Iowa

D.C. Dispatch: Support for Israel, rural access to health care • Iowa Capital Dispatch

Published

2 years ago

May 10, 2024

D.C. Dispatch: Support for Israel, rural access to health care • Iowa Capital Dispatch

Iowa’s congressional delegation focused on Israel and Palestine this past week while also discussing multiple rural health care initiatives and pregnancy.gov, a website with resources for new mothers.

Here’s a look at what the delegation was up to this week:

Israel weapon supply

Sens. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley, as well as Rep. Ashley Hinson, weighed in on President Joe Biden’s decision not to supply weapons to Israel if it goes into Rafah, a Hamas stronghold in Gaza.

“There should be no wavering in U.S. support for Israel as they defend their right to exist and fight to bring Hamas-held hostages home,” Ernst said in a news release. “As he plays politics with these lives and abandons American civilians to Iran-backed terrorists, the Biden administration fails to admit the munitions he is denying are the precision tools needed to prevent civilian casualties.”

Grassley criticized Biden, saying he should learn from lessons of the past.

“Biden swore Israel would not be alone in this fight,” Grassley said in a news release. “Now, he’s making a politically-oriented decision to turn his back on our greatest ally in the Middle East.”

Biden spoke about civilians who have been killed by bombs in Gaza and that Israel must do more to protect civilians in Gaza in an interview with CNN.

“President Biden halting shipments of lethal military aid to Israel is nothing short of a gift to Hamas terrorists,” Hinson said in a news release. “Israel has the right to defend itself from Hamas, and Congress voted overwhelmingly to send Israel the lethal military aid necessary to do so. Hamas is responsible for every single civilian casualty in Gaza.”

Grassley also said that all deaths since Oct. 7 are at the hands of Hamas.

Earlier in the week, Ernst wrote a letter to Biden asking for more information on weapons reportedly withheld from Israel.

U.S.–Israel health care collaboration

“Close coordination” between the U.S. and Israel is the target of a new Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks bill that attempts to address innovation and health care advancement.

The Maximizing Israel-U.S. Research Advancement and Collaborative Leadership in Emerging Medical Technology Act would promote exchange programs and training, increase disease prevention initiatives, increase technology safety, support innovation hubs for new and emerging health technologies and promote research and development between the two countries.

“At a time when Israel is under attack, it is critical that potential medical breakthroughs are not stifled,” Miller-Meeks said in a news release, adding that Israel is an “innovation and technological powerhouse.”

Jewish Heritage Month resolution

Each May since 2006 Congress and the president have approved the recognition of Jewish American Heritage Month through a resolution.

On Wednesday, Miller-Meeks introduced the 2024 resolution, which encourages “all Americans to learn more about Jewish culture and pay tribute to the generations of Jewish Americans who have helped shape American history,” according to Miller-Meeks’ office.

“Our important effort comes at a time when antisemitism continues to rear its ugly head across the country,” Miller-Meeks said in a news release. “The purveyors of antisemitism must be stopped. I will continue to push for efforts to counter antisemitism and stand with our Jewish friends and neighbors.”

Defunding higher education for violent protests

The No Higher Education Assistance for Mobs of Antisemitic and terrorist Sympathizing Students (No HAMAS) Act was introduced by Ernst and Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina.

The bill would affect funding at universities where students are convicted of trespassing, rioting or damaging property while protesting. Students would also lose eligibility for government aid.

“Violence against Jewish students is not a First Amendment right, and every American should oppose these pro-Hamas protests,” Ernst said in a news release.

The bill comes after pro-Palestine protests and encampments being staged on college campuses across the country.

Bird flu collaboration

Grassley, Ernst and a bipartisan group of 15 other senators called on Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Tom Vilsack to provide coordinated, up-to-date information on Avian Influenza.

The lawmakers wrote a letter specifically concerned about commercial milk and meat production as well as the health of the producers in those industries.

“The spread of the strain to livestock, including goats and cattle, and a farmworker in Texas, underscores the urgency required to confront this outbreak through a collaborative federal response, heightened surveillance, and additional resources to support vaccine research,” the lawmakers wrote.

The lawmakers asked the USDA to coordinate its approach with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, researchers and state and local partners.

“Previous outbreaks have benefited from a consortium strategy wherein the USDA brought together the brightest minds in epidemiology and animal health research to lessen the potential economic and societal cost of the spread,” the lawmakers wrote. “We ask that the USDA take a similar approach.”

