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Local Columns

Is this Heaven? No, it’s Fort Dodge.

This time of year, Fort Dodge fills with the sound of cheers, the smell of concession stand grub, and the electric feeling only a state tournament can bring. For a few days, our community becomes the heart of girls’ high school softball in Iowa. I love it. There’s something special about ...

Eliminating $9 billion of waste in Washington

Over the past decade since my fellow Iowans sent me to Washington to make the big spenders squeal, I’ve been exposing waste, fraud, and abuse almost too insane to believe. This week, I was proud to see some of that work deliver a win for Iowa taxpayers. Both the Senate and House passed the ...

Keeping deadly drugs out of our communities

On Wednesday July 16, I had the privilege of being at the White House when President Trump signed the HALT Fentanyl Act into law. Joined by families who have tragically lost loved ones and children to an overdose, the ceremony was a sobering reminder that too many Americans – especially young ...

Working with President Trump’s administration to protect our farmland

On Tuesday, July 8, the Trump administration announced the rollout of the National Farm Security Action Plan. This is a comprehensive, seven-point initiative to defend American farmland from foreign adversaries, secure our agricultural supply chains, and ensure the long-term success of family ...

Q&A: Wins for rural America signed into law

Q: How did you leverage your leadership for alternative energy? A: More than three decades ago, I helped launch Iowa’s rise to dominance in alternative energy with the first-ever federal wind energy tax credit. Wind energy supports more than 9,000 jobs in Iowa and generates more than 60 ...