As your congressman, it is my job to listen to you and be your voice in the U.S. House of Representatives. It’s a position and duty I take seriously. I’m honored to do it every day and push forward on the issues Iowans care about. Last week, the Iowa State Fair brought together Iowans from across the state to celebrate our heritage.
I always am looking for ways to make sure the administration and leaders in Washington hear directly from Iowans. And there is no better place to do this than at the Iowa State Fair. That’s why I brought Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy to meet with Iowans at the fair last week.
Additionally, last week, I joined Vice President Mike Pence in the Des Moines metro area where he heard thoughts about the economy and trade. I shared with him my concerns including the need to finalize the NAFTA agreement and strike new bilateral trade agreements with other nations. I let him know about how tariffs and retaliation by China and other countries were affecting agriculture and manufacturing.
No one disagrees other countries, especially China, have been using unfair trading practices to take advantage of the United States. We need a better deal and I encouraged the Vice President to urge President Trump to meet one on one with Chinese President Xi.
After EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler took over, I invited him to Iowa so he could hear firsthand how Iowa producers and consumers are impacted by a weakened Renewable Fuel Standard and the impact an overreaching Waters of the U.S. rule would have on Iowans and our economy. The Iowans I brought together to meet with Acting Administrator Wheeler also shared how important it is to get E-15 approved for year-round use.
Unlike the previous EPA Administrator, Mr. Wheeler is going throughout the country to hear from stakeholders impacted by EPA’s regulations so he can make sure policies enacted are commonsense and don’t harm our economy.
Working in the House of Representatives for you means I’ll work with anyone and everyone. I am always sharing the stories of Iowans with House leaders, such as Majority Leader McCarthy. I was pleased to host him at the Iowa State Fair where he heard from many Iowans about the need to get the Farm Bill wrapped up, secure our borders, fight the opioid epidemic, support our veterans, and protect Social Security and Medicare. I made sure he heard about these issues directly from Iowans.
To be a better representative, I am committed to visiting every one of the 16 counties in our Third Congressional District at least once every month. That’s at least 192 county visits every year. And since being first sworn into the U.S. Congress in January of 2015, I’ve not missed a vote on the House Appropriations Committee or on the floor of the House of Representatives.
I’ll continue to be a voice for Iowans in the U.S. Congress and show up to work every day – whether in Washington, D.C. or here at home in the awesome Third District. And I’ll continue to remind my colleagues that it’s the citizens of our districts who are the bosses – and not the other way around.