Maternal health bill

Grassley and other Republican senators introduced a bill supported by various pro-life organizations.

The bill, the More Opportunities for Moms to Succeed Act, would establish Pregnancy.gov, a website highlighting resources available for mothers and would improve access for grant programs for organizations assisting women in carrying pregnancies to term and caring for children after birth.

“New and expectant mothers should have ready access to health care resources,” Grassley said in a news release. “Often, even when the appropriate support exists, it can be difficult to find or get to – especially for women living in rural areas.”

The bill would also require states to apply child support obligations during pregnancy, according to Grassley’s office.

Two bills for hospital accessibility for rural seniors

A bill to fund renovations, training equipment and more for rural hospitals passed the House Ways and Means Committee. The bill, the Rural Hospital Stabilization Act introduced by Rep. Randy Feenstra, would authorize a pilot program that would fund hospitals, especially ones with smaller patient capacity and at risk of closure.

A second Feenstra-led bill, the Audio-Only Telehealth Access Act, would make permanent Medicare coverage of audio-only telehealth services. A temporary waiver funding audio-only services will expire in December.

“Protecting access to affordable, reliable healthcare in rural Iowa is a top priority for me in Congress,” Feenstra said in a news release. “It’s why I’m glad that two bills that I introduced to support our rural communities passed the House Ways and Means Committee.”

Veteran suicide prevention

A bill introduced by Rep. Zach Nunn attempts to address the issue of combat veterans who die by suicide passed the House having been approved by the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity last November.

The bill would increase mental health education for veterans and would include provisions to the Transition Assistance Program to combat mental health-related conditions.

The bill is named after two men who died by suicide after serving in the military, including Iowan Corporal Adam Lambert from Adel.

“Unfortunately, too often the transition back to civilian life is harder than it should be,” Nunn said in a news release. “I’m grateful to have worked with Adam’s parents, Dean and Jill, to honor his memory and improve mental health services for America’s veterans.”

Retiree scams

Nunn introduced a bipartisan bill to invest in state responses to scams.

The bill would grant the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission money to invest in state responses to scams by hiring enforcement officers and developing educational resources. The bill would also grant money to assist retirees by developing forward-thinking strategies to combat financial exploitation and fraud against retirees.

“Ensuring Iowan’s life savings are protected isn’t a partisan matter – it’s a matter of right or wrong,” Nunn said in a news release. “We’re fighting back against con artists preying on retirees. No one should have to worry about financial fraud during their golden years.”

The 2023 Elder Fraud Report from the FBI found that more than 100,000 retirees were reported as being victims of scams. Those who were scammed lost an average of $33,915.

School safety grants

A bipartisan bill for schools would allow funds to be made available for drug abuse awareness and prevention and reduction of human trafficking and gang activity.

The bill would award competitive grants from the U.S. Department of Education to implement programs to prevent those activities.

“Dangerous drugs, human trafficking, and violence are pouring over our Southern Border into our communities, and there’s no doubt that the solution to this crisis starts with securing our border,” Nunn said in a news release. “At the same time, we can also protect our kids and save lives with commonsense solutions that address rising crime in our communities.”

The bill would make limit the available funds to public schools.

Occupational therapy bill

Nunn also introduced a bipartisan bill that would, according to him, “reduce barriers to treatment for Medicare recipients.”

The Occupational Therapy and Mental Health Parity Act would require stakeholder education to clarify coverage by Medicare for occupational therapy services for substance use and mental health disorders.

“Our nation is facing both a mental health and substance abuse crisis,” Nunn said in a news release. “Occupational therapists can make a massive difference in treatment and recovery from these diagnoses.”

Fentanyl Awareness Day

Grassley introduced a bipartisan resolution this week to designate Tuesday, May 7, 2024, as National Fentanyl Awareness Day.

The resolution was aimed at informing the public about counterfeit fentanyl pills.

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Iowa

Iowa House OKs ‘3 strikes’ bill with 20-year prison terms. What to know

Published

11 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Iowa House OKs ‘3 strikes’ bill with 20-year prison terms. What to know

Iowans who commit multiple serious crimes would face a mandatory 20-year prison sentence under a “three strikes” bill passed by House lawmakers.
Republicans said the bill would keep Iowans safe and “prioritize victims and public safety over criminals.”
A nonpartisan state agency says the bill would disproportionately impact Black Iowans and could require the state to spend millions to build a new prison.

