DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Derek Eadon released the following statement in advance of Vice President Mike Pence’s visit to central Iowa. “It has become more clear than ever that Donald Trump, Mike Pence, and their Republican colleagues like David Young and Rod Blum would rather give millionaires and billionaires another tax cut than support the basic needs of Iowans. Their dangerous agenda threatens health care access for millions of Iowans, dismantles critical agricultural safety nets, and slashes funds from Iowa students. “Since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law, 132,000 previously uninsured Iowans gained coverage – cutting the uninsured rate in half and giving Iowa families the assurance that they would have access to the quality, affordable health care they deserve. In addition to the Iowans living without insurance before the ACA, the bill has provided assurance to 1.3 million Iowans with pre-existing conditions that they would not be denied the coverage they need. “Unfortunately, their attack on rural America doesn’t stop with the health care bill. The Trump-Pence budget takes aim at key agricultural programs that have benefited Iowans for decades – slashing more $46 billion over the next decade from the agriculture sector – including deep cuts to federal crop insurance programs that would leave families across our state without the safety net they deserve. “Like we’ve seen in Iowa from Governor Reynolds and Republicans in the legislature, the Trump-Pence budget severely underfunds education. They have proposed eliminating a program that trains Iowa teachers in low-income communities, eliminates funding for an after-school program that serves 1.6 million children nationwide, and makes it harder for low-income Iowa students to afford college. “Democrats are fighting for working families, and Iowans are ready and willing to stand up the dangerous Trump-Pence agenda. With new initiatives like, Resistance Summer, we’re working to channel the anger and frustration over this administration’s priorities into future success up and down the ballot. “Mike Pence and Donald Trump don’t have a plan to provide care for the Iowans who need it. This isn’t progress. It isn’t common sense. And it’s not what Iowans deserve from this administration.”
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