WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Chair Ernst Equips SBA to Make Main Street Great Again WASHINGTON - Today, at the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship hearing on the nominations of William Briggs to serve as Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Dr. Casey Mulligan to serve as Chief Counsel for Advocacy, Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) applauded Administrator Kelly Loeffler and emphasized   more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: * * * Crapo Leads Legislation to Preserve Consumer Vehicle Choice Washington, D.C. \--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) reintroduced legislation to preserve Idahoans' access to affordable, reliable vehicles of their choice. The Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tailpipe emissions rule finalized under the Biden-Harris Administration. This rule i  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- The U.S. Department of Labor issued the following news release on March 13, 2025: * * * Department of Labor announces senior Trump Administration appointees WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Labor today announced senior political appointees who will help Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer execute President Donald Trump's mission of putting American workers and retirees first. Bureau of International Labor Affairs John Clark will serve as policy advisor to the Bureau of   more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released the following public communication dated Feb. 20, 2025, from 18 state attorneys general. Here are excerpts: * * * To: Lee Zeldin, Administrator United States Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Mail Code: 1101A Washington, D.C. 20460 Zeldin.Lee@epa.gov * To: Rick Keigwin, Acting Assistant Administrator United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Chemical Safety and Poll  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Ernst Amplifies Iowan's Testimony on Importance of Crop Insurance WASHIGNTON - U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, spoke with Iowa native Caleb Hopkins about the importance of crop insurance as a tool for farmers in a hearing on risk management, credit, and rural business. During the hearing, Ernst described the importance of federal crop insurance in providi  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Ernst Joins EPA Administrator Zeldin to Announce WOTUS Revision WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, joined Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin to announce a revision to the definition of the "waters of the United States" (WOTUS) that adheres to the law, cuts red tape, and provides certainty  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Ernst Pushes to Lower Costs for Child Care on Behalf of Iowa Families WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) joined her colleagues to introduce the bipartisan Child Care Availability and Affordability Act to make child care more affordable and accessible for Iowa families. "When traveling River to River across Iowa, I consistently hear about the struggles that families face in finding and afford  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Ernst Touts New Direction at SBA WASHINGTON - Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) highlighted the damage done by the Biden administration's loosening of lending rules, enacting more than $1.8 trillion in costly regulations, and rampant fraud within COVID programs during a U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship hearing on the nominations of William Briggs to serve as Deputy Administrator of th  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Ernst, Cloud Stamp Out EV Waste at Postal Service WASHIGNTON - U.S. Senate DOGE Caucus Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Representative Michael Cloud (R-Texas) are introducing the Return to Sender Act to terminate and claw back $3 billion authorized in the so-called Inflation Reduction Act to help build an electric vehicle (EV) fleet for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). While the initial order for 50,000 tr  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Feenstra Helps Introduce Legislation to Support Biodiesel for Ship Fuel WASHINGTON, D.C. - Last week, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) helped introduce the Renewable Fuel for Ocean-Going Vessels Act, which would allow American companies to preserve RIN credits under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for renewable fuel - including biodiesel and other biomass-based diesel - for powering ships and othe  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance released the following written testimony by Jean Bruggeman, executive director of Freedom Network USA, from a Feb. 27, 2025, hearing entitled "Protecting Victims of Human Trafficking and Online Exploitation": * * * About FNUSA Freedom Network USA is the nation's largest coalition of survivors, advocates, and service providers working to end human trafficking in the US and is a leader in human  more

DES MOINES, Iowa, March 13 -- Gov. Kim Reynolds, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Gov. Reynolds issues statement on March REC projections Governor Kim Reynolds released the following statement today in response to the March REC projections through Fiscal Year 2027: "We cut taxes to let Iowans keep more of their hard-earned money and that's exactly what today's REC numbers reflect," Gov. Reynolds said. "With $2.05 billion in the ending balance, $961.2 million in reserve funds  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following news release on March 13, 2025: * * * Grassley Opens Executive Business Meeting on DOJ Nominations of John Sauer, Harmeet Dhillon and Aaron Reitz Prepared Opening Statement by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee Executive Business Meeting Thursday, March 13, 2025 Good morning. Today we're meeting to consider the nominations of John Saue  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Grassley, Durbin Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Baltic Security Cooperation, Deter Putin's Aggression WASHINGTON - Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Co-Chairs of the Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus, introduced the Baltic Security Initiative Act to enhance and strengthen U.S. security cooperation with the Baltics amid Putin's aggressive action in the region. The bipartisan  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Grassley, Peters Introduce Foreign Agents Transparency Act WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-Mich.) introduced the Foreign Agents Transparency Act to ensure unregistered foreign agents are unable to sidestep disclosure requirements by exploiting judicial misinterpretation  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following news release on March 13, 2025: * * * Grassley, Peters Introduce Foreign Agents Transparency Act WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-Mich.) introduced the Foreign Agents Transparency Act to ensure unregistered foreign agents are unable to sidestep di  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Grassley, Shaheen, Risch, Colleagues Urge Secretary Rubio to Combat Western Balkans Leader's Secessionist, Destabilizing Actions WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), along with Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Ranking Member and Chairman, respectively, of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led a group of nine bipartisan House and Senate colleagues in a letter to   more

