Iowa Senate Democrats

Fighting for a Better Deal for Iowans.

  • Iowans are still paying price of failed GOP policies

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release: December 11, 2017  

     

    Statement on the updated revenue estimates by Senator Joe Bolkcom,
    Ranking Member of Senate Appropriations Committee

    “Economic prosperity and fiscal responsibility will only return to Iowa if Governor Reynolds and Republican legislators start working in a bipartisan way to make smarter investments in Iowa workers and their families.

    “With complete control of the Iowa Capitol, Statehouse Republicans adopted a my-way-or-the-highway approach to budget and policy decisions during the 2017 session. This meant that they ignored the voices of working Iowans who were begging Statehouse Republicans to keep their two biggest campaign promises: Raise family incomes by 25 percent and create 200,000 new Iowa jobs.

    “Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans continue to break those big promises and working Iowans – especially those in smaller towns and rural areas – are paying the price.

    “Senate Democrats remain ready to work with legislative Republicans and the Governor on a mid-course correction that will restore fiscal stability to our state budget by investing in successful job-creation initiatives and taking a serious look at out-of-control spending on tax credits.”

    – 30 –

  • Nov 7th Livestream: Reynolds Admin to defend “the nation’s worst state Medicaid privatization effort”

    Statement by Senator Joe Bolkcom, Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee and member of the Medicaid Assistance Advisory Council
    “On Tuesday, November 7, Iowa Department of Human Services Director Jerry Foxhoven will have the unenviable job of defending the nation’s worse state Medicaid privatization effort.

    (The meeting will be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/IowaSenateDemocrats/)

    “On behalf of the Reynolds Administration, Director Foxhoven will explain how the interests of 215,000 medically vulnerable Iowans will be protected when they are re-assigned to a new MCO within the next 30 days.

    “He will also attempt to explain why Iowa taxpayers should invest $60 million more state dollars in Iowa’s failed Medicaid privatization project.

    “This is the last 2017 meeting of the full membership of the Medicaid Assistance Advisory Council. The council is the largest and most comprehensive meeting of Iowans appointed to represent the interests of Iowa families and Iowa health care providers.”*

    “I encourage members of Iowa’s news media to attend and report on how Iowa plans to start fixing the nation’s worse state Medicaid privatization effort.”

    -end-

    *Complete list of members: https://dhs.iowa.gov/sites/default/files/SFY17-18_MAAC_Members_Current_9.pdf

  • Latest revenue estimates show Republican policies continue to damage job growth and economic opportunities

    October 19, 2017 

    Statement on the updated revenue estimates by Senator Joe Bolkcom,
    Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member

    “Since 2010, Statehouse Republicans and then-Governor Terry Branstad have made two big promises to Iowans: Raise family incomes by 25% and create 200,000 new Iowa jobs.

    “Today’s updated revenue estimates are more evidence that Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans are continuing to break those promises to Iowans. That’s bad, bad news for Iowa families and their communities, especially those living in smaller towns and rural ares.

    “The bottom line is that economic prosperity and fiscal responsibility will only return if Governor Reynolds and Republican legislators start working in a bipartisan way to make smart investments in Iowa workers and their families.”

    –    end –

  • Reaction by Senate Democrats to the latest update on GOP’s budget mess

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release:  Wednesday, September 20, 2017

     

    This is a statement from Sen. Joe Bolkcom, ranking member of the Senate Appropriation Committee

    “This is the third time we have seen a budget shortfall for Fiscal Year 17. Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans have created a budget mess by failing to grow Iowa’s economy.  They have failed to keep their promises to increase family incomes by 25 percent and to create more than 200,000 new jobs.

    “Economic prosperity and fiscal responsibility can only return if Governor Reynolds and Republican legislators start working in a bipartisan way to make smart investments in Iowa workers and their families.”

    –    end –

     

  • Latest state deficit figures show GOP budget is ‘out of whack’ and hurting Iowa families

    A statement from Senator Joe Bolkcom, ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee:

    “Iowa is not in a recession. Iowa is experiencing slow revenue growth because the policies of Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans are out of whack. Delaying tax refunds for Iowa families and other gimmicks will not solve this budget mess.

    “Republicans must stop showering tens of millions on large tax giveaways to out-of-state corporations.  These tax giveaways now top $500 million annually and are the fastest growing part of the state spending.
    “The really bad news is that Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans are balancing the budget on the backs of working Iowans. Senate Democrats will continue to oppose Republican-sponsored cuts to the services that Iowans depend on.  These cuts threaten public safety, the quality of education, and the safety net for seniors, children and vulnerable Iowans.
    “These cuts to services could have been avoided if Republican legislators and Governor Reynolds had delivered on their promises to increase family income by 25% and create more than 200,000 new jobs in Iowa.
    “So far, working Iowans have seen nothing but broken promises and horrible cuts to state services from Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans.”
    – end –

  • Gov. Reynolds: Convince Pres. Trump to stop Iowa health care disaster

    June 21, 2017

    (Open letter from Senator Joe Bolkcom to Governor Kim Reynolds)

    Dear Governor Reynolds:

    Today, you will have an opportunity to speak one-on-one with President Trump in Cedar Rapids.

