuts make life more affordable for Iowans

Columnists

Family farms, small businesses, and hardworking Iowans are the backbone of our economy and local communities. Iowa agriculture feeds and fuels our nation, small businesses keep our Main Streets vibrant, and our neighbors make Iowa truly a special place to call home. As the only Member of Congress who serves on both the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Agriculture Committee, I have continuously worked with President Trump to ensure Iowa continues to thrive and deliver results to protect our farmers, grow our local businesses, and give working families a shot at the American ...

Helling’s Holiday

Columnists

Vacations for farmers in the early 70’s, especially dairy farmers, were few and far between. Cows had to be milked twice a day, seven days a week. But when Stan Helling, a dairy farmer on the north side of Ft. Madison, bought a new 3/4 ton, Chevy pick-up, in 1970, he told his wife, Lillian, “I wanna take that truck for a run. Let’s go see your sister, Luane, in Winter Haven, Florida. The kids would love to see their cousins, and I know where I can rent a camper to slide in the back of the truck to haul the kids.” They had six kids, five of them boys, and another girl as of yet ...

Meggers Memo — Week 1

Columnists

As the 2nd session of the 91st general assembly kicks off, house republicans will continue to remain focused on the issues Iowans care about the most. From meaningful property tax relief to public safety as well as honoring our veterans, here’s what is happening at the Capitol. • Property Tax Relief: A Priority this Session Iowans have been loud and clear about the need for property tax reform. So, this session, we’ve made this topic a top priority. Across the state, seniors are being priced out of their homes, young people are struggling to purchase their first houses, and ...

No compromise on the Hyde Amendment

Columnists

Last year we went through the longest government shutdown in history. The point of contention was the extension of what were supposed to be temporary additional Obamacare subsidies enacted during COVID-19. “Temporary” in Washington means forever. This is what must change. The “temporary” subsidies were supposed to expire last year. But Democrats could not resist the opportunity to push Republicans up against the wall and associate them with Obamacare premium increases. A deal was cut to address the subsidies after the first of the year and get the government funded and ...

A session of urgency

Columnists

It’s the start of a new year, which means another Iowa legislative session begins. While I’m hopeful some good will come out of the Golden Dome in Des Moines, I’m not holding my breath. Eminent domain and ways to protect Iowans from Bruce Rastetter’s pesky CO2 pipeline are sure to come up again. But given Reynolds’ veto of legislation last year and Rastetter’s deep pockets and political ties, I’m not banking on action. And Bayer couldn’t get their Cancer Gag Act into a recent appropriations bill in Congress. So expect them to be back trying to silence us if we get sick ...

Where there aren’t fathers, birth rates collapse

Columnists

Where are the babies? Social conservatives keep asking what’s happened as the U.S. fertility rate crashes to its lowest level ever. But the answer should be another question: Where are the fathers? And by fathers, we do not mean men who merely spread their seed and then take off, but men who hang around and provide moral and financial support to their children. The common but wrong answer is that it has simply become too expensive to raise children: If you just bring down the prices of things then family life will become more attractive to young couples. This is the affordability ...