The 2019 Iowa legislative session starts later this morning, with Republicans in control of the debate agenda for the third consecutive year. Republican Governor Kim Reynolds was just elected to a full, four-year term and Republicans won a majority of seats in the Iowa House and Senate. Senate … [Read more...]
GOP leader says kicking Steve King off House committees an option
The Republican leader in the U.S. House plans to meet with Iowa Congressman Steve King Monday to discuss King's future after King's recent comments about white supremacy. During an interview with The New York Times, King said he didn't understand how the phrases white supremacy, white nationalism … [Read more...]
Ernst presses EPA administrator on summer E15 sales
Republican Senator Joni Ernst met with the acting director of the EPA this week to discuss expanding ethanol sales. The EPA is closed because of the government shutdown, so there's concern rules to allow summertime sales of fuel with a higher blend of ethanol will not be adopted in time. "That's … [Read more...]
King says he made ‘rookie mistake’ in talking to New York Times
Republican Congressman Steve King took to the floor of the U.S. House today to respond to a New York Times story in which he's quoted talking about the terms white nationalist, white supremacy and western civilization. King, a Republican from the western Iowa community of Kiron, said he is an … [Read more...]
King says entire border wall should be concrete
Iowa Congressman Steve King tweeted this morning that if President Trump declares a state of emergency for border security, Trump should "build the whole wall out of concrete." King said a concrete wall along the US/Mexico border would "stand forever as a monument to the Rule of Law." King went … [Read more...]
Republicans rap ‘judicial activism,’ aim to change who nominates judges
Republicans at the statehouse are drawing up plans to change the make-up of the commission that nominates people to the governor for judgeships, in response to what they say is "judicial activism." Iowa's Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in 2009 and recently overturned a GOP plan to … [Read more...]
One was not enough. Second Inaugural Ball scheduled.
Due to "high demand," there will be more than one inaugural ball to mark the start of Kim Reynolds' first full term as governor. Tickets to an inaugural ball on Friday, January 18, 2019, sold out, so a second inaugural ball will be staged at the same time, in a building nearby in downtown Des … [Read more...]
Ernst says physical barrier not needed along some areas of border
Republican Senator Joni Ernst says now that there's divided government in Washington, it's up to President Trump and Democratic congressional leaders to find a border security solution that ends the partial government shutdown. "I would tend to agree that not all areas of our border needs a … [Read more...]
Steve King condemns ‘white supremacy’ and says he’s a ‘nationalist’
Republican Congressman Steve King -- now facing two G-O-P primary opponents if he seeks reelection -- has issued a statement saying he's an advocate of "Western Civilization's values" but not white supremacy. Congressman King is quoted in a New York Times story asking why the phrases "white … [Read more...]
State may respond to program shortfalls caused by federal shutdown
State officials say if there is a prolonged shutdown of federal agencies like the USDA, they may shore up state programs run in conjunction with the federal government. "I'm proud of the fact we do things differently here in Iowa. I think Iowans don't like what they see happening out in … [Read more...]