IOWA SENATE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS
The 91st General Assembly begins in Iowa next week. Republicans will have supermajorities in the House and the Senate. Committee Assignments in the Senate were made last month.
2nd District Senator Jeff Taylor of Sioux Center will again serve as Vice-Chair of the Senate Education Committee. He will also serve on Local Government, Technology and Workforce committees. Taylor represents northern Plymouth County, and all of Sioux and Lyon counties.
3rd District Senator Lynn Evans of Aurelia will serve as the new Chair of the Senate Education Committee. He was also named vice-chair of the Government Oversight committee. He will also serve on Judiciary, Natural Resources, will be Vice-Chair of the Education Appropriations Subcommittee. Evans represents parts of Cherokee and Clay counties, and all of Osceola, O’Brien, and Buena Vista Counties
7th District Senator Kevin Alons of Salix will serve on Agriculture, Health and Human Services, State Government, Technology, Veterans Affairs, Worforce, and the International Relations subcommittee. Sen. Alons serves the southern half of Plymouth County, parts of Cherokee and Woodbury counties, and all of Monona County.
The legislature convenes Monday, January 13.
TRUMP ELECTION CERTIFIED
The election of Donald Trump as 47th President of the United States was certified today. U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra of Hull says the U.S. can now immediately get to work advancing Trump’s America First Agenda. Republicans now control the White House, the House and the Senate. Feenstra says he will work with the Trump Administration to, among other things, secure the border, cut wastefull spending, and reauthorize the Trump Tax Cuts.
IOWA’S U.S. HOUSE DELEGATION BACKS JOHNSON FOR SPEAKER
All four Republicans who represent Iowa in the U-S House supported Mike Johnson for House Speaker as soon as their names were called to vote Friday. In posts on social media, Congressman Randy Feenstra of Hull and Zach Nunn of Bondurant both said Johnson’s election means the House can get to work now. Both Congresswomen Ashley Hinson of Marion and Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Davenport said Johnson will advance President Trump’s America First Agenda.
IOWA DEMOCRATS REELECT RITA HART AS CHAIR
Rita Hart has been re-elected to serve as chair of the Iowa Democratic Party for the next four years. Hart says when she took over as chair two years ago, the party was in 100-thousand dollars in debt and there were just two full-time employees, but she’s beefed up the staff and has raised enough resources to start prepping for the 2026 election. Hart had the support of 38 of the 49 Democrats on the party’s state central committee who voted during Saturday’s leadership election. Hart told reporters her election as party chair is about continuity and sends the message that Democrats are on the same page as they take on the challenge of rebuilding.
GOV. REYNOLDS RELEASES STATEMENT ON ANNIVERSARY OF PERRY HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTING
Gov. Reynolds provided the following statement on the one-year anniversary of the tragic shooting at Perry High School that killed two and injured six others:
“A year ago, the unthinkable happened here in Iowa. Time has passed, but the painful loss remains,” Governor Reynolds said. “Today, we remember Principal Dan Marburger—a hero who gave his life to save his students—and Ahmir Joliff—a bright young man with his whole life ahead of him. Kevin and I continue to pray for the injured, their families, the faculty, staff, students, and the entire Perry community that has valiantly grown stronger as they rebuild.”
IOWA FARMLAND CONTINUES TO BE OWNED BY FARMERS
The Iowa State Extension survey found that average price of an acre of farmland dropped in 2024, breaking a five-year trend of increases. I-S-U extension economist Rabail Chandio (Rah-beel Chan-dee-oh) conducts the survey and says the one trend that didn’t change is the type of people buying farmland. She says 70 percent of all farmland demand came from existing farmers. Chandio says 23 percent of the farmland purchases were by investors — but says the investors in Iowa aren’t usually the institutional investors or big companies or individual big name billionaires. She says they may be Iowa residents, or previous Iowa residents, or residents from our neighboring states who are showing interest in our farmland.
IOWA BLOOD CENTERS PLEAD FOR DONORS
Blood from eastern Iowa donors may already be helping survivors to recover from the New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans. Amanda Hess, spokeswoman for ImpactLife in Davenport, says they’re part of a national coalition of blood centers that routinely share supplies wherever they’re needed. Authorities in New Orleans say a man intentionally drove a pickup truck into a Bourbon Street crowd, killing 15 people and injuring at least 35. The suspect was killed in a gunbattle with police. Hess is urging Iowans to come forward and donate blood to replenish supplies as this is one of the center’s most difficult times of the year. Donations drop 20 to 25-percent during holiday weeks, she says, which puts a strain on supplies. All blood types are needed.
