by Cami Koons, Iowa Capital Dispatch April 29, 2025 WARREN COUNTY — Tom Vilsack, former Iowa governor and the U.S. secretary of agriculture during the Obama and Biden administrations, spoke Tuesday with farmers and rural Iowans about his ideas to grow rural communities. In the pine-paneled Middleswart Lodge, looking out over Lake Ahquabi State Park, […]
Washington DC — Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has formally requested that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) declassify a document related to the criminal referral of Nellie Ohr, a key figure in the origins of the Crossfire Hurricane investigation. In a letter sent to FBI Director Kash […]
Serving our veterans is one of my highest honors in Congress. I introduced two important bills to ensure our heroes receive the care and support they’ve earned. The Veterans SPORT Act expands VA coverage to include adaptive prostheses and recreational devices. These devices help veterans stay active and engaged in sports and recreation—critical tools for […]
by Cami Koons, Iowa Capital Dispatch April 27, 2025 U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins issued memorandums to state agencies urging them to enforce federal guidelines around work requirements and citizenship status when issuing food assistance. Food security advocates in Iowa say the measures do not change much for the agencies administering the Supplemental Nutrition […]
Oskaloosa, Iowa — Ahead of the busy summer driving season, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it will allow the sale of E15 fuel nationwide through an emergency waiver. Iowa officials are praising the decision, calling it a win for farmers, consumers, and American energy production. U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) welcomed the news, highlighting […]
by Kevin Hardy ǀ Stateline, Iowa Capital Dispatch April 5, 2025 Anna Pesek saw a federal program supporting local food purchases as much more than a boost to her Iowa pork and poultry farm. The U.S. Department of Agriculture grant program that allowed schools and food banks to buy fresh products from small farms helped […]
by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch April 4, 2025 In light of Wednesday’s tariff announcement by President Donald Trump, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley introduced legislation this week requiring more congressional oversight of such decisions. The president announced he was setting a baseline 10% levy on all international imports Wednesday, effective April 5, with higher tariffs […]
by Tik Root, Grist, Iowa Capital Dispatch March 30, 2025 This story was produced by Grist and co-published with States Newsroom Rows of dead batteries stretch across some 30 acres of high desert, organized in piles and boxes that are covered to shield them from the western Nevada sun. This vast field is where Redwood Materials stores […]
by Jennifer Shutt, Iowa Capital Dispatch March 22, 2025 WASHINGTON — Americans living in rural communities throughout the country could see their access to health care diminish if Congress changes eligibility for Medicaid or significantly reduces its federal funding. While rural residents who depend on the state-federal program for lower income people would experience the most […]
by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch March 21, 2025 Members of Iowa’s congressional delegation have introduced legislation they say will help lower drug costs. U.S. Congress has largely not met this week, with most of the attention in national politics centering on President Donald Trump’s moves to close the U.S. Department of Education and militarize […]
