By Bob Eschliman Editor Loing on the surface, the Iowa Senate – in a broad, bipartisan way – voted to undo a than 30-year-old injustice inflicted upon Iowa gun owners. But, that’s just on the surface. In adopting Senate File 427 on a 46-4 vote Tuesday, the Senate […]
By Bob Eschliman Editor The Iowa Senate to up a few matters of “old business” during the late morning session Tuesday. First, it adopted Senate File 345, which is part of Gov. Terry Branstad’s comprehensive anti-bullying agenda for 2015. The Senate to up the bill Monday, but hit a […]
By Bob Eschliman Editor During the morning opening of the Iowa Senate on Tuesday, Iowa Senate Majority Leader conceded defeat on Senate File 227, which will set the earliest school start date as Aug. 23. SF 227, a compromise bill that allowed for continuation and expansion of year-round calendars […]
By The Iowa Statesman The Iowa House of Representatives got a lot done Tuesday, but that didn’t include passing any new pieces of legislation. The chamber quickly moved through its morning formalities, and then quickly adjourned for the day after just five minutes. Representatives had a number of committee […]
From Press Release U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee today released the following statement about the Justice Department’s new policy regarding the use of asset forfeiture in connection with structuring offenses. “I’ve long expressed concern about structuring being the basis for civil asset forfeiture, […]
By The Iowa Statesman In response to the news that a wiccan priestess from Cedar Rapids has been invited to give the morning invocation in the Iowa House of Representatives on Thursday, April 9, a group of central Iowa Christians will hold a “Prayer at the Capitol” event that […]
By The Iowa Statesman Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs) apparently has had his fill of listening to pro-life conservatives who want to talk about bringing the House’s abortion prerequisites bill up for a vote. Under current Senate rules, the majority party’s leader dictates what bills may […]
From Press Release Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad today signed the following bills into law: House File 131: an Act concerning the definition of beer for purposes of beer brewers and wholesalers. House File 202: an Act relating to licensure of retired volunteer dentists and dental hygienists. House File 266: […]
From Press Release The Iowa Gold Star Military Museum, 7105 NW 70th Ave., Johnston, will host a ribbon cutting ceremony dedicating its new Civil War exhibit on Thursday, April 9, beginning at 10 a.m. The exhibit includes custom-built cases displaying a unique variety of weapons, artifacts, images, and documents […]
From Press Release Members of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest are investigating potential workplace retaliation against Department of Homeland Security employees for faithfully discharging the duties of the office in which they serve even though they conflict with President Obama’s immigration policies. The committee […]
From Press Release U.S. Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) last week introduced the Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act of 2015. This legislation will remove Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) impediments to market competition and innovation in America’s transportation fuel market. “The EPA’s onerous regulation of fuels is artificially limiting options […]
By The Iowa Statesman Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad has announced he will sign the “sledding bill” into law during a special bill signing ceremony at 2 p.m. tomorrow in his office. House File 570 is an Act providing for an exemption from municipal tort liability for claims arising from […]
By The Iowa Statesman U.S. Rep. Rod Blum (R-IA 1) will formally open his Cedar Rapids District Office at a special event from noon to 1 p.m. today. The event is open to the public. The office is located at 310 Third St. SE.
