This week was packed with subcommittee and committee meetings because the first funnel deadline of Feb. 20 determines which bills survive for further consideration. With the exception of bills assigned to the Appropriations or Ways & Means Committees, bills that originated in the House had to pass through a House subcommittee and committee by Feb. 20 to remain eligible for floor debate.

By the time this story is put to print, just over one in every four people on this planet will have completed their first week of fasting for the month of Ramadan—and I am among that number.

I keep a jar and a postcard in the mudroom for spiders. I can plop the jar over the little guy, slide the postcard under him, and carry him outside. If I let him stay in the house he might get stepped on.
 

As we enter tax season, I often hear from seniors that they have been worried about the policy fights here in Washington. After a lifetime in the workforce, raising families, serving their communities, and paying into the system, many retirees are now living on fixed incomes while tackling the cost for groceries, housing, health care, and energy.

Week five of the legislative session focused on advancing policies that support Iowa’s agricultural community, strengthen economic growth and ensure responsible stewardship of public resources. This is also the week before the first legislative funnel, so most bills that originated in the House that fail to pass through both a House subcommittee and full committee are “dead.”

While volunteering in Des Moines with the Iowa Resource for International Service (IRIS) this weekend, I stumbled upon a few major realizations, which I would like to share with you all. The following is my opinion, informed by my own lived experiences. You reserve the right to disagree with me in any regard, though it is my sincere hope that each of us would express such nonconsensus civilly. With that stated, here goes:

It’s been a little bit since I’ve talked about the budget process, so I thought I’d share a bit about 

what has happened thus far and what must happen yet.   

Just a reminder that we started our budget process back in December.  The department heads 

began their work back then to develop operating budgets.  When we refer to operating budgets, we are 

It’s been a little bit since I’ve talked about the budget process, so I thought I’d share a bit about 

what has happened thus far and what must happen yet.   

Just a reminder that we started our budget process back in December.  The department heads 

began their work back then to develop operating budgets.  When we refer to operating budgets, we are 

Week 4 was a shorter week at the Capitol with no session on Monday, Feb. 2, due to the midterm party caucuses. Even so, important work moved forward: advancing the Skilled Workforce Act, welcoming constituents to the Capitol and connecting with Iowans at events like Iowa State University’s Day on the Hill and the Iowa Ag Expo.
Committee Action

As I was ringing the Salvation Army bell outside of Fareway a reader noted that it is difficult to know the truth. Well, yeah.
 

 Did you know that in 2025 over 2000 bills were proposed during the legislative session and of those, under 200 were passed into law?!  So, it is quite normal that many bills are proposed each year, but it is hard to work in this field and not become very concerned with each bill that is proposed and the effect it would have on you and your job if it were passed into law.  I find myself reading the bill book every day to see what has been prop

At the time of writing this column, there are 138 days until summertime officially arrives here in   Iowa. After an entire week of my kids, my spouse, and myself all being sick… I’m counting   every single one of them. 
I’ll be honest…. I’m done with winter. 

As tax season begins, families across Iowa are taking a closer look at their paychecks, refunds, and household budgets. After years of historic inflation and economic uncertainty, many families have tasked our government with correcting the economic failures of the previous four years. 
 

I have never been to an island. At no point in my life, from what I’m able to recall at least, have I ever set foot on a piece of land surrounded by water on all sides. Well, to be completely frank, that statement is a full-blown lie now. It’s been kind of false for the past two years, slightly more false since about four weeks ago, and completely, irrefutably, indisputably, and incontrovertibly incorrect for just under three weeks.

Wealth in America has been a manufactured illusion built on lies. Democracy is the culprit in the eventual downfall of the US empire.