DES MOINES, Iowa, Feb. 6 -- Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird issued the following news release: * * * Attorney General Bird Statement on Complaint Against Winneshiek County DES MOINES-- Wednesday, Governor Reynolds sent the Iowa Attorney General's office an official complaint against Winneshiek County over the Sheriff's social media statements indicating he will not comply with a detainer request from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird today issued   more

DES MOINES, Iowa, Feb. 7 -- Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird issued the following news release: * * * Attorney General Bird Warns Iowans of Jury Duty Scams DES MOINES-- Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird today warned Iowans about an increase in jury duty scams, specifically from scammers claiming to be from the Polk County Sheriff's Office. In a jury duty scam, a con artist calls Iowans, falsely claiming to be law enforcement and accusing them of missing jury duty. The scammer will then use  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- Sen. Michael F. Bennet, D-Colorado, issued the following news release: * * * Bennet, Ernst Fight to Make Higher Education Accessible for Farm Families Washington, D.C. - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) introduced the bipartisan Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act to amend the FAFSA Simplification Act and restore the original exemption of all farmland, machinery, other operational materials, and small businesses with fewe  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 -- The U.S. Department of Defense issued the following news: * * * Contracts for Feb. 6, 2025 ARMY ITC Defense Corp.,* North Charleston, South Carolina, was awarded an $82,384,032 hybrid (cost-no-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price) contract for programmatic support services. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2030. Army Contracting Com  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- The U.S. Department of Defense issued the following news: * * * Contracts for Feb. 6, 2025 ARMY ITC Defense Corp.,* North Charleston, South Carolina, was awarded an $82,384,032 hybrid (cost-no-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price) contract for programmatic support services. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2030. Army Contracting Com  more

DES MOINES, Iowa, Feb. 7 -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa issued the following news release: * * * Des Moines Ordinances Penalize People for Being Homeless The City of Des Moines is now enacting its new ordinances that penalize people, essentially, for being homeless. ACLU of Iowa Executive Director Mark Stringer had the following statement: "Although the U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that preventing people experiencing homelessness from sleeping in public does not violate   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Ernst Fights to Keep Higher Education Accessible for Farm Families WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) are standing up for families and fighting to reverse changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process that could reduce or even eliminate access to need-based student aid for farm families and small business owners. Their bipartisan Family F  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration has released the following public communication on Dec. 30, 2024, from Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority, Iowa: * * * Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) Comments Regarding FTA Circular 4220.1G * * * Comment on Strengthened DBE Participation Guidelines While DART supports the Federal Transit Administration's commitment to fostering inclusivity and equity, we have significant con  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration has released the following public communication on Dec. 30, 2024, from Jim Seeks, manager of RiverCities Transit, Longview, Washington: * * * Dear Sir or Madam: I am writing in strong support of a temporary Buy America waiver request for low-floor, zero-emission minibuses such as the e-JEST. Sixteen transit systems from five states submitted the non-availability and public interest waiver request and ov  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Feenstra Helps Introduce Legislation to Restore Long-Standing FAFSA Exemption for Iowa Family Farms and Small Businesses WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) helped introduce the Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act - led by Rep. Tracey Mann (R-KS), U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson (R-PA), Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), and Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) - to   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Feenstra Votes to Unleash American Energy Production and Protect American Energy Jobs WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) issued the following statement after he voted for, and the U.S. House of Representatives passed, the Protecting American Energy Production Act: "American energy production strengthens our energy security and independence. That's why I voted for Rep. August  more

DES MOINES, Iowa, Feb. 6 -- Gov. Kim Reynolds, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Gov. Reynolds extends harvest proclamation Gov. Kim Reynolds today signed an extension of the proclamation relating to the weight limits and transportation of grain, fertilizer, and manure. The proclamation is effective immediately and continues through March 8, 2025. The proclamation allows vehicles transporting corn, soybeans, hay, straw, silage, stover, fertilizer (dry, liquid, and gas), and m  more

DES MOINES, Iowa, Feb. 7 -- Gov. Kim Reynolds, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Gov. Reynolds introduces bill to promote preschool-child care partnerships, provide full day care Today, Governor Kim Reynolds introduced legislation to incentivize continuum of care partnerships between child care centers and preschool providers to the Iowa House and Senate. Iowa currently ranks fifth in the nation (67%) for access to four-year-old preschool--nearly double the national average (  more

DES MOINES, Iowa, Feb. 7 -- Gov. Kim Reynolds, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Gov. Reynolds sets date for Iowa House District 100 special election Gov. Reynolds issued a proclamation today setting Tuesday, March 11, 2025, as the date for a special election in Iowa House District 100 following the death of Representative Martin Graber. Iowa Code section 69.14 outlines the authority given to the governor to set a special election. Graber served his country for more than th  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Grassley Questions U.S. Trade Representative Nominee Jamieson Greer at Senate Finance Committee Hearing WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, today spoke with United States Trade Representative (USTR) nominee Jamieson Greer about the need to move away from China on trade and unlock new export markets for long term stability.  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Grassley, Cruz Introduce Constitutional Amendment to Prevent Court Packing WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Judiciary Committee member Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in introducing a constitutional amendment to maintain a total of nine Supreme Court justices on the bench at a time. Once approved by Congress, the amendment would go to the states for ratification.   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following news release on Feb. 7, 2025: Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Judiciary Committee member Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in introducing a constitutional amendment to maintain a total of nine Supreme Court justices on the bench at a time. Once approved by Congress, the amendment would go to the states for ratification. "Democrats' radical court packing   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Grassley, Kennedy Fight to Protect Veterans' Second Amendment Rights WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Judiciary Committee member John Kennedy (R-La.) and 15 Republican colleagues in introducing the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act. This bill would permanently end onerous reporting requirements that cause veterans who receive help managing their D  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following news release on Feb. 7, 2025: Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Judiciary Committee member John Kennedy (R-La.) and 15 Republican colleagues in introducing the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act. This bill would permanently end onerous reporting requirements that cause veterans who receive help managing their Department of Veterans Affairs   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico, issued the following news release: * * * Heinrich HALT All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act Passes U.S. House of Representatives Heinrich introduced the legislation last week to permanently place fentanyl-related substances into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, help law enforcement combat fentanyl trafficking, and advance scientific and medical research WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) announced that   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * ICYMI: Ernst: Kelly Loeffler is the Champion Small Businesses Need WASHINGTON - In case you missed it, Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) made the case for the Honorable Kelly Loeffler, based on her success as a business leader, to lead the Small Business Administration (SBA). In the Washington Examiner, Ernst lays out how Loeffler, who advanced out of commi  more

