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D.C. Dispatch: Iowa’s delegation reacts to $3.5T spending bill, Kabul attack

['Katie Akin', 'More From Author', '- August']

Date: 2021-08-27 00:00:00


Welcome to the D.C. Dispatch, your weekly update on Iowa’s congressional delegation. This week, the House of Representatives advanced a major budget bill and a voting rights bill, with promises to act on the infrastructure proposal in the next month. Abroad, an attack at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan killed over 70 people as the U.S. evacuation continues.

House Democrats advance $3.5T spending bill

The House voted Tuesday to advance a $3.5 trillion budget framework. That gives lawmakers until mid-September to flesh out the bill with specific commitments to child care, climate change, community college, immigration and health care.

Moderate Democrats voted to advance the budget framework under the condition that the bipartisan, $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill would be brought to a House vote by Sept. 27.

Rep. Cindy Axne voted with her fellow Democrats to advance the budget bill. She told reporters Thursday the pieces of the spending bill would fit alongside the infrastructure proposal.

“If we do those two in tandem, we’re going to have a better chance of really making an impact for this country,” Axne said.

Iowa’s Republican representatives, meanwhile, railed against the budget proposal. Rep. Ashley Hinson tweeted that the budget was “out of control spending by the far left that forces taxpayers to foot the bill for policies they don’t want.”

Rep. Randy Feenstra said in a press release that House Democrats “voted to plunge our country even further into a dangerous debt spiral,” calling the bill a “Socialist Spending Spree.”

Representatives respond to attack at Kabul airport

At least 60 Afghans and 13 U.S. troops were killed in an attack at the Kabul airport Thursday as the U.S. continues to evacuate American citizens and allies from Afghanistan.

Iowa’s D.C. delegation offered prayers and condolences to those affected by the attack. Republicans criticized Biden and other leaders who they say mismanaged the withdrawal.

My statement on the deadly attacks in Kabul ⤵️ https://t.co/7uv4aR4fW8 pic.twitter.com/ErkwnpvERu — Joni Ernst (@SenJoniErnst) August 26, 2021

Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks called for Biden to resign as commander-in-chief and for other military leaders to step down.

In a statement, Sen. Chuck Grassley said the focus should remain on getting Americans and allies to safety.

“Politics can wait,” he said. “But the day will come when questions about this disorganized and disastrous exit will have to be answered. Americans deserve accountability from leaders who ignored warnings and put us in this catastrophic situation.”

House passes voting rights bill

The House passed a bill Tuesday that would restore part of the Voting Rights Act, putting federal law in opposition to new state laws that restrict voting.

The bill passed along party lines in the House, but it is unlikely to pass in the Senate. At least 10 Republicans would need to vote for the proposal.

“Across our country and right here in Iowa, voting rights are under attack,” said Axne, the only Iowa representative to vote for the proposal. “Not only are state legislatures are passing new voter suppression laws that limit access to the ballot and make it harder to vote, but courts are also eroding the legislation we already have in place to protect voting rights.”

Former presidential candidates return to Iowa

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont will host a Cedar Rapids town hall on Saturday to promote the spending plan.

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas will speak at a fundraiser for Hinson on Saturday in Linn County. On Sunday, Cruz will be in Johnston with congressional candidate Nicole Hasso, who is challenging Axne in 2022.

Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida will attend an Iowa GOP reception in Clear Lake on Monday.

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