Iowa Senate Democrats

Fighting for a Better Deal for Iowans.

  • Senate Dem Leader’s 2018 session closing remarks

    By Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Janet Petersen

    As we wrap up the 2018 Legislative session, I want to thank my Democratic colleagues for the honor of leading our team as the Senate Democratic Leader.

    I also want to give a shout out to the retirees for their service: Senator Bertrand and Senator Chelgren.  We’re looking forward to giving Senators Rozenboom, Brown, C. Johnson, Lofgren and Breitbach the ability to sit on the same side of the aisle with your caucus next year.

    To our Democratic colleagues who are retiring: Senator Dvorsky, Senator McCoy, and the legendary Senator Wall Horn – we will truly miss having the three of you on our team.

    I also want to take a moment to ask the chamber to join me in showing our appreciation to our smart, talented, caring and hard-working caucus staffs – from both the Democratic and Republican caucuses.

    Thank you to the Secretary of the Senate and his staff, the Senate pages and all the hard-working staff at the Legislative Services Agencies.

    Let’s give all of them a round of applause.

    Mr. President, Mr. Majority Leader, all of my Senate Colleagues, and to all of the Iowans we represent: During my opening day address of this session, I said that Iowans want their leaders to work together, to lead with civility, and to make good things happen for the people of our state.

    Senate Democrats listened to the people they serve and responded by offering real solutions to real problems.  With very few exceptions, those ideas fell on deaf ears.

    Senate Republicans leaders said their agenda was simple: “KICK THE DOOR IN!”

    Unfortunately, Iowans are already feeling the consequences of having the door kicked in on them.

    The Republican-controlled legislature and Governor Reynolds did a lot of bad things to good people this session.

    Iowans believe we should be investing in education and job training – that is how we can help each other get ahead in life.

    Instead, you kicked the door in on our school children, college students, educators and Iowans seeking job training to advance their careers.

    This year, Republicans cut funding to community colleges and state universities, making it harder for Iowa families to afford sending their kids to college.

    Businesses have been telling us that Iowa has a skilled worker shortage.  Yet, Republicans failed to adequately support apprenticeship and job-training programs that can help Iowans advance their careers and bring home a bigger paycheck to support their families.

     

    Republicans kicked the door in on our seniors and retirees.

    Republicans made choices with the state budget.  And those choices resulted in damaging consequences.

    When you made a decision to underfund programs for our seniors, you turned your back on taking great care of our older population – helping them stay connected to their communities and helping them live happy, healthy, and safe lives in their homes for as long as possible.

    Instead, you alarmed tens of thousands of retirees who were worried because you were working with out-of-state interests to dismantle or weaken the retirement security of Iowans.

    Our parents and grandparents living in nursing homes are still stuck with your oversight by telephone – when many of them cannot even hear well enough to talk on the phone.

    You did nothing to protect seniors from financial exploitation, neglect and abuse or help families struggling to find caregivers for the people they love.

     

    Republicans kicked the door in on Iowa workers and job creators in our small towns.

    Instead of boosting support for Iowa entrepreneurs creating solar jobs in small towns, we saw you threaten the very programs that helped them get their local businesses off the ground.

    We have bright young people who could put our state on the map in the tech sector, but Republicans did nothing to help them get their businesses rolling.

    We could have worked together to increase our commitments to the renewable energy sector that is fueling our economy and creating jobs in small towns across our state.

     

    Republicans kicked the door in on Iowan’s health care.

    Republicans helped Governor Reynolds sell out Iowa’s health care to Wall Street companies.

    What did Iowans get?

    Less care and Iowa health care providers struggling to get paid.

    Republicans took control of women’s health care with dangerous policies that hurt Iowa women and girls.  Additionally, it will hurt our state’s reputation and ability to attract new businesses, families and millennials who want to live and work in a state that values women.

     

    Republicans kicked the door in on balancing the state budget.

    There is a reason why Republicans couldn’t balance the budget the past two years.

    Republicans made a choice – an active decision to sell off Iowa tax dollars at fire sale prices to out-of-state corporations and millionaires.

    You’ve ripped off hard-working Iowans who will be stuck with the consequences of your deliberate actions.

    This year, like last year, we saw Republican leaders putting cover-ups and cronyism ahead of doing what was right.

    First, we saw the entire Senate Republican caucus continue to follow the bad decisions of their leadership who chose to fire Kirsten Anderson just hours after she turned in a complaint of sexual harassment.  It wasn’t until the Waveland Tap video surfaced and one of your leaders kicked the door in on himself that your caucus finally took any meaningful, bipartisan action on improving the work environment in the Iowa Senate.

