Iowa Senate Democrats

Fighting for a Better Deal for Iowans.

  • Delta surge is result of failed GOP leadership

    Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls:

    “Iowans deserve a fair redistricting process, without interference from politicians, and without partisan amendments.”

    “Iowa’s historic $100 million investment in affordable housing was made possible by President Biden and Rep. Cindy Axne. Thank you!”

    “We are in this dangerous delta surge because of failed leadership from Iowa Republicans. They rejected $95 million to protect our students, have embraced vaccine skepticism, and continue to ignore our responsibilities to each other.”

    COMPLETE REMARKS

    DES MOINES—In today’s weekly press availability, Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls (D-Coralville) delivered the following remarks, as prepared for delivery:

    “It’s been a big news week here in Iowa, and next week may be even bigger. First, on redistricting, I want to reiterate our commitment: Iowans deserve a fair redistricting process, without interference from politicians, and without partisan amendments. Senate Democrats will support a plan that meets those criteria. We stridently oppose any efforts by legislative Republicans and the Governor to attack democracy and rig redistricting in their favor.

    “Additionally, this week we saw Governor Reynolds attempt to take credit for the $100 million investment in Iowa’s affordable housing. Let’s be 100% clear. Governor Reynolds gave a TV interview opposing this bill. Every single Republican in Iowa’s congressional delegation voted against this bill. Iowa’s historic $100 million investment in affordable housing was made possible by President Biden and Representative Cindy Axne and the Democratic Party. Thank you!

    “Next, yesterday, President Biden announced crucial measures that give Iowans a clear choice if they work for a large employer: get vaccinated or participate in weekly testing. And once again, we’re seeing failed leadership from Iowa Republicans. We are in this dangerous delta surge because of failed leadership from Iowa Republicans. They rejected $95 million to protect our students, have embraced vaccine skepticism, and continue to ignore our responsibilities to each other. Governor Reynolds should pick up the phone and call President Biden today to get our $95 million back to Iowa to protect our students. Yesterday, the Gazette reported that most new COVID-19 cases are among children. The Register reported that our hospitals are filling up. This is not a Democrat or Republican issue, and it never has been. This is about public health and protecting the lives of Iowans. Other Republican Governors have learned from their mistakes. It’s time for Governor Reynolds to start learning from her mistakes and stop putting her party politics over public health.

    “Finally, to close, tomorrow we will commemorate the twentieth anniversary of 9/11. I will never forget walking into my elementary school on that crisp autumn morning and watching on the television as our nation was attacked. For my entire generation, our lives changed forever. I will never forget the fear and anger and confusion that I felt — or the sense of unity and pride as we learned the stories of heroism from first responders and everyday Americans on that trying day, from Flight 93 to the Pentagon to Ground Zero.

    Twenty years later, the ideals of this great country endure. Despite the enormous challenges we continue to face today, we know that what makes our country strong is our commitment to each other to work through the hard times so we can enjoy the good ones. The same spirit of mutual responsibility and shared destiny that we all felt on the morning of September 11, 2001 is still with us today and is more important than ever.”

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  • Democrats invest $100 million in Iowa Affordable Housing

    Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls released a statement praising President Joe Biden, Congresswoman Cindy Axne, and Democrats in Congress for their historic investment for housing in Iowa:

    “Iowans have another reason to be thankful that President Biden, U.S. Representative Axne, and the Democratic Party passed the American Rescue Plan. Because of their leadership, Iowa is moving ahead with a multi-million dollar effort to increase the availability of affordable housing across our state. This is great news for hard-working Iowans and their families as we work to build back better.”

    Background

    100% of this funding was allocated by the Democrats’ American Rescue Plan, which passed without a single Republican vote and over the objections of Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. 

    The Democrats’ American Rescue Plan investment in housing includes:

    Federal Housing Tax Credit Program – $45 million
    The $45 million investment into the Federal Housing Tax Credit Program is estimated to move approximately 15 housing tax credit projects forward that otherwise would not be able to proceed and is expected to create an estimated total of 700 rental homes for Iowans. Eligible projects include developments that applied for a 2021 9% Federal Housing Tax Credit Program award but did not receive an award of tax credits. Projects will be prioritized based on scoring criteria and must be shovel ready. The financing will be paired with the federal 4% Tax Credit Program.

    Workforce Housing Tax Credit Program – $20 million
    The $20 million investment will provide gap financing to current Workforce Housing Tax Credit Program projects to assist with the increased cost of construction building materials. These funds will help ensure that existing Workforce Housing Tax Credit projects are able to be completed, expanding housing opportunities for Iowans.