Repeat offenders convicted of multiple serious crimes would receive a mandatory 20-year prison sentence under a bill passed by House lawmakers.

House lawmakers debated for more than an hour about high costs, lack of prison space and the bill’s impact on Black Iowans before voting 68-23 to pass House File 2542, sending it to the Iowa Senate.

Seven Democrats, including Minority Leader Brian Meyer, D-Des Moines, joined Republicans in voting in favor of the bill.

“It will put public safety first,” said the bill’s floor manager, Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison. “It will ensure that the debt to victims and society is paid. It will prioritize victims and public safety over criminals. It will establish real and effective deterrence that is nonexistent in our current system. It will reduce chaos and violence in our society.”

Here’s what to know about the bill.

What would the House Republican three strikes bill do?

Iowans who accumulate three strikes would face a mandatory 20-year prison sentence, with no parole, under the bill.

That would replace Iowa’s current law that says habitual offenders must serve a minimum three-year prison sentence before they are eligible for parole.

All felonies, as well as aggravated misdemeanors involving sexual abuse, domestic abuse, assault and organized retail theft would be considered level-one offenses that are worth one full strike.

Other aggravated misdemeanors, as well as serious misdemeanors involving assault, domestic abuse and criminal mischief would be considered level-two offenses worth half a strike each.

Lawmakers amended the bill to remove theft, harassment and possession of a controlled substance from the crimes that would count toward a person’s strikes.

And the amendment specifies that the bill would only apply to convictions that occur beginning July 1, 2026.

If someone is arrested and convicted of multiple offenses, only the most serious charge would count towards the defendant’s strikes.

Convictions would not count toward someone’s total if more than 20 years passes between a prior conviction and their current conviction.

Rep. Ross Wilburn, D-Ames, tried unsuccessfully to amend the bill to say that only a violent crime would qualify as someone’s third strike, but Republicans rejected the amendment.

“The bill still scores murder, felony embezzlement and felony theft the same, even though they are very different crimes,” Wilburn said. “One point is one point and three gets you 20 years with no ability for parole or judicial discretion.”

Holt said the legislation leaves room for judicial and prosecutorial discretion.

“There are deferred sentences, there are plea bargains,” he said. “There is plenty of opportunity for grace and judicial discretion in the legislation that we are proposing.”

Bill could cost millions, require Iowa to build a new prison, agency says

A fiscal analysis of the bill by the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency said it could cost Iowa nearly $165 million more per year by 2031 based on the cost of housing inmates for longer prison stays.

FY 2027: $33 million
FY 2028: $66 million
FY 2029: $99 million
FY 2030: $132 million
FY 2031: $164.9 million

The agency said if the bill had been in effect between fiscal year 2020 and fiscal year 2025, there would have been 5,373 people who qualified for the 20-year mandatory minimum sentence.

“An increase in the prison population due to increased (length of stay) will require the DOC to build additional prison(s),” the agency states. “The size, security and other features that a future prison may require cannot be determined, but costs would be significant.”

The analysis noted that South Dakota appropriated $650 million last fall to build a 1,500-bed prison.

As of March 1, the Iowa Department of Corrections’ website describes the state’s prison system as being overcrowded by 25%, with 8,705 inmates compared to a capacity of 6,990.

The Office of the State Public Defender could see a projected cost increase of $1.6 million due to an increased number of trials resulting from the legislation.

But the agency’s estimates come with a caveat — the Department of Corrections did not respond to its requests for data.

“The LSA has not received a response to multiple requests for information from the DOC,” the note states. “Without additional information, the LSA cannot estimate the total fiscal impact of the bill.”

Holt called the fiscal note “an embarrassment to the Department of Corrections” and “an agenda masquerading as math.”

“It is clear, in my judgment, that because they did not like the legislation they went all out and extreme to create a fiscal note that cannot be taken seriously in its assumptions,” he said. “It assumes that nothing will change, that there will be no deterrent factor and that the numbers will continue as usual.”

Black Iowans would be disproportionately impacted by the law

The Legislative Services Agency analysis says the bill “may disproportionately impact Black individuals if trends remain constant.”

Of the 29,438 people convicted in fiscal year 2025 of felonies and aggravated misdemeanors that constitute a level one offense under the bill, the agency said about 70% were White, 22% were Black and 9% were other races.

