The same Washington politicians who were whining about DOGE laying off unnecessary bureaucrats just a few months ago are now exposing who is and isn’t an essential employee by shutting down the government. The Schumer Shutdown has sent home 750,000 federal employees deemed non-essential, ...
Q: What red flags are catching your attention in the U.S. farm economy? A: As a lifelong family farmer, I understand Iowa farm families weather the storms of cyclical markets and natural disasters. Managing risk is central to the job. As harvest season gets into full swing, I’m keeping a ...
I just finished reading James Smith's work, "You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit." I reevaluated my life's actions to shape my spiritual habits. I was reminded of the old saying, “You are what you eat.” If I eat unhealthy foods, I cannot be surprised if I become unhealthy. ...
Leading up to last year’s election, then candidate Donald Trump campaigned heavily on deporting immigrants on a massive scale. It’s something he’s followed through on, regularly claiming that his Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency would target “the worst of the worst.” ...
Q: What is the Rural Health Transformation Fund? A: Congress approved this summer a historic $50 billion federal investment to rebuild rural health infrastructure that was included in the health and tax bill President Trump signed into law on July 4. The Rural Health Transformation Fund is ...
For nearly 50 years, Iowa’s Area Education Agencies (AEAs) have provided a wide range of services designed to help students succeed. What made AEAs unique was the way we connected general education supports with special education services. This “braiding” of services meant that teachers, ...
Q: Why did you reintroduce your Prevent Government Shutdowns Act? A: The Constitution assigns to Congress the power of the purse. That keeps the federal purse strings in the hands of lawmakers elected by the people to represent their views and values. The federal budget operates on a 12-month ...
Sean Roberts is no stranger to wind energy. Since the mid-1980s, he has overseen the construction of more than 4,000 wind turbines across the United States and around the world. His latest initiative, the Salt Creek Wind project in Iowa, continues to build on that legacy. Last year, Salt Creek ...
School is back in session, and so is Congress following their month-long recess. There will likely be talk and drama over the coming weeks about passing a budget to avoid a government shutdown. But I’ll be keeping my eye on two bills that could have much bigger (and longer lasting) impacts ...
Q: What’s your message on the anniversary of 9/11? A: This year marks 24 years since 19 hijackers boarded four commercial airliners in the early morning hours on Sept. 11, 2001, to commit acts of terror on U.S. soil. The terrorists commandeered the airplanes to launch suicide attacks ...