FFA students meet with legislators

We have officially wrapped up our second week of the legislative session, and already, things are in full swing.

Despite this week being short due to our observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we were extremely busy with subcommittee and committee meetings, as well as our annual Iowa FFA Legislative Symposium. I’m excited to have another week done, and I’m looking forward to what the next few months have in store.

Wednesday (Jan. 21) was one of the busiest and most rewarding days at the Capitol. I began the morning meeting with Julie Kenney and the staff of the Agribusiness Association of Iowa, followed by a full rotunda as FFA members and veterans gathered for Veterans Day on the Hill and the Iowa FFA Legislative Symposium.

FFA students traveled from across the state to meet with legislators, discuss key agricultural issues and learn more about the legislative process. I was especially grateful for the opportunity to visit with FFA chapters from throughout our district.

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I also met with Joshua Brown from Johnson County Veteran Services, along with several veterans who were visiting the Capitol that day. Later, I had the chance to connect with 4-H members, extension council members, and extension staff from across Iowa to share my own 4-H experience and highlight the lasting value of extension programming and community involvement.

In the afternoon, the Capitol hosted YMCA Advocacy Day, where I enjoyed meeting with Amy Schulte of Washington to discuss the many programs and services the YMCA provides and the impact they have on Iowa communities. I also had the privilege of meeting with Iowa Corn representatives on Wednesday.

Then on Thursday, Rep. Wulf and I participated in a roundtable discussion with Iowa Corn CAT students, where we talked about agriculture, public policy, and the importance of staying engaged in the legislative process.

It was a full few days at the Capitol, filled with meaningful conversations and the opportunity to connect with passionate individuals who are deeply committed to their communities and the industries they represent.

We are also starting to see more and more priority legislation coming from each chamber and the governor’s office this week. Our committees have started receiving some of the legislation the governor is proposing for this year and learning more about her priorities for her last legislative session.

The House also released its property tax proposal this week, a topic that is very important to so many Iowans to address this year.

Last week, the Senate released our proposal on property tax relief, with Iowans at its focus. It implements limitations to rein in spending and growth of government, eliminates the rollback to help provide more certainty and transparency and provides a permanent 50% taxable value discount on your homestead property.

It also eliminates involuntary property taxes for Iowans 60 years old and older who have fully paid off their mortgages and own their homes.

Property taxes are a big priority for everyone at the Capitol this year. The governor, Senate, and House have all proposed their own plans, and we look forward to working together and finding the best solution to address rising property inflation and bring relief to Iowans and their families.

Private property rights

Eminent domain and carbon capture have been topics that have caused much debate at the statehouse. Private property rights and protecting our state’s land are important, and with two bills filed in the Senate this week, SF 2067 and SF 2069, we start tackling this important issue and move Iowa farther down the path to eventually eliminate the Iowa income tax.

Senate File 2067 creates a voluntary easement corridor for a hazardous liquid pipeline project to find willing landowners and voluntary easements and all but eliminates the need for eminent domain for hazardous liquid pipeline projects.

This bill strengthens private property rights and allows Iowans to exercise their right to say no to these contracts being offered, while still allowing those who are willing to sign and participate in these projects.

Senate File 2069 enacts a severance tax on the carbon dioxide flowing through the pipelines. It encourages the use of carbon dioxide for enhanced oil recovery to help support President Donald Trump’s vision for energy dominance in the United States, while expanding markets for Iowa agriculture and lowering costs for Iowans.

When we look at the economics of the state of Iowa and the largely agriculturally based economy, we need to allow Iowa to grow. With the usage of the pipeline, farmers can make as much as a $1 more per bushel of corn by driving down the carbon intensity of Iowa ethanol, opening up many new markets not only domestically but also abroad.

A year ago, the average sale price of a bushel of corn was about $4.60. This year, it has fallen by over 70 cents to only $3.89. Low corn prices and high input costs are squeezing the pocketbooks of Iowa farmers.

The CO2 being taken from our ethanol refineries isn’t just being sequestered. It has a future role to play in enhanced oil recovery. By taking the CO2 and using it to improve production of U.S.-based oil wells, we are helping reduce foreign reliance on oil and strengthening the natural resources domestically.

This process has been used since the 1970s and has been a proven method of boosting well production. A similar process in North Dakota has been projected to increase the life of wells by 25 years, producing as much as 130 million barrels of oil over that time. The federal Department of Energy’s own projections on the use of CO2 for enhanced oil recovery are over 60 billion barrels of oil. More oil production from existing wells means lower costs to produce oil and savings at the pump for Iowans.

This has been a complicated issue for many, and we will be working with the House and Gov. Reynolds on an agreement. We believe these bills provide stronger landowner rights for Iowans, for both those who want to participate in a project and those who don’t, enact more regulations on hazardous liquid pipeline companies, and help put Iowans on a path to prosperity and growth.