DES MOINES, Iowa, Feb. 8 -- The Iowa Economic Development Authority issued the following news: * * * Iowa Finance Authority Awards more than $150,000 to Support Two Homeless Service Agencies in Disaster Impacted Areas February 7, 2025 (DES MOINES) -The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) Board of Directors recently awarded a total of more than $150,000 to support the homelessness assistance efforts of two agencies serving Iowa counties most impacted by last year's severe storms and tornados that occ  more

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Feb. 8 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa issued the following news release on Feb. 7, 2025: * * * Young Woman Died After Using Cocaine Distributed as Part of Trafficking Conspiracy * * * A man who conspired with others to distribute large quantities of cocaine that resulted in the death of a young Dubuque woman was sentenced today to more than 16 years in federal prison. Michael Samuel Knight, age 38, from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, rece  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release: * * * Johnson, Smith Emphasize American Biofuels to New EPA Administrator Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), Adrian Smith (R-NE), and Angie Craig (D-MN) led nearly 30 colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter to recently-confirmed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin. The letter emphasizes the important role of the American biofuels industr  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 -- Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona, issued the following news release: Today, Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced the Alternatives to Prevent Addiction in the Nation (Alternatives to PAIN) Act, bipartisan legislation that would provide greater access to non-opioid treatments for pain management for seniors. The United States is facing a public health crisis caused by prescription drug addiction, and our country's seniors are not immune to the worsening o  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division has released the following public communication dated Jan. 16, 2025, from Legal Momentum, New York: * * * To: Daniel Navarrete Director Division of Regulations, Legislation, and Interpretation Wage and Hour Division U.S. Department of Labor 200 Constitution Avenue NW Room S-3502 Washington, DC 20210 Re: Comments In Support of Eliminating the Subminimum Wage Under FLSA Sec. 14(c), RIN 1235-AA14 * * * Dear Direct  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 -- Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Washington, issued the following news release: * * * Newhouse Strengthens Market Access for Farmers in Bipartisan Legislation WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced the Agriculture Export Promotion Act of 2025 to increase funding to the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development Program (FMD) and help American farmers compete in global markets. "Farmers in Central Washington, and across the country, rely on st  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Q&A: Tax Season Underway Q: What should taxpayers keep in mind during tax season? A: The IRS officially kicked off tax season and started accepting and processing federal individual tax returns for the 2024 tax year. The federal tax-collecting agency this year expects more than 140 million individual tax returns. Don't procrastinate, the tax filing deadline is April 15. At kitchen tables acros  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- Rep. Tracey Mann, R-Kansas, issued the following news release: * * * Reps. Mann, Panetta, Thompson, Craig, Sens. Ernst, Bennet Lead Bicameral Effort to Restore FAFSA Exemptions for Farm and Small Business Families WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Representatives Tracey Mann (KS-01) and Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), alongside House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson (PA-15), and House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (MN-02) led 74 of their colleagues in   more

DES MOINES, Iowa, Feb. 7 -- The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship issued the following news: * * * Secretary Naig Presents 2025 Renewable Fuels Marketing Awards to Sparky's One Stop and Pro Cooperative ROCKWELL CITY, Iowa (Feb. 7, 2025) - Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig presented the 2025 Renewable Fuels Marketing Awards to two fuel retailers that are leaders in promoting biofuels in Iowa. Al's Corner Oil, which operates Sparky's One Stop, a chain of convenience stor  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following news release on Feb. 7, 2025: Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is calling on the Department of Defense (DOD) to eliminate egregious waste, fraud and abuse at the Office of Net Assessment (ONA). In a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Grassley pressed DOD to determine how many formal net assessments ONA has completed since 2007 and whether its  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following opening statement on Feb. 6, 2025, at an executive business meeting on Kash Patel nomination and administrative matters: * * * "Good morning. Today's markup will be brief, and so I'll get right down to business. On our agenda, we've got three administrative committee matters, and one nomination listed. The Minority has exercised their right under the committee rules to hold   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, issued the following news release: * * * Tillis, Kelly Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Access to Non-Opioid Treatments WASHINGTON, D.C. - This week, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) led the introduction of the Alternatives to Prevent Addiction in the Nation (Alternatives to PAIN) Act, bipartisan legislation that would provide greater access to non-opioid treatments for pain management for seniors. "The o  more

DES MOINES, Iowa, Feb. 6 -- The Iowa Department of Natural Resources issued the following news release: * * * Water Summary Update: Drought conditions remain stable despite below-average rainfall DES MOINES - Despite below-normal precipitation in January, drought conditions remain stable across the state, according to the latest Water Summary Update. January's preliminary statewide precipitation was 0.32 inches, or 0.65 inches below normal. January is typically the driest month for the stat  more