    Downtown Housing Grant Program – $20 million
    The newly created Downtown Housing Grant Program will provide financial assistance for projects that support local downtown revitalization through the creation of new housing opportunities in communities with populations of 30,000 or less.

    Homes for Iowa – $10 million
    This investment will assist in providing a larger pipeline of skilled workers for our employers and more opportunities for homebuyers to purchase a home in their price range through the Homes for Iowa initiative. Homes for Iowa is a public/private partnership that trains offenders in skilled building trades while building single family homes at the Newton Correctional Facility. The $10 million investment will assist in material costs, the construction of a permanent shop and home moving equipment set-up that will allow the Homes for Iowa program to scale production and training efforts.

    Home Repair Block Grant Pilot Program – $4 million
    The housing stock in Iowa is comparatively older than that in the rest of the country, with an average median home age of approximately 50 years. This investment will provide qualified homeowners with financial assistance for eligible repair expenses to help preserve their homes. The application will be open to eligible organizations and based on program guidelines and scoring criteria.

    Minority Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Pilot Program – $1 million
    Homeownership is a leading driver of wealth creation, yet minority homeowners in Iowa are underrepresented. This initial $1 million investment will assist in breaking barriers to homeownership by providing 200 eligible Iowa minority households with assistance purchasing a home. The program will provide a $5,000 down payment and closing costs assistance grant when used with an Iowa Finance Authority mortgage program.

  • What happened to local control in Iowa?

    According to the Iowa Constitution, local governments in Iowa are granted “home rule” powers, unless their policies are inconsistent with state law.

    How have Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans responded?

    Iowa’s Republican trifecta took away the authority of local governments 21 times since gaining power in 2017. They replaced local control with their one-size-fits-all agenda—undermining democracy, local elected officials and the will of local voters.

    Download this PDF

  • Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill is good for Iowa

    We must lay the foundation for a robust and equitable recovery for all Iowans. The bipartisan infrastructure framework making its way through Congress can jumpstart our efforts.

    It’s a significant long-term investment in our infrastructure and competitiveness—something Iowa desperately needs. On its most recent infrastructure report card, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave Iowa a C grade.

    The federal proposal would allow us to overhaul our critical infrastructure, build a stronger Iowa economy and improve life in every community, while creating great jobs and training students and workers with the skills they need to do those jobs.

    Here in Iowa, we’ll get to:

    • Repair and rebuild our roads and bridges. Iowa has 4,571 bridges and more than 403 miles of highway in poor condition. Commute times are on the rise, and expenses are going up for care repairs and other costs of driving on bad roads.

    • Improve transportation options. Iowans who take public transportation spend an extra 30% of their time commuting via transit vehicles that are often past their useful life. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework will allow us to modernize and expand transportation options Iowans need.

    • Strengthen infrastructure for 21st Century challenges, such as cyber-attacks and extreme weather events. From 2010 to 2020, Iowa had 32 extreme weather events, costing the state tens of billions in damages. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework aims to improve the resiliency of our infrastructure and support disaster recovery.

    • Deliver clean drinking water. Over the next 20 years, Iowa’s drinking water infrastructure will require $7.9 billion in additional funding. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework will invest in clean, safe drinking water for all communities, and eliminate lead service lines and pipes.

    • Connect every American to reliable broadband. 13.4% of Iowans live in areas where there is no access to high-speed Internet, and 61% have only one broadband option. The Framework will bring universal, reliable, high-speed, affordable service to every Iowa neighborhood.

  • Wahls: Labor movement is a pillar of America

    Cedar Rapids Gazette, 9/6/2021
    By Sen. Zach Wahls

    Since the New Deal, the Democratic Party has been defined by our dual commitment to civil rights and workers’ rights, the twin pillars of democratic politics in America. This Labor Day, workers across America will commemorate and celebrate the struggles, sacrifice and advancement of the labor movement, whose victories benefit every American. In addition, this Labor Day is a reminder to the Iowa Democratic Party about the importance of returning to our roots of prairie populism.

    While much of the focus on Labor Day rests on the rights secured by the labor movement, another way of looking at this progress is through the lens of responsibility. Over time, the labor movement has changed how our country considers the responsibilities of employers and governments. And the labor movement has taught us about the responsibilities we owe to each other and to the greater good.

    Our nation’s 18-month battle with COVID-19 has underscored the importance of strong workplace protections for every Iowan and continues to remind us that we all truly are in this together. Americans from all walks of life have learned and been reminded of the powerful lesson from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that we are all “caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

    Dr. King’s words foreshadowed a lesson from Sen. Tom Harkin, and his late colleague Sen. Paul Wellstone, that, “We all do better, when we all do better.” I couldn’t agree with these sentiments more, and these values are why I am so proud to be a leader in the Democratic Party. These are Labor values, and these are Iowa values.

