Q: What is a filibuster?

A: Many Americans may be surprised to learn the Senate rules do not define what constitutes a filibuster. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a filibuster as “the use of extreme dilatory tactics in an attempt to delay or prevent action especially in a legislative assembly.” The fact is, a filibuster can refer to any procedure perceived to slow action.

When most Americans think of the filibuster, they think of a senator talking on the Senate floor at length to delay proceedings and make a point. Our cultural understanding of a filibuster has been shaped by the…

Q: When will the USDA open the next round of pandemic relief assistance for producers?

A: Just as planting season gets into full swing, Farm Service Agencies across the country will open the application process for the third round of pandemic relief assistance starting April 5, 2021 for at least 60 days. The USDA announced it will distribute producer payments under existing CFAP rules from last year that Congress approved to address catastrophic hardship and disruptions to the food supply caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the USDA announced it will expand assistance for specialty crops and target pandemic…

Q: When is Tax Day 2021?

A: The IRS announced a one month delay for individuals to file their federal 2020 tax returns, shifting Tax Day from April 15 to May 17 this year. The federal tax-collecting agency postponed Tax Day for the second year in a row as Americans continue coping with COVID-19 and the IRS faces a mounting backlog in processing returns. What’s more, the IRS is managing the third round of Economic Impact Payments and has been tasked with implementing additional responsibilities enacted on March 11. The new filing deadline doesn’t apply to corporations, partnerships or nonprofits…

Q: Why is Sunshine Week important to commemorate?

A: James Madison is known as the father of open government. During the week of his birthday, March 16, we honor his legacy with “Sunshine Week” to celebrate the public’s right to know. Thirty-five years after drafting the Constitution, Madison wrote that democracy without information is “but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy.” Nearly 100 years after that, Justice Louis Brandeis observed that publicity can remedy social and industrial wrongs. Before joining the Supreme Court in 1916, Brandeis wrote: “Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants: electric light…

Q: Could an Iowan be featured on a new quarter?

A: Many Iowans are familiar with the popular series of quarters that feature each of the 50 states in the America the Beautiful Quarter Program. Issued in 2004, the Iowa quarter was the 29th coin to join the series because it was the 29th state to join the Union. It salutes Iowa’s deeply-rooted foundation in education and depicts a teacher and her students planting a tree near a schoolhouse. The design is based on a painting by Grant Wood who was born in Anamosa, Iowa. The redesign of the 25-cent…

Q: What’s wrong with the sixth pandemic package under consideration in Congress?

A: First, let’s take account of what’s already in the pipeline. Since last March, Congress has approved $4 trillion to fight the pandemic and help hard-hit U.S. households put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. Five bipartisan COVID-relief laws included two rounds of direct payments, expanded unemployment benefits, nutrition assistance, relief for student borrowers and emergency rental assistance for low-income families. Plus, the CARES Act delivered a financial lifeline to small businesses with a forgiveable loan program. Congress replenished the Paycheck Protection Program…

Q: Why did you invite the Biden administration’s climate advisor to Iowa?

A: When President Biden took office, I reassured Iowans I’ve been able to work with every president throughout my years representing Iowa. When an administration’s agenda is good for Iowa, I’m all in to help put the policies into place. I’ve worked with previous administrations to pass welfare reform, job-creating tax cuts and Medicare prescription drug benefits for seniors. I’m working now to keep sustainable, renewable energy on that list during the Biden administration. If an administration’s proposals would do harm to the rural economy, such as Obama-era…

Q: What’s on the agenda in the new Congress?

A: The leadership landscape shifted in January with the inauguration of a new president and a new majority in the U.S. Senate. That means for the next two years, one party will control the political branches of government, from the White House to the federal bureaucracy and both chambers of Congress. As Iowa’s senior U.S. senator, I work hard to serve Iowans as effectively as possible, whether I’m in the leadership ranks of the majority or the minority. Whereas the Senate majority sets the agenda, it’s incumbent upon the Senate minority…