WASHINGTON DC (March 18, 2019) — Acting Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Joel Baxley today announced that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $91 million to build or improve community facilities (PDF, 108 KB) and essential services for nearly 300,000 rural residents in 12 states.

WASHINGTON DC (March 12, 2019) — It feels like Washington just can’t kick its addiction to special interest tax breaks.

Nearly 15 months after the expiration of the so-called “tax extenders,” The House is holding a subcommittee hearing Tuesday on these provisions. Senate Finance Committee leaders, meanwhile, have already proposed legislation to bring expired provisions back — and do so retroactively for last year.

DES MOINES, IOWA (March 12, 2019) — Four national fast food franchisors will cease using “no-poach” agreements in a multistate settlement with a coalition of 14 attorneys general, including Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller. The agreements restrict the right of fast-food workers to move from one franchise to another within the same restaurant chain.

WASHINGTON DC (March 11, 2019) — President Donald Trump released a portion of his fiscal year 2020 budget Monday, which proposes a number of tax and spending policies that it estimates would reduce debt from 78 percent of GDP today to 71 percent of GDP by 2029. The budget also projects real economic growth will average about 3 percent per year over the next decade, more than a percentage point above what most other public and private forecasters predict.

DES MOINES, IOWA (March 11, 2019) — Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 2.4 percent in January. The state’s jobless rate was 2.8 percent one year ago. The US unemployment rate rose to 4.0 percent in January.

WASHINGTON DC (March 8, 2019) — Reports suggest the Trump administration will release its FY 2020 budget in two parts, beginning next week.

With debt at post-war record highs, deficits expanding, sequester-level caps scheduled to return in the fall, and the debt-ceiling back in effect, the White House has the opportunity to lead on fiscal issues this year. Leadership should begin with a thoughtful and responsible budget proposal.

DES MOINES, IOWA (March 7, 2019) — Today, more than 912,000 Walmart US associates will receive a share of nearly $207 million in cash bonuses, as the company experienced a strong 4.2 percent fourth-quarter comp-sales growth. Associates are receiving their bonuses in paychecks received March 7. In Iowa, associates will be awarded close to $2.7 million for fourth quarter performance.

DES MOINES, IOWA (March 7, 2019) — More than 75 biodiesel supporters took to the Iowa State Capitol today to remind lawmakers just how well their comprehensive state policies on biodiesel have worked. More than half of Iowa’s diesel supply contains biodiesel, increasing availability to Iowans, and the state remains the top producer of the renewable fuel, proponents said.

WASHINGTON DC (March 6, 2019) — Acting Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought recently suggested that the President‘s budget will evade next year’s discretionary spending caps by classifying a larger share of defense spending as Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funds — a designation meant for war spending that is exe

NORTH LIBERTY, IOWA (March 5, 2019) — The Corridor Business Journal (CBJ) announces its 15th annual Women of Influence.

Honorees will be recognized at an April 4 awards banquet and profiled in the April 8 issue of the weekly CBJ.

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