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D.C. Dispatch: Senators say NDAA doesn’t do enough on sexual assault reform

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

Date: 2021-12-10 00:00:00


A few long-awaited pieces of legislation passed Congress this week, including the defense funding bill and a compromise that will allow Democrats to raise the country’s debt limit.

Also: discussions continued on vaccine mandates, Iowa leaders celebrated the life of former Sen. Bob Dole, and Rep. Ayanna Pressley — a member of “The Squad” — spoke with Polk County Democrats.

House passes NDAA, but Iowa senators say it doesn’t go far enough on sexual assault reform

The House passed a $768 billion defense bill on Tuesday, sending the bipartisan proposal to the Senate for consideration.

All four of Iowa’s House members voted to approve the package, known as the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA.

“As a 24-year Army veteran, I am pleased to see the final version of the NDAA overwhelmingly pass the House to strengthen our military and their support system,” said Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks in a statement.

But Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, who have yet to vote on the compromise, say the bill does not go far enough to change the way the military handles sexual assault. They held a press conference Wednesday with Sen. Kristen Gillibrand, calling for Congress to pass the Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act, which would give commanding officers less authority when prosecuting a sexual assault case.

Ernst said she was “disappointed” the NDAA did not include the entire MJIIPA, and she criticized the way the legislation was handled.

“We should have been on this bill much, much earlier, so that we could have a robust debate about the extremely important issues, especially the one of sexual assault and military justice reform,” Ernst said.

Congress clears the way for Democrats to raise debt ceiling

Remember how Republicans for months said Democrats have to be the one to raise the country’s debt limit and avoid a default?

This week, leadership from both parties agreed to a compromise: Senate Republicans cooperated to pass a bill that delays Medicare cuts and creates a pathway for Democrats to approve an increase to the debt limit with no Republican votes.

But Iowa’s Republican members weren’t happy with the compromise. All three of Iowa’s Republican House members and both Republican senators voted against the legislation, citing their opposition to raising the debt limit.

“I do not believe the United States should default on our debts, but the solution isn’t to continue increasing the debt limit, it is [to] stop overspending Iowans’ hard-earned money,” Rep. Ashley Hinson said in a statement.

Regardless, the measure squeaked through the House and Senate. Democrats have not yet said how much they will increase the country’s debt ceiling. The New York Times reported that party leaders may try to budget so that the country does not near the debt limit again until after the 2022 midterm elections.

American Rescue Plan delivers $100 mil. for Iowa water quality

Rep. Cindy Axne touted her March vote in favor of the $350 billion American Rescue Plan this week, announcing that the bill will deliver $100 million to Iowa for water quality improvement projects.

“From these water infrastructure upgrades to other investments in broadband, manufacturing, housing, and child care, the American Rescue Plan is making a difference in the lives of Iowans,” Axne said in a statement.

Gov. Kim Reynolds said $75 million will go to the Water Infrastructure Fund and the other $25 million will go to the Conservation Infrastructure Project at the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

Senate votes to block Biden vaccine mandate

Both of Iowa’s senators voted Wednesday to block President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for large, private employers.

“(T)he Biden Administration thinks that Americans can’t be trusted to make an informed decision on their own,” Grassley said in a statement. “Heavy handed federal mandates erode freedom and place undue burdens on businesses and workers at the worst possible time.”

The measure would need to pass the Democrat-controlled House and be signed into law before taking effect. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Biden will veto the legislation, if it makes it to his desk.

House Republicans face conservative criticism for immunization system updates

The House passed a bill last week that would improve the Immunization Information System, a federal service that consolidates vaccination records and shares them with health providers or entities that require vaccinations, like schools or summer camps. The data may also be used for public health officials to track vaccination rates among a population.

Axne, Miller-Meeks and Hinson voted in favor of the bill to modernize the current system.

Some conservative commentators took aim at Miller-Meeks and Hinson after the vote, alleging that the bill would allow the federal government to create a “federal vaccination database,” and to target people who choose not to be vaccinated.

Fox News host Laura Ingraham criticized Republicans who voted in favor of the bill last week.

“This is so shocking that 80 Republicans voted for this. Sounds like there’s a lot of primary challenges going to be underway just on that topic,” Ingraham said.

Miller-Meeks tweeted an explanation of the legislation in response.

“This bill DOES NOT create a federal vaccine database, DOES NOT track COVID-19 vaccination status, and DOES NOT create access to electronic or paper private healthcare records,” the tweet reads.

Recently there has been some misleading information on a piece of legislation that passed the House earlier this week, H.R. 550, the Immunization Infrastructure Modernization Act. pic.twitter.com/4XSHbRi7Xf — Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (@RepMMM) December 4, 2021





Pressley speaks to Polk County Women, praises Axne

Rep. Ayanna Pressley, a Massachusetts Democrat, spoke at a virtual fundraiser for the Polk County Democrats on Thursday evening. Pressley spoke about the importance of women in politics, both as organizers and candidates, and she praised Axne’s performance in office.

“I hope that you will never take her leadership for granted and that we decisively return her, because she is sorely needed, and we’re all better for her advocacy,” Pressley told the Zoom call, which was aimed at women involved with the Polk County Democrats.

Pressley is a member of a group of progressive representatives known as “the Squad.” Iowa Republicans criticized Axne for appearing at the fundraiser alongside Pressley.

“Cindy Axne is finally showing her true colors and campaigning with radical Squad member Ayanna Pressley, a leader in the national Defund the Police movement,” Iowa GOP Chair Jeff Kaufmann said in a statement.

Senate unanimously passes rural opioid bill

The Senate on Wednesday passed a bill co-sponsored by Grassley that would provide more resources to combat opioid addictions in rural areas.

“We’ve made some progress in fighting the opioid crisis, but with overdose deaths rising Congress needs to act,” Grassley said in a news release. “Our bill will help communities in Iowa and across the country to prevent and handle any surge in opioid overdoses.”

D.C. leaders celebrate Bob Dole’s legacy

Former Sen. Robert Dole, a Kansas Republican, passed away on Sunday. Leaders gathered in the Capitol rotunda on Thursday to pay their respects to Dole, who was 98.

At Thursday’s ceremony, Biden called Dole “a giant of our history” and remembered the senator’s willingness to work across the aisle.

“We genuinely respected one another as colleagues, as fellow Americans,” Biden said. “It was real. It wasn’t fake. And we became great friends.”

Members of Iowa’s delegation also recalled Dole as a mentor and friend.

“He set a standard of leadership through selflessness and mutual respect that all public servants should strive to match,” said Grassley.

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