WASHINGTON DC (May 23, 2019) — Representatives Dave Loebsack and Steve Stivers today reintroduced bipartisan legislation to ensure no veteran seeking in-patient psychiatric care at a Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center is ever denied such care again. In 2016, Sgt Brandon Ketchum, a veteran from Davenport, Iowa, was turned away from a VA facility after seeking in-patient psychiatric care. After being denied admission, he tragically died by suicide.

ALBIA, IOWA (May 23, 2019) — Focus on Rural America Chair Patty Judge will join 2020 presidential candidate Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to tour POET Biorefining in Gowrie, Iowa. Judge has served Iowa as Lieutenant Governor and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture and continues to engage in critical election issues.  

WASHINGTON DC (May 23, 2019) — Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey today introduced S1647, the Supporting Family-to-Family Health Information Centers Act. This legislation would continue federal financial support for these centers through Fiscal Year 2024.

WATERLOO, IOWA (May 23, 2019) — 2020 presidential candidate Representative Tim Ryan will discuss modernization of America's infrastructure with Waterloo Mayor Quentin Hart, Rep Timi Brown-Powers, and Progressive Policy Institute President Will Marshall.

Date: Friday, May 31, 2019  Location: Van G. Miller Adult Learning Center  120 Jefferson Street, Waterloo, IA 50701   Time: 8:30-9:30AM CDT  RSVP to katy@linkstrategies.com  

WASHINGTON DC (May 22, 2019) — Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles "Chuck" Grassley of Iowa and Ranking Member Ron Wyden of Oregon today announced the formation of a bipartisan Finance Committee working group that will consider the issue of federal paid family-leave policy.

Sen Bill Cassidy MD of Louisiana and Sen Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire will serve as co-chairs of the working group.

WASHINGTON DC (May 22, 2019) — Today, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced the Inclusive Prosperity Act along with Sen Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and more than a dozen House Democrats.

DES MOINES, IOWA (May 22, 2019) — Unfortunately, Senator Kamala Harris is postponing her trip to Iowa this week due to expected votes in the Senate on federal disaster-relief funding. The measure would provide disaster-relief funds that likely will include Iowa, California, and Puerto Rico. Much of Western Iowa, where Sen Harris was set to visit, has been inundated with record-flooding this year. 

WASHINGTON DC (May 22, 2019) — NOTE: Senator Charles "Chuck" Grassley sent a letter to the Congressional Budget Office seeking information about proposals to allow Medicare Part D to negotiate pricing. The Congressional Budget Office sent a response which can be found here.

 

DES MOINES, IA — Senator Amy Klobuchar will return to Iowa this Saturday and Sunday for her seventh trip to Iowa since announcing her campaign for president. Sen Klobuchar will hold several events in northern Iowa, including a house-party at Minority Leader Todd Prichard’s house, and then return to Polk County to celebrate her birthday with supporters and Des Moines-area residents.

DES MOINES, IOWA (May 22, 2019) — Today, Governor Kim Reynolds signed House File 615, the justice-system appropriations bill, but item-vetoed sections 24 and 28, which would have amended the Iowa Attorney General’s statutory-duties to require the approval of the Governor, Executive Council, or Legislature to prosecute any action or proceeding, including signing onto or authoring amicus-briefs or letters of support, in any court or tribunal other than an Iowa state court.

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