    Iowa taxpayers were outraged that they were stuck footing the bill for the $1.75 million lawsuit and paying the salaries and benefits of the perpetrator and retaliators for years.  It is still shocking to know that the only person fired in the scandal was the victim – Kirsten Anderson.

    Second, Senate Republicans made an active decision to protect Governor Reynolds by ensuring the results of the investigation of her long-time friend and former Iowa Finance Director will not be completed until after the gubernatorial election.  Iowans.

    Colleagues, we can do better!

     

    I am in the Iowa Senate because I love Iowans!

    They are caring, hard-working people.  They deserve leaders who are focused less on kicking in doors, and more on taking care of them.

    It is time to put Iowans first again.

    It’s time to invest in our people and our state’s future by

    • making our schools number one again
    • ensuring Iowans have access to good paying jobs no matter where they live
    • putting Iowans back in charge of our health care instead of turning it over to Wall Street companies and politicians.

    Iowans – thank you for making your voices heard this legislative session.  Democrats love you and we look forward to working with you to ensure bluer skies are ahead for state – and a much bluer Iowa Senate.

    -end-

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Senate Dem Leader on passage of GOP tax scheme

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release:  May 5, 2018 

    Read the Senate Democrats Analysis of Sf 2417, the final 2018 GOP tax plan

    “Republicans passed a tax giveaway bill today that gives most of the benefits to out-of-state companies and millionaires.  It’s a bad deal for most Iowans. It will raise property taxes on families, seniors and small businesses, and it will result in cuts to health care, job creation, education and other critical services.

    “Senate Democrats came into the 2018 session promising to support tax reform that would:

    1. Make the tax system fairer for working families and small businesses
    2. Make Iowa businesses more competitive
    3. Take into account our current budget crisis
    4. Tackle corporate tax giveaways, the fastest growing part of the state budget

    “By every measure, the tax plan unveiled in the 11th hour of the 2018 session and passed by the Senate today fails every one of those tests. That’s because the bill is filled with giveaways to millionaires, wealthy corporations and people who don’t even live in Iowa.”

    -end –

  • Senate Dem Leader on Reynolds signing extreme abortion restrictions

    IOWA SENATE NEWS
    May 4, 2018

    “This new law is another dangerous example of politicians dictating health care decisions for Iowa women.

    “In the past two years, Governor Reynolds and other the Republican-controlled Legislature have made our state more dangerous for Iowa women. Instead of improving health care access for women, Governor Reynolds and the Republican-controlled Legislature have pushed through policies that put more women at risk, including:

    • Making it harder for women to prevent pregnancies by gutting Iowa’s highly successful family planning program.
    • Supporting a privatized Medicaid system — which serves nearly half of all pregnant moms — that isn’t paying bills for providers across our state.
    • Prohibiting many of the state’s most highly qualified providers from participating in their GOP Family Planning program while the families of Republican legislators could see whomever they chose under their taxpayer funded health insurance program.
    • Cutting home visits for at-risk newborn babies and their mothers.

    “This new law is extreme because it restricts the  freedom of Iowa women and girls to care for their bodies, and it forces motherhood on Iowa women.

    “This new law is dangerous.

    “This new law is unconstitutional.”

    -end-


    Senate Democratic Leader Janet Petersen spoke against SF 359, the nation’s most extreme anti-woman law during debate on May 2, 2018.

  • Consumer Advocate defends successful energy efficiency programs

    Iowa Senate News Release
    April 30, 2018

    A Statement Sen. Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids
    on Senate File 2311 and the Consumer Advocate

    The Consumer Advocate’s complete statement is attached

    “Thanks to the Iowa Consumer Advocate for speaking up today to defend Iowa’s successful utility energy efficiency programs that have helped create jobs and save consumers money.

    “Earlier today, Iowa Consumer Advocate Mark Schuling stated:

    “’Energy efficiency has saved millions of dollars in energy savings and benefits all customers with lower rates. It has added thousands of jobs in energy efficiency across Iowa. … As passed by the House, SF2311 is a utility bill good for utilities that will result ultimately in higher rates for customers.’

    “Last week, House Democrats fought all night against SF2311, and were joined by five House Republicans in opposing that bill. Senate Republicans should stop and listen to Iowa’s Consumer Advocate.”

