WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Rep. Chris Pappas, D-New Hampshire, issued the following news release: * * * Ahead of March 31 Deadline, Feenstra, Pappas Introduce Legislation to Permanently Extend Medicare Coverage of Audio-Only Telehealth Today Congressmen Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Randy Feenstra (IA-04) introduced the Audio-Only Telehealth Access Act (link is external), which would make Medicare's coverage of audio-only telehealth services permanent. Audio-only telehealth refers to services where   more

WASHINGTON, March 7 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics issued the following document from Economics Daily: * * * Annual average unemployment rates increased in 21 states in 2024 March 07, 2025 In 2024, annual average unemployment rates increased in 21 states and were little changed in 29 states and the District of Columbia. Employment-population ratios decreased in 5 states and were little changed in 45 states and the District. The U.S. jobless rate increase  more

DES MOINES, Iowa, March 7 -- Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird issued the following news release: * * * Attorney General Bird Urges FDA to Crack-down on Dangerous, Counterfeit Weight Loss Drugs DES MOINES-- Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird today announced a multistate letter urging the Food and Drug Administration to take immediate action to stop the surge in dangerous, counterfeit weight loss drugs. Bad actors have taken advantage of the skyrocketing demand for weight loss drugs such as O  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The U.S. Department of Defense issued the following news: * * * Contracts for March 6, 2025 ARMY Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Mississippi (W900KK-25-D-0021); Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida (W900KK-25-D-0022); Cubic Defense Applications Inc., San Diego, California (W900KK-25-D-0023); Ravenswood Solutions Inc.,* Fremont, California (W900KK-25-D-0024); Cole Engineering Services Inc., Orlando, Florida (W900KK-25-D-0025); Skiftech LLC,* Orlando, Florida (W900KK-  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, chair of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, posted the following news release: * * * Ernst Exposes Concerning Ties to China in Critical Defense Program Ernst illustrates why increased due diligence through her INNOVATE Act is needed in preventing China from stealing IP. WASHINGTON - During a Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship hearing, Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) demonstrated why it is critical to pass h  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Ernst, Paul Demand Answers on Planned Parenthood Receiving Millions in PPP Funding WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chair Rand Paul (R-Ky.) asked the Small Business Administration (SBA) to share how the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) unlawfully receive  more

WASHINGTON, March 8 -- Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, chair of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, issued the following news release on March 7, 2025: * * * Ernst, Paul Demand Answers on Planned Parenthood Receiving Millions in PPP Funding Transparency push comes after the Biden administration stonewalled previous oversight efforts. WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Securit  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Feenstra Leads Legislation to Review Foreign Purchases of American Farmland and Protect American Farms and Agricultural Production from Foreign Enemies WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) introduced the Foreign Agricultural Restrictions to Maintain Local Agriculture and National Defense (FARMLAND) Act, which would authorize the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States  more

DES MOINES, Iowa, March 7 -- Gov. Kim Reynolds, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Gov. Reynolds orders flags at half-staff in honor, remembrance of former Iowa Attorney General Evan 'Curly' Hultman Today, Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags in Iowa to be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Saturday, March 8, 2025, in honor and remembrance of former Iowa Attorney General Evan "Curly" Hultman. Hultman enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943 and fought for his country duri  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following news release on March 6, 2025: * * * Grassley Makes the Case for Swift Senate Passage of the HALT Fentanyl Act Floor Remarks by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee "HALT Fentanyl Act" Thursday, March 6, 2025 Last week, I led my colleagues in reporting a bill that's entitled the HALT Fentanyl Act - this bill was reported out of the Senate  more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Grassley Statement on Executive Action to Lower Proposed Tariffs on Canadian Potash WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and a lifelong family farmer, released the following statement following President Trump's executive action on the proposed duty on Canadian potash. Potash is a key ingredient in fertilizer. Tariffs on Canadian imports are now   more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following news release: * * * Grassley, Peters Relaunch Bipartisan Effort to Root Out Foreign Influence in U.S. Policy WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-Mich.) reintroduced two bipartisan bills to prevent foreign governments, including adversaries like China   more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Grassley, Peters Relaunch Bipartisan Effort to Root Out Foreign Influence in U.S. Policy WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-Mich.) reintroduced two bipartisan bills to prevent foreign governments, including adversaries like China and Russia, from shadow influencing U.S. pol  more

