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.

  • 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/

  • 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

  • Republicans threaten safe return to school

    Statement by Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls

    As prepared for delivery on August 19, 2021:

    “You just heard from Kim Reynolds, who had an opportunity to denounce Marjorie Taylor Greene’s radical conspiracies. She didn’t do that. That’s because Kim Reynolds and Iowa Republicans are enacting MTG’s right-wing conspiracies into law right here at home.

    We can’t crush Covid and get back to normal because Governor Kim Reynolds, Senator Jack Whitver, and Iowa Republicans have embraced the far-right, fringe ideas that have consumed the Republican Party. Their policies and failed leadership have allowed for the Delta variant to spread unabated throughout our state, causing preventable deaths, sickness, stress, wage loss, and business closings.

    Republican mistakes are why parents all across Iowa are now facing extremely difficult decisions about sending their kids back to unsafe schools.

    It’s fitting the Governor announced the return of INDYCAR to Iowa today: her COVID-19 policies have our state going in circles.

    Democrats understand the importance of getting our kids safely back in schools. Getting our kids safely back in school is critical for getting our lives back to normal.

    Unfortunately, Kim Reynolds and the Republicans in the legislature are preventing our kids from returning safely to in-person school.

    Reynolds and the Republicans in the legislature have tied the hands of parents and school boards. They’ve taken away the voice of parents and local communities who want to do the right thing and protect themselves against the Delta variant.

    Republicans have created a false choice between no in-person school or extremely unsafe schools. I’ve talked to countless parents who are agonizing about sending kids back to unsafe schools, or upending their lives to keep their kids safe at home for virtual learning or home school.

    Governor Reynolds – forcing unvaccinated children back to school isn’t a plan. Continuing to ignore Covid isn’t a plan. Hoping that the Delta variant just goes away isn’t a plan. It’s reckless, it’s dangerous, and it’s putting untold numbers of children, parents, educators, and other staff at severe risk.

    When it comes to stopping Covid, Kim Reynolds is all talk, no action.

    Simply put, Republicans are to blame for the unabated spread of the Delta variant in our state. They’ve politicized mask wearing, rejected common sense safety measures, and spread outrageous conspiracy theories about the Covid vaccines.

    From day one of this crisis, they have failed to take it seriously, and Iowa continues to pay the price for their failures.”

    END

  • Sen Dem Leader appoints Jazmin Newton to redistricting panel

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release:  July 6, 2021

    Senate Democratic Leader appoints Jazmin Newton to redistricting panel

    Newton is an attorney, small business owner, community leader and social advocate.

    Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls today appointed attorney and community leader Jazmin Newton of Davenport to the Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission.

    The Commission is responsible for conducting hearings to gather input from Iowans about new maps that will be drawn for legislative and Congressional districts later this year, based on updated information from the U.S. Census Bureau. 

     “Jazmin Newton is committed to free and fair elections,” Wahls said. “Iowa has the gold standard for ensuring that Iowans have fair maps for legislative and Congressional districts going into the 2022 elections. We should not allow politicians to undermine Iowa’s nonpartisan, independent system for redistricting.”

    Newton said she is enthusiastic about serving on the Commission.

     “I am committed to ensuring that Iowans have fair maps for legislative and Congressional districts,” Newton said. “The Iowa system is based on a simple principle: Politicians in Des Moines shouldn’t pick their voters. I look forward to serving on the commission and listening to the feedback of Iowans when the new maps are drawn.”

    Newton has been an active member of the Quad Cities community her entire life. She is currently the President of the League of Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Council #10, Commissioner for the Bi-State Regional Commission, Commissioner for the Davenport Affirmative Action Commission, a Board Member on the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and also serves on the Board of Directors for Q2030.

    She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa, and she graduated cum laude from Northern Illinois University College of Law.

    Newton replaces Deidre DeJear on the Commission.

    END

  • Closing remarks by Senate Democratic Leader

    By Zach Wahls, Iowa Senate Democratic Leader

    As we wrap up the 2021 Legislative session, I want to thank my Democratic colleagues for the honor of leading our team.

    I 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 staff.

    And a big “thank you” to the Secretary of the Senate and his staff, the Senate pages, all the hardworking staff at the Legislative Services Agencies, and the news media that cover us every day on behalf of our constituents.

    I want to congratulate Lois Brownell with the Secretary of the Senate’s office on her many years of dedicated service to the Iowa Senate. She will be missed by everyone in the Senate. Enjoy your retirement, Lois!

    Let’s give Lois and all the staff a big round of applause.

    Mr. President, this session was a missed opportunity. COVID-19 turned our world upside down and gave us all a new perspective. With this new perspective, we could have reimagined our social contract and responsibilities to each other. We could have boldly addressed all of the challenges Iowa faces, nearly all of which were exacerbated by COVID-19: a workforce shortage, a child care crisis, not enough good paying jobs, crumbling infrastructure, struggling rural hospitals, a lack of high-speed internet, systemic racial inequities, and maternal health challenges faced by Iowa moms and babies.

