It’s not too late in America to have respectful disagreement among neighbors. Unfortunately, State Rep. Bobby Kaufmann and Sen. Kerry Gruenhagen don’t believe that. This is why many of us are boycotting their listening posts this year. more

Walking into a food pantry for the first time takes courage. For many, it isn't just about needing groceries; it's about facing the stigma, the fear of judgment, and the heavy feeling of "how did I get here?" But the strongest bridge for overcoming that hurdle isn't a flyer or a Facebook post – it’s friendship. more

In the age of on-demand streaming, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought to myself “man, I really miss renting movies at a store.” more

This week the House voted on the single largest expenditure in the State of Iowa budget: our public schools.  You may hear that our schools are underfunded and being cut. That is statistically and factually false.  Over 55% of our $8 billion plus budget goes to education.  Education spending is the most important priority we as a Legislature do and that is reflected when it is the first funding bill passed. It is the large portion of our budget.       more

The sixth week of the legislative session officially kicked off the rush toward the first major legislative deadline. The initial "funnel" deadline was this week, making it imperative to advance any ideas intended for further consideration. This deadline brought a flurry of activity within various subcommittees and committees as we worked through the large number of proposals being considered in the Senate while our colleagues in the House were doing the same. more

When the GOP tells you not to worry that the 2026 budget is only $1.3 billion dollars short, maybe you should.  The difference is coming out of the state reserve and the taxpayer relief fund. more

Earlier this month, I had a couple of readers reach out to me regarding our editorial page. The main point these readers made was that they wished to see more people featured in the page, and I think that’s a fair comment to make. more

This week I will write about an exciting workforce bill.  I hear time and time again from local businesses that they struggle to find skilled people to hire.  This year we are going to partner with the community colleges, employers, schools, and the trade unions to make sure that Iowa taxpayers are getting a return on their investment.  Our three universities do a good job in most areas…four-year degrees are great for those who want and need them but they are not a great fit for everyone.  more

We felt so fortunate that unusually warm temps welcomed in the fifth week in the Iowa Legislature. We remained busy this week with legislative discussions in subcommittees and committees. We also debated bills on the floor for the first time this year, sending a few potential laws over to the House of Representatives for their consideration more

This week, in the largest act of deregulation in American history, Trump struck down the Endangerment Finding. The Endangerment Finding stated that climate change is dangerous to human health. It was at the heart of the Clean Air Act and has made possible the setting of emission standards for motor vehicles and power plants as well as encouraged the use of clean energy through grants and tax exemptions. more

On Feb. 18, we begin the journey to the empty tomb with Ash Wednesday.  more

Like many students at our local high school, I had one specific dream job growing up. more

Take exit 292 off I-80 westbound and you will find the cheapest gas around. That’s the sort of thing you learn when you drive an old pick-up truck that jolts along at 15 miles to the gallon. A few weeks after a visit to New York this fall, I sent a picture of the price of gasoline to a friend who commutes to Connecticut. I was paying $2.24 a gallon. more

Recently, my colleague, Senator Catelin Drey, rose on the Senate floor to announce she had been diagnosed with uterine cancer. Catelin is an otherwise healthy woman in her 30s. Her predecessor, Senator Rocky De Witt, passed away in 2025 after a lengthy fight against pancreatic cancer. He was just 66. more

Cancer touches nearly every family in Iowa. More than one in 20 Iowans has received a cancer diagnosis, and our state has one of the highest rates of new cancer cases in the nation. Those numbers are not abstractions. They are neighbors, coworkers, parents, and children. As chair of the Iowa Senate Health and Human Services Committee, I believe we owe Iowans not only honesty about these facts, but a clear plan to act on them. more

The bill that the Iowa Legislature should be looking at is sitting on GOP Sen. Amy Sinclair's desk. Introduced by Sen. Charles McClintock (R-Alburnett) last month, the bill would require private schools receiving public money through vouchers to adhere to the same data reporting, auditing and other accountability and transparency requirements as public schools. But they are too busy dismantling our public school system. You know, the one that 91% of our kids go to. more

I feel like a lot of people can relate to being both incredibly attached to internet and technology while also being pretty resentful of it, especially in the last few years. It’s become something you practically can’t live without… but there are definitely days when I wish I could. If I’m being honest, the most frustrating part is that there are plenty of good things – plus good feelings and memories – tied to technology and the Internet. more

It is February in Iowa, and the bitterly cold wind doesn't just bite – it costs. As temperatures drop, the "Heat or Eat" dilemma becomes a daily reality for many of our neighbors facing heavy winter bills. more

The 2026 Legislative Session is officially underway.  The Legislature meets in two-year increments and this year is the second and final year. This session will be different for me than any other year because I have now been elected Majority Leader of the Iowa House of Representatives.  Each caucus (House Republicans, House Democrats, Senate Republicans, and Senate Democrats) chooses a leader. My colleagues bestowed this honor on me, but I do not consider the office of Majority Leader to be my office… I consider it to be the office of the citizens of Cedar, Muscatine, and Scott Counties.  I will aggressively push for legislation that is good for our district and reject legislation that is not. more

Recent discussion surrounding the City of West Liberty’s decision to close City Hall due to extreme cold has revealed more than a disagreement over weather safety. It has exposed long-standing concerns among residents about transparency, consistency, and accountability in City decision-making. more