    I support your announced plan to raise the issue of Iowa’s failing individual insurance market.  However, that issue is only one part of Iowa’s health care problems.

    Governor Reynolds, you must be aware that the Republican-controlled U.S. Congress is rushing to send President Trump health care legislation.  This legislation will devastate Iowa families, Iowa health care providers, the State of Iowa’s budget, and the Iowa economy.

    That’s why Iowans are counting on you to convince President Trump to oppose this impending disaster.  Here are some of the reasons why the Republican health care bills are so bad for all Iowans:

    1. Proposed cuts to Medicaid expansion threaten health care for 150,000 Iowans.
    2. More Iowans will be living without health insurance. There will be more uninsured charity care, care that is less effective, more costly, and will increase everyone’s health care costs.
    3. Older Iowans, who make up an increasingly large share of Iowa’s population, will be hit especially hard by these changes.
    4. Cuts, caps or block granting federal Medicaid spending will cost the state of Iowa hundreds of millions of dollars.
    5. Health care providers will be paid less. It will be harder to recruit and keep qualified doctors, nurses and other caregivers, especially in Iowa’s small towns and rural communities.
    6. Health care is a large part of Iowa’s economy. Health care layoffs and wage cuts will hurt all sorts of Iowa businesses and weaken our economy.

    Iowa’s response must be bipartisan. That’s why at tomorrow’s meeting of the Legislative Council, I will propose that we create a special legislative interim committee to examine Iowa’s health care crisis and offer solutions.

    This committee would look at proposed Medicaid cuts, the collapse of the individual market, the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and the impact on the state budget.

    Governor Reynolds, please use your influence with President Trump to make sure Iowans can keep their health insurance, to protect rural hospitals and health care providers, and to prevent a devastating blow to Iowa’s economy.

    I hope you will return to Des Moines with some good news.  We need some right now.

     

    Signed,

    Joe Bolkcom

    State Senator

    PDF of letter to Gov Reynolds

     

  • Senate Democrats respond to legislative GOP budget plan

    Statement by Senator Joe Bolkcom, ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee:

    “The budget plan released today by legislative Republicans is terrible news for Iowans.  Republicans are once again balancing the budget on the backs of working Iowans.

    “Senate Democrats will not support drastic cuts that threaten public safety, the quality of education, and the safety net for seniors, children and vulnerable Iowans.

    “These budget cuts could have been avoided if Republican legislators, Governor Branstad and Lt. Governor Reynolds had delivered on their promises to increase family income by 25% and create more than 200,000 new jobs in Iowa.”

    ###

  • Hindering medical breakthroughs

    Last week, the Senate passed SF 359, a bill to ban voluntary fetal tissue donations.

    This bill puts politics above good science and medicine. The bill is nothing more than a platform for people who are opposed to abortion to perpetuate lies about abortion providers and women who have abortions.

    The legislators behind this bill are the same ones who pushed the personhood bills, would ban all abortion in Iowa and defund Planned Parenthood. This bill does not actually impact the provision of abortion.  It simply harms those who could benefit from medical research.

    It treats abortion differently since research is allowed on fetal tissue following a miscarriage or stillbirth. While an amendment to the bill protects existing cell lines commonly used in research, it means that no new cell lines will be available in the future.

    We don’t know how science will evolve, and to place these kinds of limitation on what kinds of tissue and cells can be researched is short-sighted and could limit future research. While cell lines that meet this definition are available now, several years down the road, there could be a shortage of available cell lines in the future.

    Federal law regulates fetal tissue donation. It recognizes the benefits of fetal tissue donation and does not bar the practice.  It does, however, ban any organization from participating in tissue donation of any kind for profit.

    This bill also sends a message to current and prospective medical researchers that Iowa is not a place to do research on disease curing medical discovery.

  • Bolkcom: Republican policies are train wreck for working families

    Iowa Senate News Release
    State Senator Joe Bolkcom: (319) 330-9541
    For Immediate Release: March 14, 2017 

     

    Statement by Senator Joe Bolkcom, lead Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, on the updated revenue estimates

    “In 2010, Governor Terry Branstad and Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds were elected to office based on two promises: Raise family incomes by 25% and create 200,000 new Iowa jobs within four years.

    “They failed and made life worse for Iowa families and their communities.

    “Now, with complete control of the Iowa Statehouse, Republicans are pursuing an agenda that is driving down incomes and destroying jobs.