    The Republican Party has recently started claiming they are the party of working people. But let’s look at the facts; when Republicans took power in Iowa, they wasted no time passing an agenda meant to hollow out the middle class. Gov. Kim Reynolds and legislative Republicans passed laws to gut collective bargaining rights, slash wages for union and non-union workers alike, and even to increase property taxes on middle class families.

    That’s not a party of working people. That’s not a party that treats Iowans fairly or rewards hard work. That’s not a party that believes in the Scripture that tells us “from those to whom much is given, much is expected.”

    The difference between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party is simple: the Democratic Party believes in fairness for every Iowan. We believe in improving the quality of life for all people, not just those at the top. We believe that we all do better when we all have great public schools, have affordable health care, and are members of strong and caring communities.

    The Republican Party believes you’re on your own. Period.

    The Republican mentality works for those at the top, but not for the people whose blood, sweat, and tears built this country and whose sacrifices ensured the rights and freedoms we will all be celebrating on Labor Day.

    The Democratic Party is at a unique moment in our party’s history. The lessons of COVID-19 are universal and speak to fundamental, democratic truths: no man is an island, we are all in this together, and we all do better when we all do better. These are guiding principles of the labor movement that built the American Middle Class. These are the roots of the Iowa Democratic Party’s progressive prairie populism. And they are the most promising path for our future.

    I hope you and your family have a safe, responsible, and healthy Labor Day.

    Zach Wahls of Coralville is the Democratic leader in the Iowa Senate.

    https://www.thegazette.com/opinion/wahls-labor-movement-is-a-pillar-of-america/

  • Labor Day: Hard-working Iowans deserve better

    On Labor Day, let’s renew our commitment to Iowa’s working families.

    When you put in a 40-hour work week, your contributions should be valued enough that you can make ends meet and provide opportunities for your family.

    Hard-working Iowans have faced a lot of challenges in recent years—wages that don’t keep up with inflation, a lack of child care options and a pandemic that has upended everything. Statehouse Republicans have added to worker woes with attacks on bargaining rights, workplace health and safety protections, and resources for out-of-work Iowans.

    The result? Workforce challenges, a child care shortage, a maternal health crisis, small businesses that still have not recovered from the pandemic and more.

    Iowans continue to fight for an economy that works for all of us. This year, you succeeded by fending off multiple proposals to reduce help for Iowans who lost jobs through no fault of their own during a global pandemic and record-high unemployment.

    Working Iowans, the engine of our economy, said, “We deserve better,” and defeated this mean-spirited legislation.

    Senate Democrats’ Build Back Better plan this year made a variety of proposals to help all Iowans get back on their feet, return life to normal as quickly and safely as possible, and rebuild our economy. The plan included an Essential Workers Bill of Rights and would have positioned Iowa for long-term economic growth. Unfortunately, Governor Reynolds and Republicans in the legislature chose not to work with us on these common-sense proposals.

    We still have a lot to do to ensure a fair shake for Iowans who punch the clock every day.

  • Ensure fair representation: Share feedback on redistricting

    Access details for three Iowa Redistricting virtual public input meetings will be available in mid-September at https://www.legis.iowa.gov/committees/meetings/meetingsListComm?groupID=587&ga=89.

    For reminders, RSVP at https://www.facebook.com/events/861406414766933

    Iowa’s long-standing redistricting process does not allow politicians in power to pick their own districts. It is vitally important that the state keeps the process free of political interference—including partisan amendments—to ensure all Iowans have a voice in their representation.

    With the release of finalized data by the U.S. Census Bureau in August, Iowa’s redistricting process is underway.

    Once the initial redistricting plan is released in mid-September, a special bipartisan advisory commission will hold three online meetings to gather public input on the new maps. Mark your calendars to attend one of the online meetings scheduled for:

    • Monday, September 20: 7 PM to 9:30 PM
    • Tuesday, September 21: Noon to 3 PM
    • Wednesday, September 22: 6 PM to 8:30 PM

    Iowa’s redistricting model is recognized nationwide as the “gold standard” because it doesn’t allow political influence to impact new legislative districts. Since 1980, Iowa’s district lines have been drawn by nonpartisan legislative staff, who follow a strict set of criteria, including:

    • Districts must be established based on population, and the population of all districts should be as equal as practicable.
    • Each Congressional district must be composed of whole counties, and the number of counties and cities divided into more than one legislative district must be as small as possible.
    • Districts must be composed of convenient contiguous territory.
    • Districts must be reasonably compact in form (i.e., square, rectangular or hexagonal; not irregularly shaped, to the extent permitted by natural or political boundaries).

