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Local Columns

Have a hands-free holiday driving season

Think what life was like 100 years ago. Most of us living today won’t recall anything about 1925. Those were the days of great American prosperity known as “the roaring 20’s”, when Babe Ruth played for the New York Yankees, the 18th amendment to the United States Constitution outlawed ...

Home for the holidays

Christmas has always been a season of coming home. For a long time, that meant flying from New York or driving from Chicago back to Fort Dodge. I would walk in the door, drop my bags, and find my dad sitting on the couch with his hand on the remote, already impatient for me to put my stuff away ...

National defense matters

Q: Why is the national defense bill an annual priority? A: National security is the No. 1 responsibility of the federal government. For 65 years in a row, Congress has passed the National Defense Authorization Act that shapes defense policies, from nuclear weapons to cybersecurity, ...

Q and A: Shoppers beware of online scrooges

Q: How concerned should holiday shoppers be about counterfeit products? A: Unfortunately, the season of giving is prime time for rip-off artists to worm their way into the wallets of American shoppers during the holidays. As co-chair of the Congressional Trademark Caucus, I lead an annual ...

Lowering costs for Iowa small businesses and taxpayers

When I’m traveling across Iowa, I’ve had important conversations with Iowans from communities large and small about how we can make life more affordable for our families, farmers, workers, seniors, and small businesses. From health insurance to housing to grocery bills, I’m working with ...

No one should feel like they’re facing winter alone

There’s a certain point every year when the temperature drops, the sky turns that particular shade of gray, and we all look around and think, “Welp … here we go.” Winter in Iowa — at least this year — isn’t subtle. It just shows up and sticks around. And with winter comes a ...