The resolve of native Iowan Zach Johnson helped the 31-year-old Drake University alumnus secure a berth among an elite group of champions. A hard-won victory secured on Easter Sunday at the Masters revealed deep-seated Midwestern values. Zach Johnson credited hard work, tenacity and perseverance for his surprise upset over the likes of Tiger Woods and Retief Goosen.
In recognition of his prestigious achievement, I introduced a joint resolution in the U.S. Senate to pay tribute to Zach Johnson and those who encouraged him to dream big. By winning the Masters, one of the most difficult golf tournaments in the world, he’s an inspiration to others who proved hard work has its just rewards.
The new Masters victor shared other Iowa traits with the world. Presented with the famous green jacket, he showed humility and pride aren’t mutually exclusive.
He also demonstrated hope springs eternal, especially for an underrated underdog. His performance under pressure exhibited Iowa-bred can-do fortitude.
Iowans don’t cave easily under pressure, even when an April snow storm delays field work, clogs traffic, closes schools and nips budding plants.
We also prize doggedness and determination over privilege and egotism.
As a lifelong Iowan whose work ethic is rooted in an agricultural heritage shaped by the whims of Mother Nature, I brought these gritty traits along with me to Washington when Iowans first hired me to represent them in the nation’s capital.
In addition to working the legislative fields on Capitol Hill, I’ve also cultivated my oversight responsibilities to weed out waste, fraud and abuse and improve openness in government. The U.S. Constitution formulates a system of checks and balances to keep the federal government accountable to the people. I consider this a non-partisan responsibility upon which I took an oath to uphold. If something doesn’t pass muster, I raise a red flag regardless of party label. Let’s say I am not likely to win a popularity contest held by the federal bureaucracy.
Just consider the current administration. I’ve kept the federal bureaucracy’s feet to the fire when it comes to certifying physician-owned hospitals; beefing up border security; mistreating whistleblowers at the FBI; mismanaging tax dollars with lax oversight of government-issued credit cards; fostering a too-cozy relationship between FDA regulators and pharmaceutical/medical device industries; championing common sense with the EPA; and, holding federal agencies, such as NASA, accountable for government contracting and procurement processes.
Representing Iowans in the U.S. Senate is a privilege I take seriously. I do my best to keep all avenues of communication open to Iowans. By visiting each of Iowa’s 99 counties at least once every year, I encourage Iowans to help make the process of representative government work. I respond to every letter, e-mail or phone call that Iowans take the time to share.
I also put a high priority on full-service constituent service. By staffing six state offices in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Sioux City and Waterloo, I want to make my Senate office as accessible and convenient as possible for Iowans who need help cutting through red tape at a federal agency. My staff includes specialists who are trained to handle inquiries on behalf of constituents. Iowans who find they are staring at a bureaucratic brick wall – Veterans Affairs, USDA, Citizenship and Immigration Services, Social Security Administration, EPA or the military – may contact one of my offices and request help from a casework specialist.
In April my longest-serving employee and chief caseworker passed away after working nearly four decades on Capitol Hill. A native of Fairfield, Iowa, Betty Burger epitomized honorable public service. She helped thousands upon thousands of Iowans who oftentimes felt at their wits’ end. Ever the steady and capable liaison, she diligently worked to help Iowans get to the bottom of an issue with a federal agency.
They say you can take the boy off the farm, but you can’t take the farm out of the boy. The same goes for Iowa and those who no longer live in the state. Zach Johnson did his home state proud by winning the Masters and telling the world he hails from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. My long-time staff member, Betty Burger, showed home is where the heart is by working day in and day out for the last 39 years to help Iowans cut through red tape with the federal government. Although raised in different generations and of different genders, each of these native Iowans displayed a strong work ethic and integrity worthy of recognition.
Although I’ve worked nearly 30 years in Washington weekdays when Congress is in session, I haven’t become hypnotized by inside-the-Beltway nonsense. My Iowa-bred can-do fortitude comes in handy when I lock horns with those who prize political points over good public policy or those who want to protect bureaucratic turf over good governance.
As
Iowa ’s senior U.S. Senator, I’ll continue my best efforts to represent Iowans at the policymaking tables, make the federal government more accountable to the taxpaying public and keep my six state offices and D.C. office responsive and ready to provide conscientious constituent services.
Please don’t hesitate to contact one of my offices to express an opinion or seek assistance with an issue involving a federal agency: Washington, D.C. office, 202/224-3744; Cedar Rapids, 319/363-6832; Council Bluffs, 712)/322-7103; Davenport, 563/322-4331; Des Moines, 515/288-1145; Sioux City, 712/233-1860; Waterloo, 319/232-6657.