Governor Kim Reynolds says there are too many strings attached to federal funding and she’s asking congress to deliver more federal money to states in the form of block grants.
“It takes an army of people to manage the federal programs that are coming in, especially with the Department of Education,” Reynolds said this morning, “and then the school districts also have to take people off their line of sight on really educating our students and they’re doing compliance instead of working on instruction.”
Reynolds testified today before the U.S. House Oversight Committee about the restructuring she has done in state government.
“Like most Americans I’m thrilled by the priority that President Trump is placing on shrinking government and making it work better,” Reynolds says. “Not only do I believe Iowa is model, but I’m committed to doing everything I can in the months ahead and I look forward to working with you and the Trump Administration to do just that.”
In the past two years, Reynolds proposed and signed legislation that cut the number of state agencies from 37 to 16 — and another bill merged or eliminated over 80 state boards and commissions.
“There’s just so much waste at all levels of government — at the federal, at the state and at the local levels — and we’re all serving the same constituency. We need to do it better,” Reynolds said. “Every time there’s a duplication, that’s a cost.”
Reynolds lauded Elon Musk’s so-called “DOGE” efforts and she told lawmakers her consolidation of state agencies has saved $217 million in 18 months.
“What advice do you have for the Trump Administration to reduce the cost and the size of the government and what advice do you have for congress?” North Carolina Congresswoman Virginia Foxx asked Reynolds.
The governor responded: “Well, don’t buy into the fact that you can’t do it. You can do it and it needs to be done.”
The top Democrat on the committee said Reynolds did not unilaterally revamp state government or bring in an outsider like Elon Musk to make changes, but had her efficiency plans reviewed and approved by the state legislature.