Rep. Cindy Axne Calls For Federal Investigation Into EPA’s Biofuel Waivers

On By Elizabeth Meyer

In the wake of news an Iowa-based biofuels producer will cut jobs and production due to the Environmental Protection Agency’s proliferation of “Small Refinery Exemptions” for oil companies, Iowa congresswoman Cindy Axne called for a federal investigation into the Trump Administration’s controversial policy. Axne held a press conference Wednesday afternoon at Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy in Council Bluffs to highlight the letter she sent to the EPA’s acting inspector general, Charles Sheehan. “I remember hearing the president say that he’s the best thing to ever happen to farmers,” said Axne, at the press conference. “As a matter of fact, that’s […]

Iowa Democrats Have Bills To Brag On When Visiting Home Districts

On By Elizabeth Meyer

While summer is beginning to wind down for most Americans, for members of Congress, it’s just getting started. The U.S. House of Representatives began its summer recess Monday and will return to Washington Sept. 9. In the Senate, lawmakers adjourn Friday and will reconvene Sept. 9 with the House. Iowa’s three Democratic members of the House kept busy in the first half of 2019, churning out legislation to improve the lives of their constituents. Here are some recent highlights: Rep. Abby Finkenauer — 1st District Helping Communities Invest in Rural Infrastructure Act: As vice-chair of the Highways and Transit subcommittee, Finkenauer works closely […]

Iowa’s House Democrats Vote In Favor Of $15 Minimum Wage

On By Elizabeth Meyer

Iowa’s Democratic Reps. Abby Finkenauer, Cindy Axne and Dave Loebsack were among the 231 House members to vote in favor today of a bill raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025. “It has been over a decade since the minimum wage has been increased, the longest period in U.S. history,” said 2nd District Congressman Loebsack, in a statement. “And in order to maintain a basic standard of living, it is imperative that the wage is increased.” Loebsack said a $15 minimum wage would “give 33 million workers nationwide a raise, including 131,000 people” in the 2nd […]

Shake Ups In Iowa’s Federal Races After New Financial Reports

On By Elizabeth Meyer

With this week’s 2nd quarter campaign finance reports out, we now have a clearer look at where Iowa’s federal races stand. Some potential candidates have seen what they’d be up against and decided against a run. Others have added their names to a 2020 primary. Here’s where things stand: U.S. Senate Despite the influx of news coming from other points on the congressional map, Sen. Joni Ernst’s re-election race has remained unchanged from when she kicked off her campaign June 15. Ernst’s latest Federal Election Commission [FEC] filing shows she raised more than $1.1 million in the second quarter (April […]

How Cindy Axne Is Working To Save Iowans’ Health Insurance

On By Elizabeth Meyer

In the midst of caucus politics and the president’s active Twitter feed, Congresswoman Cindy Axne and her fellow House Democrats continue to push for a more equitable health care system in the United States. Since 64 new Democratic representatives took office in January, health care legislation has been some of the most prolific introduced in the House. “The last couple of years, [health care] was in every poll and also anecdotally in almost every conversation that you’d have with people about what they wanted the next Congress to do and how policies can impact our lives,” said Matt Sinovic, executive […]

Control Of U.S. House Runs Through Iowa In 2020

On By Elizabeth Meyer

Photos clockwise from top-left: Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01), former State Senator Rita Hart (IA-02), Congressman Steve King (IA-04), Congresswoman Cindy Axne (IA-03. Not only is Iowa ground zero for the dozens of Democratic presidential candidates competing for Iowans’ support in 2020, the state will also play a pivotal role in the battle for control of the U.S. House. Though Democrats feel good about their chances to retain at least three of Iowa’s four congressional seats, given President Donald Trump’s popularity among Republicans and the party’s control of state politics, a GOP takeover of the districts is not impossible. There’s a […]

Health Care Ads Bolster Finkenauer And Axne

On By Pat Rynard

A new seven-figure ad campaign will promote the work of Cindy Axne and Abby Finkenauer for their efforts to protect Iowans with pre-existing conditions and reduce the cost of care and prescription drugs. The national group Protect Our Care is running the ad campaign, called “Better Care, Lower Costs” across the country, focusing on twenty districts, including Iowa’s 1st and 3rd districts. Last week, Protect Our Care launched its first digital ads in support of these 20 House members that promoted Axne’s and Finkenauer’s support for the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act (H.R. 987), which seeks […]

Cindy Axne Boosts Funding For Iowa Flood Relief

On By Rick Smith

Congresswoman Cindy Axne successfully pushed through Congress an additional $3 billion in disaster relief for Iowa and the Midwest. Both the House ($14.2 billion) and the Senate ($13.5 billion) passed hurricane disaster relief bills in January. However, the bills have been held hostage by Trump due to his objection to money designated for Puerto Rico. The relief package has been on hold for months while the negotiations over Puerto Rico funding have continued. Axne promised in her campaign for Congress that she would use her sharp elbows to aggressively promote Iowa – a reference to her history of playing high […]

In Iowa, The Trump Era Realignment Intensifies

On By Pat Rynard

Two waves hit Iowa on Tuesday. Unfortunately for Democrats, the red one was just a little bit stronger and in just the right places for Republicans to win statewide and in specific state legislative seats. The election results continued the trend of intensifying polarization in Iowa and national politics, exacerbating both parties’ weaknesses and strengths in different communities. That process started many cycles ago, but Donald Trump really sped things up. Fred Hubbell carried only 11 counties, a steady decline from Barack Obama’s 38-county win in 2012, though better than Hillary Clinton’s 2016 performance where she won just six. And […]

The Most Shocking Number From Iowa’s Election Night

On By Pat Rynard

Democrats were feeling good early on last night. Cindy Axne and Abby Finkenauer had both made history in their congressional victories. J.D. Scholten was actually leading Steve King. Democrats swept a series of Iowa House races in the Des Moines suburbs. Fred Hubbell jumped out to a big lead when Polk County came in fast. But as the evening wore on, the mood soured. Kim Reynolds picked up steam as rural counties reported, and she started winning a handful of blue-collar Eastern Iowa counties that Democrats needed to hold. Eventually, she won. How? Many Democrats were stunned that both Finkenauer […]