WASHINGTON, March 8 -- The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies released the following testimony by Jerilyn Church, board president of Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health, from a Feb. 27, 2025, public witness hearing on the funding of tribal health programs: * * * My name is Jerilyn Church. I am the President/Chief Executive Office of the Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board (GPTLHB) and am enrolled as a tribal member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tr  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Hinson Reintroduces Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Crack Down on CCP's Trade Violations that Hurt American Workers Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (IA-02) reintroduced the bipartisan, bicameral Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act to establish a task force within the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat China's trade crimes and protect American   more

WASHINGTON, March 8 -- The House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health issued the following information for a legislative hearing at 2:15 p.m. on March 11, 2025, at 360 Cannon House Office Building: Legislative Hearing on: * Discussion Draft, Standardizing Treatment and Referral Times Act; * Discussion Draft, No Wrong Door for Veterans Act; * Discussion Draft, Providing Veterans Essential Medications Act; * Discussion Draft, Veterans Supporting Prosthetics Opportunities and Recreational   more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued the following news release: * * * ICE St. Paul removes foreign fugitive wanted in El Salvador for child rape MINNEAPOLIS -- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed Oscar Alexander Cruz Rodriguez, 29, an illegally present foreign fugitive wanted in El Salvador for rape of a minor, Feb. 14. "Criminal foreign fugitives who prey on minors are not welcome in Minnesota," said ICE   more

DES MOINES, Iowa, March 8 -- Iowa Workforce Development issued the following news release on March 7, 2025: * * * IWD Reemployment Program Receives National Award for Second Time in Three Years "2024 Full Employment Award" Honors Success at Helping Iowans Find New Work DES MOINES, IOWA - The American Institute for Full Employment (AIFE) has named Iowa Workforce Development as the recipient of its 2024 Full Employment Award. The national award is given each year to one or more states or indi  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- The Library of Congress issued the following news: * * * Library Announces Teaching with Primary Sources Regional Grant Awards The Library of Congress recently awarded six Teaching with Primary Sources regional grants. Recipients of these regional grants will make subgrants on behalf of the Library to organizations that wish to integrate Library resources and Teaching with Primary Sources methods into their educational programming. The recipients include Illinois Stat  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Q&A: President's Address to Congress Q: Why did President Trump address a joint session of Congress? A: Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution says the president "shall from time to time" give Congress information about the state of the union. George Washington set the precedent by fulfilling this duty in person. Although his successors from 1801 to 1913 sent their messages to Congress in wr  more

WASHINGTON, March 8 -- Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Michigan, issued the following news release on March 7, 2025: * * * Reps. McDonald Rivet, Feenstra Introduce Bill to Protect American Farmlands from Foreign Enemies FLINT-- Today, Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08) and Congressman Randy Feenstra (IA-04) introduced the Foreign Agricultural Restrictions to Maintain Local Agriculture and National Defense (FARMLAND) Act, bipartisan legislation to authorize the Committee on Foreign In  more

WASHINGTON, March 8 -- The Small Business Administration's Office of Disaster Assistance issued the following news release on March 7, 2025: * * * SBA Relief Still Available to Iowa Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by June Storm Deadline to apply for economic injury loans approaching SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Iowa of the April 7, 2025, deadline to apply   more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minnesota, ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee, issued the following news release: * * * What They Are Saying: Agricultural Stakeholders React to Trump's Tariffs Caleb Ragland, president, American Soybean Association: "Farmers are frustrated. Tariffs are not something to take lightly and 'have fun' with. Not only do they hit our family businesses squarely in the wallet, but they rock a core tenet on which our trading relationships are b  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following news release on March 6, 2025: * * * What They Are Saying: Over One Million Law Enforcement Officers Call for Immediate, Clean Senate Passage of HALT Fentanyl Act WASHINGTON - Major law enforcement organizations representing over 1,000,000 officers nationwide, are calling on the Senate to pass the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act immediately and without a  more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * What They Are Saying: Over One Million Law Enforcement Officers Call for Immediate, Clean Senate Passage of HALT Fentanyl Act WASHINGTON - Major law enforcement organizations representing over 1,000,000 officers nationwide, are calling on the Senate to pass the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act immediately and without amendments. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley  more