DES MOINES, Iowa, March 13 -- The Iowa Economic Development Authority issued the following news on March 12, 2025: * * * IEDA Awards $3.7 Million to 8 Communities for Water Infrastructure Projects March 12, 2025 (DES MOINES, IA) - The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) today announced that grant awards totaling more than $3.7 million have been awarded to the communities of Chelsea, Duncombe, Fort Madison, Lawler, McGregor, Mediapolis, Wellman and Yale to assist water and sewer infrast  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- The U.S. Department of Justice has released the following public communication dated March 3, 2025, from Public Citizen: * * * To: Jennifer Kennedy Geillie Chief, Counter-Intelligence and Export Control Section U.S. Department of Justice FARA Unit, Room 1.100 175 N. Street NE, Bldg. 3 Washington, D.C. 20002 RE: Proposed Rulemaking for "Amending and Clarifying Foreign Agents Registration Act Regulations," RIN 1124-AA00 * * * Dear Chief Geillie: Public Citizen su  more

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, March 13 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa issued the following news release: * * * Mason City Man Found Guilty of Distribution of Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime Darius Stackhouse, age 33, from Mason City, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, four counts of distribution of a controlled substance, and one count of possession of a firearm duri  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, issued the following news release: * * * PREPARED REMARKS: Sanders on Senate Floor: CR Would Cut Taxes for Billionaires and Slash Funding for the Working Class WASHINGTON, March 13 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today spoke in opposition to the continuing resolution (CR) passed by the House of Representatives on Tuesday. Sanders' remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below and can be watched HERE : As people all over this country und  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Michigan, issued the following news release on March 13, 2025: * * * Reps. McDonald Rivet, Nunn Introduce Bill to Protect Seniors from Unfair Social Security Claw-Backs WASHINGTON-- Today, Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08) and Congressman Zach Nunn (IA-03) introduced the bipartisan Social Security Overpayment Relief Act to limit the Social Security Administration's (SSA) overpayment lookback period to ten years. This bill prote  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release on March 13, 2025: * * * Risch, Grassley, Shaheen, Colleagues Urge Secretary Rubio to Combat Western Balkans Leader's Secessionist, Destabilizing Actions WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, yesterday along with Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) led a group of nine bipa  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- The U.S. Senate conducted 10 committee hearings on March 12, 2025: * * * JOINT FORCE READINESS Committee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support concluded a hearing to examine the current readiness of the Joint Force, after receiving testimony from General James J. Mingus, USA, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, Department of the Army, Admiral James W. Kilby, USN, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, and General Christopher J. Mahoney, USMC, Assist  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- The U.S. Senate conducted five committee hearings on March 11, 2025: * * * AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Committee concluded a hearing to examine risk management, credit, and rural business views on the agricultural economy, focusing on views from the field, after receiving testimony from Tara Durbin, Farm Credit Mid-America, Louisville, Kentucky; Caleb Hopkins, First Dakota National Bank, Halibur, Iowa, on behalf of American B  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, issued the following news release: * * * Senators Marshall, Baldwin, Klobuchar, and Ernst Call Out Canada for Exploiting Loophole Hurting American Dairy Farmers Washington - U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Secretary of Agriculture Br  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- The Smithsonian Institution National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute issued the following news release: * * * Discovery of Hidden Groups Within Migratory Shorebird Could Aid Conservation Tracking Data Revealed Three Groups of Long-Billed Curlew, Each With Unique Migration Patterns and Conservation Needs Researchers at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) have uncovered three distinct groups of long-billed curlews, a North Am  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence and the Internet released the following testimony by Tim Tymkovich, judge on the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, from a Feb. 25, 2025, hearing entitled "Justice Delayed: The Crisis of Undermanned Federal Courts": * * * Chairman Issa, Ranking Member Johnson, and members of the Committee: Good morning, I am Tim Tymkovich, Judge on the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, appearing by de  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Katie Britt, R-Alabama, issued the following news release: * * * U.S. Senator Katie Britt Joins EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, Colleagues in Announcing Revision to WOTUS Definition 'Common sense has finally been restored, both at the White House and here at the EPA' WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) today delivered remarks during U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin's announcement that the EPA will work with the U  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on March 13, 2025: * * * WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: Leaders Cheer EPA Administrator Zeldin's Announcement to Revise Waters of the United States Rule WASHINGTON - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Lee Zeldin announced yesterday that EPA will work with the United States Army Corps of Engineers to deliver on President's Trump's promise to review the definition of "waters of the United States." The a  more