(C) Iowa Capital Dispatch
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D.C. Dispatch: Court rulings, conservation and broadband [1]
['Jay Waagmeester', 'More From Author', '- June']
Date: 2023-06-30
With both chambers away from D.C. until after Independence Day, lawmakers were in Iowa meeting with constituents, visiting businesses and weighing in on recent rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court.
Reps. Randy Feenstra announced legislation to expand high-speed internet access and Ashley Hinson worked to renew a voluntary conservation program that would affect her district.
The Senate reconvenes July 10, the House, July 11.
Feenstra dials in on broadband access
Feenstra announced a bill to expand broadband access to rural communities. The bill would provide grants and loans by updating required internet speeds initially spelled out in the 2018 Farm Bill.
The Rural Broadband Modernization Act would update broadband internet speeds to 100 MB per second by authorizing loans to in areas with less than 90% of households receiving 100 MB speed already.
“Access to high-speed, affordable internet is critical to the success of our rural communities and our long-term economic vitality,” Feenstra said in a news release. “Reliable broadband connection ensures that our families can work from home, our farmers can effortlessly monitor commodity prices online, and our main street businesses can utilize the technology they need to serve their customers and make a living.”
Feenstra announced the legislation a week after Nunn announced a similar piece of legislation, and after Gov. Kim Reynolds announced she would allocate $148 million, via the American Rescue Plan, to incentivize broadband infrastructure.
Hinson revisits conservation initiative
Hinson, along with Illinois Rep. Eric Sorensen, a Democrat, introduced legislation to preserve the driftless area, a region encompassing northeastern Iowa and the near corners of the states bordering the corner of Iowa.
Hinson’s legislation would reauthorize voluntary conservation tools provided by the Driftless Area Landscape Conservation Initiative (DALCI), originally authorized in 2012 and expired in 2017.
“DALCI was a conservation success during its authorization – measurably reducing soil erosion and flood risk, helping wildlife, and enhancing water quality by empowering local farmers and landowners with conservation tools,” Hinson said in a news release. “We have an opportunity to build on these successes by reauthorizing this program – at no cost to the taxpayer – and recommitting U.S. Department of Agriculture resources to conservation in the driftless area.”
The goal of the legislation is to improve water quality, flood resilience and preserve the land in the driftless region.
Student loan forgiveness stricken
The U.S. Supreme Court dealt out rulings this week, one of them preventing the Biden administration from enacting its student debt relief program.
The student debt relief program has circulated headlines since it was announced. Most recently before the Courts decision, Congress voted to strike it down, and President Joe Biden vetoed the vote.
Iowa’s lawmakers weighed in on Twitter:
American taxpayers who paid off their student loans or never attended college in the first place should not be forced to foot the bill for President Biden’s $400-billion student-loan giveaway. The Supreme Court made the right call today to protect taxpayers. — Rep. Randy Feenstra (@RepFeenstra) June 30, 2023
Not only is it wrong to force taxpayers who already paid off their loans or didn’t go to college to foot the bill for someone else’s student debt, the Supreme Court has affirmed it is illegal and unconstitutional. — Ashley Hinson (@RepAshleyHinson) June 30, 2023
College debt is a commitment that must be paid by the borrower. Hardworking Iowans who did or did not go to college should NOT have to foot the bill. I applaud the Supreme Court for striking down Biden’s student loan “forgiveness” failure. — Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (@RepMMM) June 30, 2023
Today #SCOTUS rightly ruled that President Biden’s student loan socialism bailout is illegal. Iowans who went straight into the workforce or paid for their own education should NOT have to foot the bill for others’ degrees. — Joni Ernst (@SenJoniErnst) June 30, 2023
Iowans in 16 counties this wk told me they’re hurting from 2 yrs of record-high inflation — the last thing they needed was a half-trillion dollar check to pay off the Biden admin student loan transfer. The reality of that plan is not only fiscally insane, it’s unconstitutional — Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) June 30, 2023
Reactions to affirmative action ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled this week two universities’ admissions processes violate the Constitution by considering race.
The Court decided, 6-3, Harvard University and University of North Carolina violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.
Iowa delegates weighed in:
Sen. Joni Ernst tweeted Thursday, “Affirmative action = racial discrimination on our college campuses. I’m pleased to see SCOTUS put an end to this disgraceful practice.”
Hinson released an official statement on the ruling.
“I agree with the Supreme Court ending affirmative action in the college admissions process,” Hinson said Thursday. “As Chief Justice Roberts wrote in the decision, ‘eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it.’ College applicants should be judged on their merit, not on the color of their skin.”
Tweets from back home
Iowa lawmakers made appearances across the state this week. Here are just a few of the stops they made:
I held Q&As in 1️⃣6️⃣ counties this wk:
📍Grinnell
📍Albia
📍Chariton
📍Osceola
📍Creston
📍Corning
📍Red Oak
📍Malvern
📍Sidney
📍Clarinda
📍Bedford
📍Mt Ayr
📍Dubuque
📍Elkader
📍Waukon
📍Decorah #99countymeetings — Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) June 30, 2023
It was great having @RepFeenstra join me today in Webster County to visit the Cargill facility! Iowa’s delegation will always have the backs of our ag workers. pic.twitter.com/2yvXfLeCpJ — Joni Ernst (@SenJoniErnst) June 28, 2023
I was thrilled to welcome NASA astronaut and Iowa native @Astro_Raja to Grinnell this morning with @ChuckGrassley and @RepAshleyHinson! Tremendous discussion and insight on NASA’s work with Iowa Ag groups, national security issues, and STEM education. pic.twitter.com/Yo6xEzOr1V — Joni Ernst (@SenJoniErnst) June 26, 2023
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https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/06/30/d-c-dispatch-court-rulings-cyberattacks-and-broadband/
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