Most Iowans aren’t satisfied with their state government.

That’s what we’ve been hearing at the Capitol, at town halls and legislative forums, on social media, and in our daily conversations. Your goals and aspirations aren’t being reflected by the choices made on your behalf. Your concerns aren’t being addressed.

What it comes down to is a difference in priorities. Senate Democrats want to provide economic security for Iowa families. We want to give Iowans a fair shot to get ahead, not just get by. The same just can’t be said by our colleagues in the majority party.

Last week was a perfect example. Despite Iowa’s long and storied history of advancing and protecting civil and human rights, Republicans in the Senate fast-tracked an awful piece of legislation designed to strip our trans family members, friends, neighbors, and coworkers of their anti-discrimination protections under the Iowa Civil Rights code.

This sort of experience has become a pattern this legislative session. While Senate Democrats work to introduce legislation designed to make life more affordable and expand freedom and opportunity for all Iowans, our counterparts move forward with proposals to make life more complicated and more restrictive. Here are some examples.

For months, Iowans have been telling us how complicated the unemployment process is and how cuts to their benefits have added fear and uncertainty to an already stressful time in their lives. So, Senate Democrats introduced SF 157 to return Iowa to 26 weeks of unemployment benefits – bringing us back in line with the 38 other states providing at least 26 weeks of benefits. Senate Republicans countered by advancing SSB 1111, which would further restrict Iowans from accessing unemployment benefits.

We know that Iowa has to attract and maintain a growing workforce to address ongoing employment shortages, so Senate Democrats introduced proposals to expand the state child care assistance program to more families (SF 353), provide paid family leave to public and private sector workers (SF 109), and crack down on predatory practices that raise housing prices for Iowans (SF 414).

None of those Democratic proposals has been given the opportunity for consideration in a subcommittee hearing, where Iowans could weigh in and support them.

Instead, our Republican colleagues have ignored the wants and needs of Iowans and advanced bills to censor public libraries, introduce unscientific propaganda in our schools, and continue to underfund our public schools while siphoning money to an unaccountable private school voucher program.

Senate Democrats know that all Iowans will benefit from a more affordable and comfortable life, with lower costs, strengthened public schools, affordable housing, and access to paid family leave and expanded childcare services.

We’re prioritizing Iowa’s children, families, and workers. Why aren’t Republican lawmakers?

Iowa’s Cancer Crisis Continues

The Iowa Cancer Registry’s 2025 Cancer in Iowa report was released last week. It shows that Iowa continues to have the second highest rate of new cancers and is one of only two states with a rising rate of new cancers. The report estimates that in 2025, over 21,000 new, invasive cancers will be diagnosed in Iowans. An estimated 6,300 Iowans will die from cancer in 2025. Earlier this session, Senate Democrats introduced SF 63, a bill which would create a statewide cancer research program in the hopes of slowing cancer’s rapid spread across Iowa. The bill has yet to be brought up for a subcommittee.

Iowa Senate Democrats