Iowa’s overall population is 83% White, 4% Black and 13% other races, the agency said.

It’s not clear how the bill’s impact would change to account for the House amendment removing some crimes from counting towards the three strikes.

“Expanding three-strike laws will intensify disparities — and that’s what this statement shows — by mandating longer sentences, limiting judicial discretion,” Wilburn said. “We already have a habitual offender statute. We already have one in place. We have a 10-year low in recidivism in our correctional system.”

Rep. Angel Ramirez, D-Cedar Rapids, said California’s three strikes law, passed in the 1990s, worsened racial disparities, and “Iowa is about to repeat the same mistake.”

“I urge every member here, do not pass legislation that our own minority impact statement tells us will deepen inequality in our state,” Ramirez said.

Holt said minority communities in Iowa are impacted by crime and that the legislation “will make citizens of all colors safer.”

And he said the minority impact statement “tells only one side of the story, doesn’t it? It tells the criminal’s story. What about the victim’s story?”

“What about the mother who will continue to tuck her kids in at night and read them Bible stories because she never became the next victim of a violent career criminal?” he said. “Where is that data point in the minority impact statement?”

House lawmakers also approved separate legislation that would increase Iowa’s statewide bond schedule, Senate File 2399.

That bill passed on a vote of 74-19.

Iowans could see more information on judges’ rulings

Iowans would have access to more information about judges’ rulings ahead of the state’s judicial retention elections under a separate measure, House File 2719, which passed on a 73-19 vote.

The Iowa secretary of state’s office would be required to publish information including:

The percentage of cases in which the judge set a bond amount lower than the state’s bond schedule
The frequency that the judge releases someone on their own recognizance for a violent offense compared to a nonviolent offense
The frequency that the judge’s final sentence is lower than statutory recommendations or a prosecutor’s recommendations
The number of times the judge issues a deferred judgement, deferred sentence or suspended sentence
The number of times the judge’s rulings are reversed on appeal due to abuse of discretion or error of law
The average time it takes the judge to rule on a motion or case
The number of cases the judge has resolved compared to the number of cases on the judge’s docket

The data would have to be displayed with a five-year trend line beginning five years after the bill takes effect.

The Secretary of State’s Office would also be required to maintain a searchable database of all judicial opinions and orders for the judge’s current term and the preceding six years. The decisions would be redacted when appropriate.

And judges would have the opportunity to write a 2,000-word personal statement on their judicial philosophy or data trends present in their rulings.

Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on X at @sgrubermiller.

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Iowa

Man sentenced for killing 4 people appeals his sentence to the Iowa Supreme Court

Published

23 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Man sentenced for killing 4 people appeals his sentence to the Iowa Supreme Court

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Luke Truesdell’s attorney has filed as of Sunday to appeal his sentence to the Iowa Supreme Court.

Truesdell was sentenced last week to three consecutive life sentences plus 50 years for the deaths of four people killed in rural Linn County.

A jury convicted Luke Truesdell, 36, in November on the first-degree murder of Brent Brown, 34; his girlfriend, Keonna Ryan, 26, of Cedar Rapids; and Amanda Parker, 33, of Vinton. They also found him guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Romondus Cooper, 44, of Cedar Rapids.

His attorneys previously argued multiple reasons for a retrial that could potentially be brought up again.

They said that one juror was overheard talking about news on the case.

They also said the prosecutors inflamed the jury, rather than focusing on the facts.

His lawyers said there is no direct evidence that Truesdell committed the murders.

Truesdell’s defense also pointed to Truesdell’s father, Larry Tuesdell, who was found covered in blood at the scene but never fully investigated. Authorities have not been able to locate Larry.

The state disagreed, citing overwhelming evidence including DNA on the murder weapon, eyewitness testimony and video of Truesdell entering the garage where the four people were found dead.

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Iowa

2026 Iowa high school boys basketball state tournament brackets, schedule

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

2026 Iowa high school boys basketball state tournament brackets, schedule

The Iowa high school boys state basketball tournament is just around the corner and the full field has now been set.

By March 13, four teams will be crowned state champions and there are plenty of worthy squads vying for the title. On Tuesday, the final brackets were released and we now have a clear picture of the eight teams in each class hoping to take home the trophy.

Here’s a look at the first-round pairings and the full state tournament schedule for next week’s IHSAA action.