Good evening –
This year is off to a busy start and I have already heard from many Iowans about what they would like to see accomplished in 2018.
Whether you touch base by phone, e-mail, letter, or on my 99 county tour of the state, I take your thoughts and concerns to heart. I will continue to work to bring Iowans’ values to Washington and translate your commonsense solutions into action.
Every week, I hear from folks all across the state, so each month, I try to share some of the frequent questions I've received from Iowans. Continue reading below to see more.
Recent Frequently Asked Questions
How is the new tax reform law benefiting Iowans?
The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, signed into law in December, will provide, on average, every income group with tax relief. Our middle- and low-income Iowans will see lower tax rates, the child tax credit will be doubled, and folks will no longer be forced to bear the burden of ObamaCare's costly individual mandate. More specifically, a typical family of four earning $73,000 per year will save about$2,000 under this new law - that's more of your own hard-earned dollars in your pocket to spend how you see fit, rather than being forced to hand it over to the federal government.
In addition, job creators of all sizes will be more competitive and can reinvest in their most important resource - their employees. We have already seen numerous companies with Iowa ties expanding benefits for their employees because of tax reform. Here are just a few examples:
- Nationwide Insurance gave approximately 4,000 associates in Iowa a$1,000 bonus and will increase their 401(k) match.
- Wells Fargo, the largest private employer in Des Moines, is raising its minimum wage.
- Anfinson Farm Store in Cushing, IA gave all full-time employees a$1,000 bonus and 5% pay raise.
- Ohnward Bank, headquartered in eastern Iowa gave all 260 of their employees a $1,000 holiday bonus, in addition to normal bonuses.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act also included two of my provisions: the SQUEAL Act, which eliminates an unnecessary tax break for lawmakers, and the bipartisanInvesting in Opportunity Act which helps spur economic growth in poverty-stricken areas. I am thrilled to see my efforts and many other commonsense initiatives included in this long-overdue reform.
Will Washington work together to find a solution for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients?
I want to ensure that Congress acts on DACA – as do many of my colleagues.
America is a nation of immigrants, and our diversity is our strength. It’s incredibly important that we find a fix for DACA recipients as they are so important to our communities and to our future. Many young, undocumented children were brought here through no fault of their own.
Congress has been and must continue to work together to identify and pursue a measured approach that addresses DACA recipients’ unique situation, and also respects the importance of our immigration laws, keeps our borders secure, and discourages future illegal immigration.
What is the current status of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)?
In the short term spending bill passed just this week, CHIP was reauthorized for the next six years. This is the longest extension the program has ever seen. CHIP is critical to the approximately 80,000 Iowa children who depend on the program for access to important health care services, especially in rural and underserved areas.
While this necessary program could have been reauthorized sooner, unfortunately, Senate Democratic Leadership chose to play political games and refused Republican efforts to ensure this funding was in place for low-income children in Iowa and across the country. Thankfully, Senate Democratic Leaders ended their unnecessary shutdown on January 22nd and CHIP was reauthorized for six years.
QUESTION: Why are you supporting Fix NICS? Will it be more difficult for law abiding citizens to purchase a gun?
Unfortunately, there has been a great deal of misleading claims over this legislation. The National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS, is the federal background check database for firearm purchases. NICS has existed for nearly two decades and relies on the sharing of records by federal agencies and state governments to make sure individuals who are prohibited from having a firearm are not able to get one. However, agencies and state government often fail to upload relevant information to NICS, like we saw in the case of Devin Kelley who shot and killed 26 churchgoers in Sutherland Springs, Texas.
The Fix NICS Act does nothing to expand current law or add new grounds for denying firearm purchases - period. It simply seeks to make sure that federal and state agencies are actually and accurately enforcing current federal law through mandated implementation plans and penalties and improved state reporting through grant funding. Additionally, under current law, no veteran or law abiding citizen can be deprived of their Second Amendment rights without proper notice and an opportunity to be heard. This will not change under the Fix NICS Act.
In fact, in the implementation of the Fix NICS Act, the Attorney General and the relevant state or federal agencies, would be required to audit their existing records and ensure they are accurate. Through this audit and purge of the current lists, folks who have been added in error would be removed and their Second Amendment rights restored.
I am a staunch supporter of Second Amendment rights. In accordance with the Second Amendment, I feel strongly that law-abiding citizens should be able to exercise their fundamental right to self-defense and I oppose efforts by the government to infringe upon this constitutional right. Click here to read more about my efforts to protect Second Amendment rights.
For more updates on what's happening in Washington, D.C. and Iowa, be sure to 'Like' my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter @SenJoniErnst, and subscribe to my YouTube channel.
Thank you!
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