As Iowa’s voice in Congress, I take my job very seriously and work every day to advance strong policies that benefit our families, farmers, main street businesses, and rural communities. Serving on both the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Agriculture Committee, I’m proud to report that we’ve achieved many significant legislative victories. From cutting taxes for hardworking families to laying the groundwork for passing a strong Farm Bill, my work on these influential committees has given Iowa a voice in the process and a seat at the table in our nation’s capital. The House Republican Conference has also upheld our Commitment to America by supporting legislation to rebuild our economy, restore accountability in government, and deliver results for the American people.
In 2023, on the House Ways and Means Committee, I’ve worked to strengthen our economy, lower costs for our families, and support our main street businesses. I’ve voted to advance the American Families and Jobs Act – a comprehensive economic and jobs package– out of committee, which will reignite the American economy and deliver much-needed tax cuts for our families and cosponsored the TCJA Permanency Act to make successful provisions from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 permanent. In response to President Biden and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen forcing our country into a terrible financial deal – constructed by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) – that raises taxes on American businesses, harms our workers, and allows foreign governments to use our companies as their own personal piggybanks, I also helped introduce the Unfair Tax Prevention Act, which imposes reciprocal taxes on foreign nations that saddle American businesses with unfair taxes of their own.
Furthermore, I’ve helped lead the Permanent Tax Cuts for American Families Act to make the enhanced standard deduction permanent, the Main Street Tax Certainty Act to permanently allow Iowa small businesses to deduct 20% of their qualified business income from their federal taxes, and the American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act to make immediate research and development expensing permanent for small businesses, manufacturers, biofuels producers, and the farming community.
As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I have introduced and supported legislation for the good of our farmers, producers, and our agricultural community. I introduced the Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act to lower the cost of crop insurance for the next generation of Iowa farmers, the FRIDGE Act to open new markets for Iowa agriculture by building refrigeration infrastructure abroad, and the Precision Agriculture Loan Program Act to help our producers invest in precision agriculture technologies to lower their costs and make their operations more efficient.
Additionally, I led the Defend America’s Rural Energy Act – which passed the U.S. House of Representatives in March – to ban China from buying American farmland suitable for American energy production, including homegrown Iowa ethanol and biodiesel, and had my amendment to the Department of the Interior appropriations bill also pass the House, which would require explicit congressional approval of any regulation that would impact over 50% of American farmland. This would rightfully prevent President Biden from enforcing his radical WOTUS rule that would subject 97% of Iowa farmland to more burdensome federal regulations. Moreover, I helped lead legislation to protect our flocks and herds from foreign animal disease, make E-15 available at gas stations year-round, support the development of sustainable aviation fuel, overturn California’s misguided Proposition 12 mandates on Iowa hog farmers, fund agriculture education at community colleges, and invest in agricultural research at our incredible universities, including Iowa State.
Finally, House Republicans have upheld our Commitment to America. We passed the Lower Energy Costs Act to lower gas prices for our families, reduce diesel costs for our farmers, protect our energy security, and end our reliance on foreign oil; the Parents Bill of Rights Act to ensure that every parent has the right to be involved in their children’s education; and the Middle Class Borrower Protection Act to repeal President Biden’s tax on Americans with strong credit scores to subsidize mortgages for those with lower scores. We also advanced the REINS Act to end President Biden’s regulatory agenda, remove power from unelected bureaucrats, and restore Congress’s legislative authority as well as passed the Secure the Border Act to keep fentanyl out of our communities, maintain Title 42, fully fund our border patrol agents, and finish the border wall.
While this list of legislative achievements is not exhaustive, I am proud that I have delivered on my promises to the good people of Iowa’s 4th Congressional District whom I am honored to represent in Congress. I look forward to continuing my work on behalf of our families, farmers, main street businesses, and rural communities in 2024 and beyond.