By The Iowa Statesman In light of the controversy surrounding Indiana’s new Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Republican presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz issued the following statement today in support of that state’s governor, Mike Pence, and the effort to defend religious liberty and protect against government efforts to […]
By Bob Eschliman Editor It’s relatively easy to become a candidate for the highest office in the nation. Create a candidate committee with your state’s Secretary of State, file a Form 2 with the Federal Election Commission, and you’re officially a candidate for President of the United States. And […]
By Bob Eschliman Editor A bill meant to toughen Iowa’s anti-bullying laws, a signature piece of Gov. Terry Branstad’s 2015 agenda, hit a momentary snag Monday in the Senate. Senate File 345 proposes a number of amendments to existing Iowa Code that were enacted in 2007 as they relate […]
By The Iowa Statesman Monday, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley presented the Prisoner of War Medal to Mr. Raymond Pearl Cooper, of Goldfield at the Wright County Veterans Affairs Office. Cooper served in the U.S. Navy and was a POW for two years in Korea. However, his discharge papers did […]
By Bob Eschliman Editor Friday is officially the last day legislation may pass out of committee and still be considered for adoption by either chamber of the Iowa General Assembly. But while that is the official dead, bills that have not passed out of committee by the end of […]
From Press Release The Network of Iowa Christian Home Educators has confirmed its -up of potential presidential candidates who will attend the eighth annual “Homeschool Day at the Capitol” on Thursday, April 9. “There was strong interest from a number of potential and likely candidates and we’re very happy […]
From The Iowa Statesman Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and nationally syndicated conservative radio host Steve Deace will head this year’s Mahaska County Republican Party Spring Banquet. The event will begin at 6 p.m. Friday, April 24, in Bradbury Hall at Nelson Pioneer Farm. Local legislators, state Rep. Guy Vander […]
By The Iowa Statesman U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), a candidate for the GOP presidential nomination, has announced a series of campaign stops to be held in Iowa later this week. His first stop will be 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the UPS Auditorium at Morningside College in Sioux City. […]
By The Iowa Statesman The Hamilton County Republican Party will host its annual spring barbecue beginning at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, April 18, at The Bridge in Webster City. Keynote speaker will be Republican Party of Iowa chairman Jeff Kaufmann. Other officeholders have been invited to attend. The menu will […]
From Press Release Dallas County Republicans are pleased to announce our next speaker for the Dallas County Spring Speaker Series. This is the third speaker of our Dallas County Speaker Series, and it will be held at the West Des Moines Marriott. The next head speaker for the Dallas […]
From Press Release Chairman Brett Barker announced today that the Story County Republicans are partnering with the Story County Freedom Flight to host the second annual Story County Freedom Run. Among the planned participants are US Senator Joni Ernst and Iowa Auditor Mary Mosiman. The event will take place […]
By Bob Eschliman Editor © The Iowa Statesman Questions about mileage expenses have forced the resignation of U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock (R-IL). Now, the expenses of an Iowa legislator has raised similar questions. State Rep. Bobby Kaufmann (R-Wilton) was first elected to his seat in the Iowa House […]
From Press Release Sen. Chuck Grassley will be presenting two military medals during the week of March 29, 2015. He will present the Prisoner of War (POW) Medal to Mr. Raymond Pearl Cooper, of Goldfield in Wright County, and the Silver Star to Mrs. Ruth Wunsch on behalf of […]
From Press Release U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Mike Lee (R-UT) today called on the Justice Department to investigate allegations of misconduct by federal prosecutors in cases related to the 2007 Moonlight Fire in California. The officials in question allegedly failed to […]
From Press Release Following the 9/11 Review Commission’s findings of inadequacies in the intelligence operations of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and related whistleblower complaints, Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is asking the Justice Department’s Inspector General (IG) to investigate claims of […]
By The Iowa Statesman Fridays in the Iowa House of Representatives are short and sweet. Most legislators, in both chambers, use the day as a “traveling day” to return to their districts for the weekend to meet with constituents and to host legislative forums. But, when there is business […]
From Press Release Last night, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) voted in favor of the Senate Budget Resolution for Fiscal Year 2016. Senator Ernst released the following statement upon final passage: When Iowans sent me to Congress, I pledged to cut wasteful and out of control spending that has […]
By Bob Eschliman Editor The Iowa House Ways and Means Committee has introduced a bill similar to one introduced last month in the Iowa Senate that would establish a metered water excise tax. House Study Bill 229 exempts from the state sales tax the sales price from the sale […]
From Press Release U.S. Rep. David Young (R-IA 3) questioned Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson this morning as he appeared before Young’s House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security. The Congressman’s questioning centered on the Office of Inspector General’s independent report of the EB-5 program which revealed DHS […]