    “Their agenda includes grossly underfunding our local schools; turning Iowa’s respected, state-run Medicaid safety net into a national disaster; weakening the rights of workers and driving down wages; and showering out-of-state corporations with an all-you-can-eat buffet of tax cuts and tax credits.

    “Senate Democrats stand ready to work with legislative Republicans, the Governor and Lt. Governor on a mid-course correction that will restore fiscal stability to our state budget by investing in our schools and job-creation initiatives, and taking a serious look at out-of-control spending on tax credits.”

    – 30 –

     

  • SF213 – Prepared remarks by Sen. Joe Bolkcom of Iowa City

    Senator Joe Bolkcom  – Comments on SF 213 – February 14, 2017

    This legislation will accelerate Iowa’s slide into a mediocre, low-wage economy and send more of our young people looking for opportunities elsewhere.

    This bill will put middle class Iowa families at risk. It will lower their incomes and health security.

    Senator Dix you told the Senate on the first day of the session that you were going to focus on Growth, Growth, Growth. Who knew it would be to grow the number of Iowans living paycheck to paycheck and on food stamps.

    Under the dishonest guise of local control your efforts will decimate the voices of teachers, nurses, fire fighters, police officers, jailers, snowplow drivers, mental health professionals and dozens of others.

    SF 213 makes it ILLEGAL for a school superintendent and a teacher organization to even discuss health care benefits, evaluations, grievances, seniority, and many other topics that help schools and workplaces operate smoothly.

    That’s right, ILLEGAL. It prohibits public employers from continuing to allow workers to voluntarily have some of their paycheck deducted for their union dues or for political purposes.

    Iowa’s collective bargaining law– a law that has worked to foster good worker-management relations across Iowa for the past 40 years.

    This bill will disrupt that balance and undermine morale and productivity at every public employee in the state.

    The bill will drive down wages and benefits for both union and non-union public employees.

    I want to share a few of the stories of my constituents about this legislation.

    I have talked to a parent, whose daughter is getting ready to graduate and begin her teaching career. She had her sights set on teaching in Iowa. Now her folks are actually encouraging her to look to other opportunities to teach outside of Iowa so that her financial and health security will not be in doubt.

    I have talked to graduate students who are represented by a labor agreement at the UI. One student is concerned the she will have to leave the university before she can finish her studies because she may not have the health care her family needs. I have heard from another prospective graduate student who will not consider coming to Iowa because of the uncertainty of wages and benefits going forward. This student had options to go to MN where the package is stable.

    I have talked to several school superintendents who are scratching their heads trying to figure out what problem is being solved here. They feel the current process for managing employees is working and creating a collaborative environment in the workplace

    ABANDON RURAL IOWA

    This bill is an abandonment of rural Iowa. This bill is a gut punch to rural communities. I hear there is a lot of resentment toward public employees in rural Iowa. For some reason people resent teachers, and superintendents and people that protect us and work in our state prisons and state institutions. They make too much money and have good benefits.

    According to the USDA report: Rural Economy and Population: Employment and Education, Any decline in the number or quality of public sector jobs will have a disproportionate effect on Iowa’s rural communities because, as the USDA notes, the public sector is a “major source of earned income in rural areas” that tend to attract far fewer of the financial, professional, or information service activities concentrated in urban areas.

    Eroding the quality of public sector jobs in Iowa will further exacerbate recent effects of unprecedented declining public sector employment levels following the last recession, which USDA data suggests are already causing negative effects in rural counties, along with negative multiplier effects on private sector employment.

    These are the best jobs in rural Iowa. Or at least they were some of the best jobs.

    Who do you think local businesses are going to resent when they have fewer customers able to eat at their restaurants, shop at the hardware store and grocery store. Much less the local car dealer, local lawn equipment dealer and local gun store.

    Today, these public employees keep small town businesses in business. Get ready to shudder some more main street storefronts.

    Rural Iowa soon closed for business. Nice job.

    SECRET AGENDA

    Iowans did not vote for this. Republican did not campaign for this.

    You campaigned on supporting the schools. You did not say you were going to attack teachers. You campaigned for safer communities. You did not say you were going to attack police, firefights and correctional officers.

    Republicans did not campaign on destroying the lives of people that work in local government, our schools or state government. But here we are with the republican secret agenda to kick in the doors of hardworking Iowans.

    Make no mistake. The next door that is going to be kicked in and the next target of this Republican majority is to destroy the pension security of Iowa retires and active public employees. If you are counting on IPERS for a secure retirement? Forget it. Your family is next on the Republican chopping block.

    Make NO Iowa retirees mistake. They are coming for you next year!

    GOVERNOR BRANSTAD

    Another major reason we should not pass this bill now and send it downstairs is that we have a lame duck Governor. How can we possibly let him sign this devastating bill?  He is a lame duck. There is no accountability with the Governor. No accountability. We need to have the people decide. We need to have another election.  The people need to speak. A new Governor should be in place before this bill is approved.