Biden’s weakness invites global aggression

It was great to be back on the 22 County Tour this week.

We visited with folks in Linn, Benton, Tama, and Poweshiek Counties to hear from Iowans about what is on their mind, the challenges they’re facing in their daily lives and how I can help.

I hope to see many of you as I travel throughout our district. Read on for more about recent legislation I've supported, details on the 22 County Tour, and investments I've secured for Iowa.

Biden’s weakness

President Biden’s weakness has invited global aggression from our adversaries — Putin in Ukraine, Iran and its proxies in the Middle East and Xi in the Indo-Pacific.

  Buy Photo

Last week I joined my colleagues in the House to pass national security legislation to confront our foreign adversaries, as well as force TikTok to divest from their CCP-backed parent company, ByteDance.

By providing lethal military equipment to our allies and standing up to our enemies — while prioritizing replenishing U.S. military stockpiles and mandating strict oversight — this deterrence package will keep America out of conflict and protect our national security

President Biden just expanded Title IX — landmark legislation to protect women — to include biological males. This opens the door for biological men to compete against women in sports and force women to share locker rooms with biological men.

This move undermines the intent of Title IX and is a huge threat to girls' privacy and safety.

Take my poll to let me know how you feel about President Biden's move to include biological men in Title IX.

Securing E15 for summer

Following my advocacy, the EPA granted an emergency waiver to allow the sale of E15 this summer. I am proud to have worked alongside Gov. Reynolds and the entire Iowa delegation to get this done.

While the EPA's waiver is a step in the right direction, it is past time to make higher blends of ethanol permanently available year-round. I introduced the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act to allow E15 to be sold year-round and will continue to be a strong advocate for Iowa biofuels in Congress.

Around Iowa

Foundation 2 in Cedar Rapids helps thousands of Iowans every year through their crisis services, youth support, and prevention education. I enjoyed learning more about their dedication to helping those in crisis and ways we can end the stigma around mental health.

The Petersen family are sixth generation farmers and operate Bloomsbury Farm in Atkins. The unique, family-friendly, agritourism experience at Bloomsbury Farm draws thousands of visitors each year.

I met with the team at Frontlines United to hear more about their mission to bring together active duty military, veterans, and first responders to help foster connections among those who have served. I’m grateful for their work to give back to those who have given our country and communities so much.

Iowa Valley Grinnell offers the only Gunsmith Technology program in Iowa. The two-year program equips students with hands-on training to succeed as a gunsmith. It was very cool to see this unique program and visit with students and instructors who are passionate about this trade

As a Member of the House Appropriations Committee, I am proud to have secured targeted federal investments for our community. Cutting wasteful spending while returning taxpayer dollars to Iowa will always be a top priority for me.

This week, I'm excited to highlight the $5 million I secured for the Hawkeye Community College Smart Automation and Robotics Center. This facility will be a manufacturing hub in Waterloo where students and workers can gain skills in a fast-tracked program. The hub will feed directly into several manufacturing businesses and grow Iowa’s manufacturing workforce.

This investment will put Waterloo at the center of the next generation manufacturing revolution and help more Iowans achieve their American dream. This funding will benefit Waterloo — and our whole state — for generations to come. I will continue fighting and delivering for the Cedar Valley.