    -end-

  • Governor Reynolds must expand IFA investigation

    IOWA LEGISLATURE NEWS
    April 30, 2018

     

    Letter from Democratic Leaders to Governor Reynolds on IFA investigation

    Des Moines, IA — The leaders of the Iowa House and Senate Democrats today called on Governor Kim Reynolds to expand the independent investigation of David Jamison and the Iowa Finance Authority.

    “The fallout from the firing of David Jamison should be a wakeup call to you.  David Jamison’s disgusting behavior and the failure of key staffers in your Administration to address the problem over a period of years highlight the alarming fact that executive branch employees are afraid to report illegal and highly inappropriate behavior,” said Senate Democratic Leader Janet Petersen of Des Moines.

    The letter signed by the two lawmakers outlined 12 key points that must be included in the scope of the investigation.  Some of the key points include: the victim’s concerns about retaliation; misinformation provided by the Reynolds Administration; the long delay in calling for the independent investigation; an examination of the lease agreement with Hubbell Realty; and a full audit and analysis of expenses and reimbursement to David Jamison including the slush fund used by key executives without oversight.

    “The graphic letter sent to you by a victim of Jamison’s alleged misconduct highlights systemic issues that need to be addressed.  While the investigation is a step in the right direction, the scope of the review is far too narrow,” said House Democratic Leader Mark Smith of Marshalltown.  “Given more information revealed this weekend by a whistleblower who was fired, the investigation must include an audit of IFA’s finances as well.  The harassment, retaliation, and financial mismanagement in your Administration have created a culture of corruption that must end.”

    Last fall, Iowa taxpayers were forced to foot the bill for a $1.75 million settlement in Kirsten Anderson’s lawsuit against Iowa Senate Republicans and an internal review later found that employees were afraid to report harassment.

    “Even after the harassment scandal last fall, the Jamison case proves the culture in your Administration has not changed to protect victims or Iowa taxpayers.  It’s not enough to keep saying you have a zero tolerance policy. Your entire Administration needs to take anti-harassment and anti-retaliation policies seriously and to stop protecting friends who you hired to work for Iowa taxpayers,” Petersen added.

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  • Statement on complaint against David Jamison

    Iowa Senate News
    For Immediate Release: April 26, 2018

    Statement from Senate Democratic Leader Janet Petersen
    on release of harassment complaint against David Jamison

    Redacted complaint by IFA employee

    “For all her talk about zero tolerance and protecting the victims of workplace harassment, it’s clear that Governor Reynolds has been more interested in protecting her friend David Jamison.

    “Taxpayers deserve full disclosure of all complaints against David Jamison during his tenure in state government.

    “Governor Reynolds should also immediately order an external investigation into concerns expressed by the victim that there was a culture at the Iowa Finance Authority where she and other staff feared being retaliated against if they filed complaints. This allegation is eerily similar to those raised by Senate employees during an internal investigation last year.

    “In addition, Governor Reynolds should release the number of harassment complaints brought by state employees since she took office in 2011. Any public information about those cases should also be released immediately.”

    -end –

  • Iowans still paying price for GOP’s budget crisis and broken promises

    Iowa Senate News Release
    State Senator Joe Bolkcom: (319) 330-9541
    For Immediate Release: April 26, 2018  

     

    Statement on action today in Senate Appropriations Committee
    by Senator Joe Bolkcom, Senate Budget Committee’s Ranking Member

    “The budget package being approved today by Senate Republicans is more bad news for Iowa families, seniors, students and communities.

    “The ongoing budget crisis in Iowa is the result of the failure of Governor Reynolds and the Republican-controlled Legislature to keep two campaign promises:

    • Raising family incomes by 25 percent
    • Creating 200,000 new Iowa jobs within four years

    “As a result of their broken promises, Statehouse Republicans have implemented policies that have pushed down incomes, destroyed jobs, cut critical services and piled up state debt.

    “Republicans are downgrading our K12 schools and making higher education and job training less accessible and less affordable for working Iowa.

    “They have turned Iowa’s respected, state-run Medicaid safety net into a national disaster, and they continue to shower big corporations with tax cuts and tax credits.

    “In the 16 months that Republicans have controlled ALL of state government, they have borrowed more than $140 million and slashed $120 million in spending just to balance their budgets. If Iowa families managed their family budgets like this, they’d be forced to declare bankruptcy.

    “Senate Democrats are ready to work with Republicans to restore fiscal stability and pass a budget that reflect Iowa values. That means investing more in job-creation efforts and reining in the fastest growing part of the state budget:  tax breaks for big corporations.”