    With our Build Back Better plan, Iowa Democrats introduced more than two dozen bills to help Iowans get back on our feet and return life to normal as quickly and as safely as possible. Our plan would have positioned Iowa for long-term economic growth, provided relief for struggling families, helped small businesses safely reopen, and supported our dedicated, frontline health care workers who got us through the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Unfortunately, Governor Reynolds and the Republicans chose not to work with us on these proposals. Not a single one of our bills was given a public hearing. Instead, Iowa Republicans drilled holes in a sinking boat, pursuing a divisive, partisan agenda.

    Republican inaction on a host of issues will actively hurt working families. Instead of tax relief and relief checks for middle class households – like the ones President Biden and Democrats in Congress provided to the American people – Republicans enacted policies that will raise property taxes and cut social services.

    Instead of providing relief to Iowans who lost their jobs due to the pandemic, Governor Reynolds ripped the carpet out from under these workers, cutting off unemployment assistance while they looked for work.

    Instead of supporting public education and helping our students return safely to school, Governor Reynolds returned $95 million of federal funds – our tax dollars – back to Washington D.C. These are funds that should have been used to keep students safe from COVID-19 and improve the quality of public education.

    Instead of bringing new workers, businesses, and investment to Iowa, Republicans continue to make our state unwelcoming to others by codifying discrimination, picking on our kids, banning diversity, and protecting online harassment and sedition.

    Instead of doing more for families who need affordable child care or helping Iowa moms and babies who are facing maternal health challenges, Iowa Republicans are paving the way to ban abortion, even in cases of rape, incest, or to protect the life of the mother.

    And as our country grapples with the insurrection that took place in our nation’s capital on January 6, a day that will mar American history books for generations to come, Iowa Republicans passed one of the most severe and punitive voter suppression laws in the United States.

    I want to close this session by reminding everyone why we’re here, who we’re fighting for, and the challenges that we absolutely must address.

    Across our state, too many people have lost sight of a better future and can no longer see more opportunity for their children and grandchildren — and that was true before the pandemic hit. Too many Iowans feel disconnected from their local communities, and too many of our local communities are struggling as young Iowans are forced to move from our state due to lack of opportunity.

    As I talk with voters across my district and across the state, I see the same thing in big cities and small towns: a growing gap between the haves and the have nots; the powerful and the powerless; the well-connected and the disconnected. We need to remember that politics is about the fact that everyone — Democrat or Republican or Independent — wants their families to be happy, safe, and nearby. That means improving the quality of life in every Iowa community, because Iowa is strong only when our families are strong. Iowa thrives only when our middle class thrives. We are free only when Iowans have both liberty and justice. If you work hard, you should be able to provide for yourself and your family. These are the guiding principles of Iowa Senate Democrats, and I’m proud this caucus fought for those values every single day of this session.

  • Federal investigation needed at Anamosa, DOC

    Axne, Iowa Lawmakers Request Federal Investigation into Anamosa, DOC

    Des Moines, Iowa — Today US Rep. Cindy Axne, Iowa House Minority Leader Todd Prichard, and Iowa Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls sent a letter to federal officials requesting an independent investigation into last month’s deadly assaults at the Anamosa State Penitentiary, as well as the increasing violence within Iowa’s correctional facilities.

    In the letter to the US Attorney General and US Secretary of Labor, the Iowa lawmakers outlined the ways in which Governor Reynolds and Iowa Department of Corrections have disregarded and dismissed several warning signs leading up to this tragedy. The signs include: rising violence, prison overcrowding, staff reductions and continued budget cuts.  As two inmates attempted to escape the Anamosa State Penitentiary on March 23, they violently killed correctional officer Robert McFarland and nurse Lorena Schulte. 

    Last year, the Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration (I-OSHA) issued numerous warnings and serious violations to DOC for inadequate communication and prison staffing. One I-OSHA report warned Anamosa employees did not have reliable communication equipment or adequate staff for emergency responses. Instead of fixing the problems identified, the DOC began denying state inspectors access to facilities for fair and independent safety assessments. 

    “Last month’s attack at Anamosa highlights the risks facing our workers if adequate emergency procedures and other measures are not in place to protect them. We owe it to these employees and their families to seek an independent investigation that will uncover all of the facts of this tragic incident and ensure we have clear answers for what went wrong and what can be done to better protect Iowa’s workers,” said Representative Cindy Axne.

    “This terrible tragedy should never have happened. We know the Reynolds Administration ignored the warning signs for years, failed to take action, and even proposed denying additional safety inspections in our correctional facilities. It’s time for an independent investigation that’s completely outside the control of the Reynolds Administration,” said House Minority Leader Todd Prichard.  

    “The Governor’s reaction to last month’s tragic events is yet another example of her failed leadership. How can Iowans expect Republican leaders to keep our state safe if Republicans can’t even keep state workers safe? The Reynolds Administration should have immediately requested an independent, outside investigation. Because she was unwilling to do so, today, we are calling on the Federal government to intervene and take on that responsibility. Iowans need to know the truth about what is happening in our prisons,” said Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls. 

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