Des Moines – Iowa Democratic Senate Leader Pam Jochum released the following statement regarding Senator Jack Whitver’s health condition.
“My senate Democratic colleagues and I are very saddened to hear the news of Senator Whitver’s current medical challenge. Jack is a proven fighter, and if anyone is prepared to face the challenge ahead, it’s Jack.”
“We will continue to keep Jack and his family in our prayers and we all wish him a speedy recovery.”
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Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Pam Jochum released the following statement on the conclusion of the 2024 legislative session:
“Iowa Senate Democrats opened this session offering a better deal for Iowans, with specific plans to increase opportunity, freedom, and accountability,” Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, said. “Unfortunately, our Republican colleagues refused to join us in that effort. Republican senators chose instead to serve special interests and give more power to the governor.”
“Iowans deserve better than what they got from their Legislature in 2024,” Jochum said. “Iowans want action to ensure healthcare freedom. They want a solution to the crisis in our nursing homes. They want strong public schools and respect for Iowa educators. Those are Democrats’ priorities because those are Iowans’ priorities.”
“Iowans will remember how Republicans chose to serve their governor rather than their constituents. They’ll remember how they slashed Area Education Agencies and put special interests before Iowa children,” Jochum said. “They’ll remember in November.”
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Thank you, Madam President.
As we wrap up our work and move to conclude the 2024 legislative session and Iowa’s 90th General Assembly, I first want to take a moment to say thank you to the devoted civil servants whose hard work makes this chamber function.
To the clerks, pages, caucus staff, the tireless professional staff of the LSA, the Secretary of the Senate’s office, doorkeepers, members of the press, the lobby, our interns, and all of our fellow Iowans who have followed our work these last four months – thank you. Your hard work, commitment, diligence, and expertise is truly appreciated.
Four months ago, we convened here from all corners of our state with a common goal: to make life better for the people of Iowa. Senate Democrats entered this session offering a Better Deal for Iowans.
We pledged to stand up for the core values of Opportunity, Freedom, and Accountability. And over the course of this session, we worked to ensure those values came through in every bill we filed, every amendment we offered, and every point we made on the floor of this chamber.
At every turn, we asked ourselves:
Unfortunately, too often this year, in too many bills offered and advanced by the Republican majority, the answer to those questions was a resounding NO.
Republicans in this chamber, across the rotunda, and in the big office downstairs all too often refused to work in good faith across the aisle to benefit Iowans. Instead, they chose to fight divisive culture wars, hand over more power to the governor, and push narrow legislation benefiting special interests at the expense of the majority of Iowans.
Senate Democrats, by contrast, focused on what truly matters: Iowa’s families, children, and workers. We did the best we could to live those values of opportunity, freedom, and accountability.
We offered a package of legislation to protect Iowans’ basic freedom and access to necessary healthcare. We introduced legislation bringing desperately needed accountability reforms to our long-term care system to ensure the safety and dignity of Iowa seniors. We proposed state aid for our public schools that would begin to address years of underinvestment. They all went nowhere.
When Republican lawmakers refused to consider these measures, they didn’t just ignore this chamber’s Democratic minority – they ignored the will of Iowans.
Senate Democrats also listened to the thousands of Iowans who resisted the governor’s heavy-handed attack on Iowa’s Area Education Agencies – and worked at every turn to preserve a system that helps Iowa families and delivers for Iowa children.
When Republican lawmakers forced that legislation into law, they showed they cared more about pleasing the governor than representing their constituents.
When the final gavel falls on this General Assembly, Iowans will look back on it with disappointment – disappointment over the misplaced priorities, the missed opportunities, and the time wasted on measures that fail to move our state forward.
And by now, after seven years of culture wars and special interests, I think Iowans are pretty tired of being disappointed. They expect more from the representatives they elect. They’re ready for leaders who will represent their values. They’re ready for a better deal.
Senate Democrats are offering a better deal, and we look forward to sharing it with Iowans in every corner of our state.
Thank you, Madam President.
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Iowa state Sen. Janet Petersen released the following statement on the governor signing Senate File 2431 into law. The bill removes the civil statute of limitations for Iowa survivors of sexual abuse who are part of the Boy Scouts of America organization’s national bankruptcy settlement.
“I’m grateful lawmakers and the governor stood up for Iowa survivors who are part of the largest child sex-abuse case in U.S. history,” Iowa state Sen. Janet Petersen, D-Des Moines, said. “Iowans who were abused as children should not be financially penalized in their settlement simply because the abuse occurred within the borders of Iowa.”
“Today’s victory is a great example of how the legislature can help people when we work together for justice and when the media shines a light on an important issue,” Petersen said. “Hundreds of Iowans will have a chance at receiving their full settlement thanks to a group of survivors who came forward, shared their painful stories and asked for our help.”
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Des Moines — Iowa state Sen. Janice Weiner released the following statement following oral arguments in the Iowa Supreme Court on the state’s six-week abortion ban.
“The six-week abortion ban case heard today in Iowa’s highest court remains an unconstitutional attempt by Republican politicians to control the bodies of Iowans and their futures,” Sen. Janice Weiner, D-Iowa City, said. “Iowans value their freedom, and that includes the freedom to make decisions about their bodies and their healthcare with their doctors. A majority of Iowans oppose attacks on their healthcare choices.”
“Today’s hearing was a clear and convincing argument for upholding the Iowa Constitution, listening to the people of Iowa, and striking down this dangerous law,” Weiner said.
