Q: What is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month?
A: This October marks the 22nd observance of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month to promote breast cancer awareness, provide information and stress the importance of early detection of this deadly disease. Today, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. More than 175,000 women in...
Q: What is the Combat Meth Act?
A: The devastating impact of meth spreads well beyond just drug users. Meth hurts families, particularly the children of meth users, as well as the larger community that gets hit with the damage this terrible drug inflicts on our society. Unlike other drugs, meth can be home cooked from easily accessible ingredients which has...
Q: What is the Physician Payments Sunshine Act?
A: I introduced legislation in September that would require manufacturers of pharmaceutical drugs, devices and biologics to disclose the amount of money they give to doctors through consulting fees, gifts, honoraria, travel and other means. Right now the public has no way to know whether a doctor has been given...
Q: What is the August Recess?
A: Every August, both houses of Congress take a one month recess from normal legislative business. While this is called a recess, I believe a more appropriate term is the August district work period. The Senate is generally in session Monday through Friday, leaving only the weekend for members to return home. Therefore many...
Q: What is SCHIP?
A: The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) was designed to provide health coverage to low-income, uninsured children whose parents do not qualify for Medicaid or have the means to afford private health insurance. As the top Republican Member on the Senate Finance Committee, I helped draft a bipartisan bill this summer to...
Congress is immersed in the annual give-and-take necessary to pass the 12 spending bills that will fund the federal government for the 12 months starting Oct. 1.
Lawmakers are hammering out the details of a $2.9 trillion budget blueprint that will distribute tax revenue from the Federal Treasury.
Spending decisions will invest hard-earned tax dollars to...
Q: What is being done for gifted and talented students?
A: Iowahas long been considered a leader in education. This tradition of excellence is due in large part to the quality of the teachers within our schools. We must invest in our children’s future by preserving this quality and making sure our teachers have all the tools necessary to prepare students for...
Q: What is the Congressional Gold Medal?
A: The U.S. Congress bestows this distinguished award as its highest expression of national appreciation. At least two-thirds of federal lawmakers must sign on to support a nominee before his or her nomination is allowed to advance through committees in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate respectively....
Q: How will the new USDA animal research facility inAmeshelpIowaagriculture?
A:Iowaagriculture has long cultivated a global reputation for producing an abundance of high-quality, affordable food. The opening of a new state-of-the-art animal health center inAmeswill reinforceIowasagricultural leadership tradition to provide wholesome foods for generations to...
Q: What is Summer Sun Safety?
A: Summers inIowaoffer plenty of opportunities to get out and enjoy the weather. Whether it is a farmer working his field or a family enjoying the State Fair, millions of Iowans will be out in the sun. It is important to get out and enjoy these activities, but it is also important to make sure you are doing so safely. The most...
Something called Potomac Fever hits those who witness the Cherry Blossoms bloom each spring in the nation’s capital. It also signals peak tourism season that will last until a new school year starts in the fall. I always look forward to the steady stream of Iowa families who come to visit
Washington,D.C.
Students especially seem to appreciate when their book...
Q: What should I visit when I come to Washington D.C.?
A: A visit toWashingtonD.C.is a once in a lifetime experience.WashingtonD.C.is our nation’s capital, the seat of our federal government, and home to many cherished memorials and historical relics. Millions of Americans and thousands of Iowans visitWashingtoneach year. Some of the most popular sights...
With summer getting into full swing, Iowans hope to squeeze all of the goodness the season promises. Backyard grilling, festivals, small town centennials, family vacations, ball games, fishing, golf, farmers' markets and the Iowa State Fair are a few of summertime's rites of passage. Of course, keeping the lawn mowed comes with the territory, too.
The...
Q: What is Home Safety Month?
A: Americans often consider their homes a safe haven from other dangers they may face in the world. But accidents within the home result in close to 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits each year. The Home Safety Council hoped to draw attention to this serious issue by dedicating the month of June as Home Safety Month....
Q: What is the history behind Flag Day?
A: Americans unofficially began recognizing Flag Day in June of 1877, which marked the 100th anniversary of the adoption of theUnited Statesflag. In 1885, aWisconsinteacher named B.J. Cigrand asked his students to observe Flag Day. In the years to follow, Cigrand traveled the nation, preaching the importance of the...
On a recent weekend in May, a group of Iowans met in Central Iowa to celebrate a family member’s graduation from high school. It didn’t take long for the friends, relatives and neighbors gathered to compare notes on gas prices. When one person was asked what gas was bringing in his neck of the woods, he half-jokingly replied: “Well, three hours ago it was...
Q: What is National Foster Care Month?
A: Beginning with George H.W. Bush in 1989, the President of theUnited Stateshas designated the month of May as National Foster Care Month. Initially, National Foster Care Month offered Americans an opportunity to recognize the selfless contributions of foster care parents. National Foster Care Month still serves as...
Blessed with abundant natural resources, Iowa's rich agricultural landscape has helped anchor the state's economy and feed the world's growing population for generations.
Responsible environmental stewardship and a sterling work ethic practiced by generations of family farmers have helped earn Iowa-grown farm commodities a solid reputation for wholesome...
Q: What is the history behind Memorial Day?
A: The roots of Memorial Day date back to the years just after the Civil War. Following the Civil War, a group of Union Veterans known as the Grand Army of the Republic annually honored the fallen Union soldiers. Many of the veterans within the Grand Army of the Republic were also federal employees. Rather than...
Q: What is the Water Resource Development Act?
A: The Water Resource Development Act (WRDA) authorizes and reauthorizes projects undertaken by the Army Corps of Engineers. Traditionally, Congress has passed a new WRDA bill every two years but right now, a Water Resources Development Act hasn’t passed since 2000. WRDA’s purpose is threefold. The bill approves...