  • Iowa Republicans own Delta surge

    Thursday, September 2, new conference statement from Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls:

    “COVID isn’t going away because Kim Reynolds and Iowa Republicans aren’t doing anything to make it go away. Our return to normal continues to be pushed further and further into the future because Republicans continue to fail to do anything to stop the spread of the Delta variant.

    “The Governor and the Republican legislature have made clear: they own every missed class, every canceled football game, every missed day of work caring for a sick child, every closed business. The Iowa Republican ban on local communities following public health advice was a mistake. And rather than learning from their mistakes, Iowa Republicans are gambling with the safety and health of Iowa children. They are doubling down on a bad hand. They own the Delta Surge.

    “Governor Reynolds, you can make a big difference in Iowa’s fight against COVID. Stop telling Iowans what to do and just let Iowans make their own decisions about the health and safety of their local school children, and their communities.

    “If we have learned anything about the fight against COVID-19, it’s that one-size-fits-all policies don’t work. We need to listen to public health experts and epidemiologists, not Republican politicians and horse de-wormer salesmen.

    “We need to allow local school leaders to save Iowa lives, especially with a new variant that is more contagious and more deadly to children. Senate Democrats will support Iowa communities and schools that democratically decide to follow the science in the fight against COVID. 

    “Governor Reynolds: stop gambling with our children’s lives. Start following the science.”

    END

  • Statement on Texas Abortion Ban

    Statement by Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls
    on Texas Abortion Ban


    “Earlier this week, Governor Reynolds issued a statement saying, ‘I believe and trust in Iowans to make the best health decisions for themselves and their families. I will continue to support individual liberty over government mandates.’

    “The truth is that Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans have consistently undermined the freedom of Iowans to make their own health care decisions. Today’s news from Texas puts the right to abortion at risk in Iowa and other states.

    “The Roe decision ended a horrific chapter of American history and affirmed the freedom of all women to make their own decisions about their bodies and lives without interference from politicians. It’s time for Iowans to make their voices heard in opposition to the extreme laws supported by Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans.”

    END

  • “Governor, you need to change course” on COVID & Iowa schools

    Thursday, August 26, news conference statement by Senator Zach Wahls:

    YouTube: https://youtu.be/rdyhqj6qzQc

    Right now, Iowans want two things from our local schools.

    First, they want schools to be open, and to stay open. That’s the best way to get all Iowa kids back on track. Most kids are ready to attend school in person, with their teachers and classmates.

    Second, and this should not be controversial, Iowans want our schools to be as safe as possible. This is not an either or proposition.

    We can do both.

    Studies show that, despite the pandemic, schools allowed to respond to local conditions, can be safe for virtually all students.

    But Iowa has a problem that many other states don’t have.  Governor Reynolds has refused to let Iowa schools make the decisions necessary to protect their students, their teachers, their staff and their parents from COVID-19.

    It is a fact that her state budget, written by Republican legislators, provided zero additional dollars to fight COVID-19 in our state.

    And it is a fact that Governor Reynolds has rejected 95 million federal dollars last April to help Iowa schools reopen safely.

    Since that mistake, we’ve seen new Iowa COVID cases increase sharply. Most new cases, because of the Delta variant, which we know is more infectious than previous variants.

    And we know that Governor Reynolds signed a law banning safe mask policies in Iowa’s schools and in other public places. And when she signed that law, she was surrounded by anti-vaccine conspiracy theorists.

    The Governor’s mistakes and political posturing are endangering children and threaten to further disrupt the education of all K-12 students in Iowa.

    Governor, you need to change course. Now, there are a few ways that you should do this.

    First, Iowa’s lucky that the $95 million in rejected federal funds is still available. We can use it for detection, for vaccination, for improved air filtration and circulation systems, and other common-sense steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Iowa’s K-12 schools.

    All the governor has to do is pick up the phone, and call President Biden’s administration, and tell them that she has changed her mind.

    We need to get those federal dollars to Iowa’s schools right away. We’ve wasted enough time during this public health emergency.

    We can request the additional dollars from the CDC. That money will pay for more in-school testing and contact tracing. It will help protect kids, teachers, parents and communities from the continued spread of the Delta variant.

    Finally, the Governor should use her emergency powers to suspend the dangerous mistake that she made last May. That’s when she made it illegal for Iowa schools to make the decisions necessary to protect our communities from COVID.

    The Governor needs to focus on the science, the science.

    Ignore the dangerous nonsense from people like Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene and other anti-vaccine conspiracy theorists in the Republican Party.

    Listen instead to Iowa parents. They just want their kids safely back in their local schools, learning and preparing to take their next steps in life.

    Governor, do what’s right for Iowa kids, and do it today.

    End