    -end-

     

     

     

  • Senate Democratic Budget Leader on GOP budget gridlock & mismanagement

    Iowa Senate News Release
    Senate Democratic Leader Joe Bolkcom: (319) 330-9541
    For Immediate Release: April 17, 2018  

    Statement from Senate Democratic Budget Leader Joe Bolkcom
    on legislative Republicans’ budget gridlock and mismanagement

    “The gridlock between Senate Republicans, House Republicans and Governor Reynolds is making their budget mess even worse. The budget targets released today by Senate Republicans are more proof that the budget crisis is hurting Iowans.

    “In the 15 months that Republicans have controlled ALL of state government, they have borrowed more than $140 million and slashed more than $120 million in spending just to balance their budgets. If Iowa families managed their family budgets like this, they’d be forced to declare bankruptcy.

    “Governor Reynolds and the Republican-controlled legislature have created this budget mess by failing to keep their campaign promises to Iowans to raise family incomes by 25 percent and create 200,000 new Iowa jobs within four years.

    “Their misplaced priorities and mismanagement of taxpayer money is making life harder and reducing opportunities for Iowa families and their communities.”

    -end-

  • New steps to combat & prevent harassment in Iowa Senate

    Iowa Senate News Release
    Senator Janet Petersen: (515) 281-3901
    For Immediate Release: April 17, 2018  

    Statement from Senate Democratic Leader Janet Petersen 

    “After footing the bill for a $1.75 million settlement in Kirsten Anderson’s lawsuit against Senate Republicans, Iowa taxpayers expected more leadership from Senate Republicans on the issue of harassment at the Iowa Capitol. The Iowa Senate received a black eye because of the Kirsten Anderson case, the findings of an ‘internal review’ and related media coverage.

    “Senators are finally taking steps today to ensure the Iowa Senate will become a safe and healthy environment. Senate Democrats worked hard on these policy changes because we all have a legal, moral and business imperative to address this serious problem.

    “While updated policies are important, we must remember that policies were in place years ago to protect Kirsten Anderson. The problem was that Senate Republican leaders and staff chose to ignore existing policies and procedures. To make matters worse, they fired Kirsten Anderson seven hours after she filed a harassment complaint, and the perpetrators and those who retaliated against her were allowed to stay in the Iowa Senate on the taxpayers’ dime.

    “All Senators and staff have a high obligation to support and enforce these new policies, and to continue to strengthen the Senate’s harassment prevention policies and the Code of Ethics.  Otherwise, we are doing a disservice to Iowans.”

    -end –

    Background

    Senate Democrats have reached agreement with Senate Republicans on strengthening to the Senate’s Harassment Prevention Policy and the Senate’s Code of Ethics.

    Because of these changes, we will move ahead today with reforms that will ensure that:

    1. Victims of harassment will have a clear path to file complaints and have them investigated in a fair, impartial and confidential manner. This includes victims of sexual harassment and other forms of unlawful harassment (e.g., race, ethnicity, age, disability, gender identify, sexual orientation, etc.). Existing Senate policies in this area were inadequate, unclear and needed to be improved.
    2. Victims who step forward to file a complaint about harassment will be protected from retaliation or discrimination by anyone. The same protections will also be available for witnesses and others involved in any investigation. Existing Senate policies in this area were inadequate or non-existent.
    3. There will be a clear process for punishing any Senator, employee or anyone else who takes retaliatory action against someone who has filed a complaint. The same process will also protect witnesses and others involved in any investigation. Existing Senate policies were inadequate or non-existent in this area.
    4. There will be a clear process for disciplining any Senator, lobbyist, media employee or vendor who violates the anti-harassment policies. Existing Senate policies were inadequate or non-existent in this area.
    5. All Senators, staff, lobbyists and media will be required to attend training at least once every General Assembly regarding the Senate’s anti-harassment policies and complaint procedures. 
    6. The Senate Majority Leader, Senate President, Senate Minority Leader, Secretary of the Senate and other staff supervisors will be trained at least once every General Assembly on how to properly receive, investigate and, if warranted, to take corrective action. There was previously no requirement for this kind of training.