Following today’s oral arguments, the Court has until June 30th to issue a decision in the case. The hearing can be viewed online at the Iowa Court’s YouTube page.
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Des Moines — Iowa state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott released the following statement in response to Gov. Kim Reynolds’ announcement of a new competitive grant program to expand summer meal sites for children.
“While I appreciate the governor finally doing something for hungry children in our state, the competitive grant program announced today amounts to crumbs for Iowa kids.,” Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-West Des Moines, said. “Gov. Reynolds could have accepted $29 million in federal food assistance that would’ve reached 240,000 children in every corner of the state. The $900,000 state program she announced today is tiny in comparison – and forces Iowa communities to compete for a sliver of that little pie. That’s not enough to meet the real needs facing our state. And it doesn’t make up for her decision to let Iowa kids go hungry.”
“While summer feeding programs have their place, they are not accessible to all Iowa families. Families must bring their children to and from the site every day, which is impossible for most working families,” Trone Garriott said. “There are many Iowa school districts and entire counties that don’t even have a feeding site. As a result, these programs assisted less than 20,000 children last year. The governor could have expanded these programs AND participated in the Summer EBT program. But instead, she put politics before the health and wellbeing of our kids.”
Senate Democrats’ efforts ensured that Iowa kids were eligible for the Summer EBT program in 2023, and the caucus united behind legislation to require the state to adopt the program again in 2024. However, Republican politicians led by Gov. Reynolds, killed the legislation, and refused to participate in Summer EBT, taking $29 million in food aid away from children and families in need.
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Iowa state Sen. Janice Weiner released the following statement in response to Gov. Kim Reynolds signing Senate File 2095, the so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
“Tonight, Gov. Kim Reynolds went behind closed doors to sign into law an unjust, discriminatory bill,” Iowa state Sen. Janice Weiner said. “It may help her politically, but it will hurt Iowans and undermine economic opportunity in our state.”
“Iowans don’t want legalized discrimination,” Weiner said. “They don’t want someone to be able to refuse to rent to someone or serve someone based on religious or moral beliefs. What they want is justice and fairness and economic opportunity and personal freedom. The so-called RFRA law is an attack on all of those Iowa values – and we’ll be paying the price for a long time to come.”
Sen. Janice Weiner, D-Iowa City, is a member of the Senate State Government Committee.
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Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Pam Jochum released the following statement in response to Gov. Kim Reynolds signing House File 2612, gutting Iowa’s Area Education Agencies.
“Gov. Reynolds demanded an attack on Iowa’s Area Education Agencies that no one asked for and no one wanted. She bullied it through the Republican-led legislature, and today she signed it into law,” Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, said. “Every step of the way, Iowans told her to stop, to slow down, to engage stakeholders, and collaborate on real improvements to special education in Iowa. She never listened, and now parents and children will face the consequences.”
“While I’m disappointed and ashamed of our governor and the Republican lawmakers who voted for the bill, I’m incredibly thankful for the thousands of Iowans who spoke up and resisted these changes over the last three months,” Jochum said. “Parents, educators, students, and community leaders changed the course of this legislation. They prevented Republican politicians from fast-tracking this bill and exposed Gov. Reynolds’ misplaced priorities.”
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Iowa state Sens. Bill Dotzler and Eric Giddens released the following statement in response to the announced layoff of 308 workers at the John Deere Waterloo Works.
“We stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters losing their jobs and livelihoods due to this decision by John Deere,” Iowa state Sen. Bill Dotzler, D-Waterloo, said.
“These layoffs will have far-reaching consequences for Iowa families and the entire Cedar Valley. The state must step up and support these workers, their families, and our communities,” Iowa state Sen. Eric Giddens, D-Cedar Falls, said. “Iowa’s economy relies on agriculture, and agriculture relies on the machinery and implements built by the hands of these very workers. We must take care of them in their time of need.”
“Once again, Iowa workers are getting the short end of the stick – because of the decisions of Republican politicians in Des Moines,” Dotzler said. “Changes enacted by Republican lawmakers in 2022 eliminated two full months of unemployment benefits for laid off workers. It’s one more way Iowa’s Republican leadership is exacerbating our workforce crisis – not fixing it.”
Dotzler serves on the Senate Workforce Committee and represents Waterloo. Giddens represents Cedar Falls, Waterloo, and several small communities in southern Black Hawk County.
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“Iowa’s Area Education Agencies work. Parents love them. Educators rely on them. Students benefit from them,” Iowa state Sen. Molly Donahue said. “But this legislation creates instability and uncertainty that will reduce educational opportunities for hundreds of districts and thousands of students across every Iowa community.”
“Gov. Reynolds and the Republican majority in the legislature are breaking our AEAs,” Donahue said. “Their changes turn AEAs into an unstable fee-for-service program that reduces access in rural Iowa and consolidates power in Des Moines.”
“Once again, Gov. Reynolds and the Republican majority are failing Iowa students, educators, and communities by underfunding our public schools,” Iowa state Sen. Herman Quirmbach said. “Under Gov. Reynolds, the state is throwing taxpayer dollars at private schools and building a new bureaucracy in Des Moines, but failing to support public schools enough to keep up with inflation.”
“Senate Democrats support a responsible plan to boost school funding by $300 million and begin to reverse years of chronic underfunding by Republican administrations,” Quirmbach said. “Senate Republicans continue to neglect public education.”
Quirmbach, D-Ames, serves as the ranking member on the Senate Education Committee. Donahue, D-Cedar Rapids, serves on the Senate Education Committee and is a career special education teacher.
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