The View From Here

With just over a month left in the 2019 legislative session, floor debate is picking up. Senate File 523 would make penalties for a crime committed against an unborn child the same as those committed against a born person. This bill does not have anything to do with abortion, accidents or contraception. It does say that if a pregnant woman is murdered and the baby dies, there would be two Class A felonies, not one. This bill provides penalties for crime against all persons, whether they are born or pre-born.
The incredible and massive flooding in Iowa has saddened us all. In response to all the flooding, Governor Reynolds has issued a disaster proclamation for more than 50 counties. This proclamation includes all counties in Senate District 4: Emmet, Kossuth, Winnebago, Hancock, and Wright. Residents of Senate District 4 can apply for the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and the Disaster case Management Program. Federal assistance has also been granted due to a declaration by President Trump. You can learn about the federal programs at www.disasterassistance.gov.
One of the most interesting parts of my job involves meeting all of the people that come to the Capitol. This sometimes includes people from other countries who visit our state. On Tuesday, we had ten visitors from Kosovo. These were not civilians, rather they were a group of military people who were on a private tour with an Iowa Guard personnel. I learned that Kosovo and Iowa are sister states, meaning we have recognized them with a special status in trade and communications. I was surprised to find out the eight men and one woman in camouflage were not just soldiers but top brass of Kosovo’s military. One was the highest ranking woman in Kosovo’s military and another was a brigadier general. We discussed how American government and Iowa’s state government are organized, and how citizens are welcome to come and comment in subcommittees. Kosovo has a parliament with many political parties as opposed to just two like we do. Their judicial branch is very weak. I could tell these folks were very interested as they have been organized as a democracy for less than a decade. Their government is still changing; similar to how ours was between 1776 and the signing of the Constitution in 1789. I felt truly blessed to talk about our system. We should be thankful that our system of government has worked for over 240 years. I will continue to do all I can to keep it working for the next generation.
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts”—Winston Churchill.
It is always a privilege to serve you. I appreciate hearing from those of you who took time to contact me whether by phone, email, or by taking time to drive to the Capitol to visit with me.