  • Iowa Senators stand up for Iowa farmers and Iowa’s economy 

    Iowa State Senator Rita Hart of Clinton asks members of the Senate to sign a letter to President Trump, asking him to protect Iowa farmers, businesses and communities as he makes trade policy changes. Iowa State Senator Rita Hart of Clinton asks members of the Senate to sign a letter to President Trump, asking him to protect Iowa farmers, businesses and communities as he makes trade policy changes.  Video of Senator Hart’s Statement to the Senate: https://youtu.be/6ZEUOGoKfnM

    IOWA SENATE NEWS
    For Immediate Release: April 12, 2018

    Iowa Senators stand up for Iowa farmers and Iowa’s economy

    “…proposed tariffs will have a negative impact on Iowa’s agricultural economy…”

    DES MOINES – Twenty-one Iowa State Senators are asking President Donald Trump to protect Iowa farmers, businesses and communities as he makes trade policy changes.

    The letter urges the President “to reconsider the economic costs and benefits of your plan to impose new tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. It’s clear to most observers that the inevitable retaliation to proposed tariffs will have a negative impact on Iowa’s agricultural economy by causing other countries to levy burdensome tariffs against Iowa farm products.”

    Senator Rita Hart of rural Wheatland wrote the letter and invited all Senators to sign it.

    “My husband and I farm near Wheatland.  We know firsthand that mistakes in trade policy can have severe consequences on Iowa farmers, small businesses and rural communities,” said Hart, the former chair of the Senate Economic Growth Committee.

    The letter noted that “Iowa is the second largest agricultural export state, shipping $14 billion of products abroad last year.”  It also drew attention to the fact that proposed U.S. tariffs increasing the cost of imported steel would also hurt Iowa manufacturers.  The letter specially mentions Sukup Manufacturing in Sheffield, Iowa.  The plant there has 600 Iowa employees and uses 1 million pounds of steel each week to make grain bins and dryers.

    The letter was signed by every Democratic member of the Senate and by Independent Senator David Johnson.

     

    -end-

     

    FULL TEXT OF LETTER:

    April 12, 2018

    Dear President Trump:

    Iowa’s prized humanitarian Norman Borlaug said: “Civilization as it is known today could not have evolved, nor can it survive, without an adequate food supply.”

    Iowa has a rich history of feeding the world and we need to continue to feed the world without barriers. Iowa is the leading national producer of corn, soybeans, hogs, cattle, and eggs. Iowa is the second largest agricultural export state, shipping $14 billion of products abroad last year. And it’s important to note that 31 percent of farm income comes directly from exports.

    For those reasons, we urge you to reconsider the economic costs and benefits of your plan to impose new tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. It’s clear to most observers that the inevitable retaliation to proposed tariffs will have a negative impact on Iowa’s agricultural economy by causing other countries to levy burdensome tariffs against Iowa farm products.

    Iowa farmers have already faced several years of low commodity prices.

    Any reduction in demand would be devastating, making a bad situation worse.

    The potential beef tariff threatens Iowa farmers, who have just gotten back into the Chinese market after a long absence. U.S. beef exports to China totaled more than 3,000 metric tons in the last half of 2017, valued at $31 million.

    It’s worth noting that Iowa leads the nation in ethanol production, which results in 42,000 Iowa jobs. In addition, China imports about 60 percent of global soybean trade.

    A trade war – even in the short term – creates the potential for a long-term loss of global market share because other countries will move quickly to fill the void if Iowa’s agriculture products become uncompetitive.

    Manufacturing is the second largest driver of Iowa’s economy. The state economy is heavily dependent on the 3,000-plus factories across the state, many of whom are dependent on the farm economy. For example, the 600 employees of Sukup Manufacturing make iconic grain bins and dryers in rural Sheffield, Iowa, using 1 million pounds of steel each week.

    We urge you, Mr. President, to reconsider this strategy because of the negative consequences on Iowans who farm, those who live in rural communities, and those whose livelihoods depend on products whose markets are threatened by a trade war with China.

    Sincerely,

    Senator Chaz Allen (D)
    Senator Tony Bisignano (D)
    Senator Joe Bolkcom (D)
    Senator Nate Boulton (D)
    Senator Tod R. Bowman (D)
    Senator Jeff Danielson (D)
    Senator William A. Dotzler Jr.  (D)
    Senator Robert E. Dvorsky (D)
    Senator Rita Hart (D)
    Senator Robert Hogg (D)
    Senator Wally E. Horn (D)
    Senator Pam Jochum (D)
    Senator David Johnson (I)
    Senator Kevin Kinney (D)
    Senator Jim Lykam (D)
    Senator Liz Mathis (D)
    Senator Matt McCoy (D)
    Senator Janet Petersen (D)
    Senator Herman C. Quirmbach (D)
    Senator Amanda Ragan (D)
    Senator Rich Taylor (D)