By Bob Eschliman Editor The Iowa Senate voted unanimously Thursday to adopt a bill that would provide a limited property tax exemption for “eyesore properties” that are repaired by their owners. Senate File 480 would authorize a city or county to provide a property tax exemption for up to […]
From Press Release U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), chairman of the Judiciary Committee and the Caucus on International Narcotics Control, today made the following comment on the new initiative from Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell on opioid abuse: The agency’s approach shares some of […]
By Bob Eschliman Editor The Iowa House of Representatives voted unanimously Thursday to adopt four bills. Among them was a bill to expand the distance from funerals and memorial services, funeral processions, or burial services in which protests are prohibited. As originally constructed, House File 558 would have created […]
From Press Release U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called on the Justice Department to adopt a zero-tolerance policy for employees who purchase sex following an Inspector General report revealing that Drug Enforcement Administration employees attended “sex parties” with prostitutes while abroad. In […]
By Bob Eschliman Editor State Rep. Dave Jacoby (D-Coralville) has introduced five new bills this week in the Iowa House of Representatives. Because they did not make it through the first legislative funnel dead, they’re unlikely to advance this session. But, they can be brought up during next year’s […]
From Press Release U.S. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) released the following statement and a video today: When I was a boy, I dreamed of being an athlete. I listened to those baseball games on the radio, and I envisioned myself as a man out in center field […]
By Bob Eschliman Editor The Iowa General Assembly, through separate resolutions in the Iowa House of Representatives and the Iowa Senate, reaffirmed its relationship with the Republic of China, also known as Taiwan. Taipei Economic and Cultural Office Director General Calvin Chen-huan Ho, the official trade representative for the […]
From Press Release Building on past success and what might be new momentum, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) is a lead co-sponsor of newly re-introduced legislation to repeal the federal estate tax, better known as the death tax, that punishes family farmers and business owners on the death of […]
From Press Release U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called on Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson to hold the department’s deputy secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, accountable for granting favoritism to politically connected parties. Grassley’s follow an Inspector General report indicating that Mayorkas personally […]
From Press Release U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) this week offered four amendments to the Senate Budget Resolution. The amendments would: Prohibit taxpayer money from paying for first class airfare; Improve mental health care services for veterans; Reform the allowance and perks available to former U.S. Presidents; and Ensure […]
By Bob Eschliman Editor The Iowa House of Representatives quickly adopted six new bills, all by unanimous votes, Wednesday. They were: Senate File 217 – a substitute bill for House File 285, an act to amend Iowa Code as it relates to the administration and duties of the Iowa […]
By Bob Eschliman Editor The Senate to up the House-amended version of Senate File 227 on Wednesday afternoon. The bill, which would establish a new earliest school start date of Aug. 23, included a House amendment that was approved with its version of the bill Tuesday, which: reinstated financial […]
By The Iowa Statesman The Talkers Magazine has released its annual list of most powerful and influential talk radio hosts in the country, and this year, there are three Iowa-based hosts on the list. All of them operate out of the Des Moines area. Topping the “Heavy Hundred” this […]
By Bob Eschliman Editor Apparently, the increased funding for the Road Use Tax Fund afforded by Iowa’s recent gas tax increase wasn’t enough for the construction lobby in Des Moines. House Study Bill 226, introduced in the House Ways and Means Committee this week, would amend Iowa Code as […]
By Bob Eschliman Editor State Sen. Brad Zaun (R-Urbandale) has had enough of the Iowa Income Tax. So, this week he authored a new bill that would repeal the income tax in exchange for a higher state sales and use tax – moed after the well-known national effort commonly […]
From Press Release U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has been named a member of the Advisory Council of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, joining other members of Congress and child welfare advocates to advise the institute on policy efforts to help children. “I’m glad to work with an […]
From Press Release U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) today encouraged state treasurers to explain the merits of the Section 529 college savings plans that are so popular nationwide. State treasurers generally administer the plans. Grassley has a pending bipartisan bill that would add flexibility to these college spending plans. […]
Bob Eschliman Editor While only eight new bills were offered during the past week, the Iowa General Assembly has been at work in committees and floor debate. With the recent release of a new state revenue estimate, work will soon begin in earnest on the new biennial budget. There […]
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