Action Alert: Help stop bad bills today

March 13, 2017 Senate Staff 0

Two bad bills on today’s debate schedule are SF184/HF203, which would circumvent federal “Buy American” requirements on state and local road projects, and SF435/HF518, which would gut Iowa’s workers compensation system for work-related injuries and […]

Seven weeks into legislative session, Republicans still breaking promises to create jobs, grow incomes

February 23, 2017 Senate Staff 0

“In 2009, Governor Branstad and Lt. Governor Reynolds promised to create 200,000 jobs in five years,” said Senate Democratic Leader Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids. “After more than 6 years, Iowa has gained less than 126,000 jobs, slower than the rate of job growth in the country as a whole. Instead of working on legislation to create jobs, Republicans are pursuing a partisan agenda that ignores the best interests of hard-working Iowans.”

Senate Democratic Leader Rob Hogg on the release of the new Iowa Energy Plan

December 21, 2016 Senate Staff 0

“Democratic leadership led the way in developing Iowa’s statewide renewable energy industry. That’s because Iowa renewable energy is good for the environment and good for Iowa jobs across our state…We hope legislative Republicans will continue bipartisan support for clean, renewable energy. This is especially important because the incoming President and his nominees for key positions have expressed opposition to clean energy solutions.”

First change by Senate Republicans guts oversight of economic development

December 5, 2016 Senate Staff 0

The first decision by the new Republican majority in the Iowa Senate was to eliminate the Senate Economic Growth Committee. The committee oversees hundreds of millions of dollars in state economic development efforts by multiple state agencies. The Senate Republicans’ decision runs counter to that of the Republican-controlled Iowa House, which today announced that the House Economic Growth Committee will continue.