I’m pleased to share that for the second year in a row I’ve been named the most bipartisan member of the Iowa congressional delegation by the Lugar Center and Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy.
I was also named the 20th most bipartisan member of the 435 voting members in the U.S. House of Representatives, putting me in the 96th percentile of all members.
The Lugar/McCourt Bipartisan Index demonstrates how often a member of Congress works with those across the aisle by measuring how many bills members write that are supported by those in the other party or in turn supporting a bill written by the other party.
Since coming to Congress, I’ve been laser-focused on cutting through bureaucratic red tape, lowering costs and expanding opportunities for Iowans.
For example, recently I have been working hard on bipartisan bills to help Iowa veterans, farmers and first responders.
In May a bipartisan majority of the House passed my bill, the Student Veteran Work Study Modernization Act, to ensure both full-time and part-time student veterans can get access to Department of Veteran Affairs work study programs. This way, we’re setting every student veteran up for long-term success.
We don’t need to put limits on veterans’ education when they have families to take care of or mortgages to pay.
These programs have left too many veterans unable to use the education benefits they’ve earned, and I’m going to keep fighting for this bipartisan legislation until it is signed by President Biden.
I also recently introduced the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act with fellow Iowan Rep. Randy Feenstra. This legislation, championed by Sen. Grassley in the Senate, would return fairness to the cattle marketplace that is currently dominated by four major meatpackers that are unfairly squeezing out Iowa cattle producers.
Over the last few decades, roughly 17,000 cattle producers have left the farm each year in the U.S. We cannot let that trend continue, and we must take action so family farms can continue to stay in the family. Iowa farmers deserve markets that provide them with fair and equal footing, and this legislation brings us one step closer to make that reality.
I have also been working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on the Invest to Protect Act, legislation that would set up a new grant program for police departments with fewer than 200 officers – which would help every police department in Iowa, and I was pleased to see Sen. Grassley help introduce the Senate companion to this bill. The grant money can be used to train officers so they are better prepared for any situation.
I’m also fighting for the bipartisan Pathways to Policing Act to ensure Iowa’s police departments that are facing officer shortages and struggling to maintain adequate staffing levels can recruit more officers to protect our communities, especially folks who are traditionally underrepresented in law enforcement.
Communities and police departments are both better served by having a diverse force.
I am glad to be working with my colleagues on legislation that will help Iowans and keep our communities safe.
In a Congress that seems more divided than ever, I have worked hard with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get things done for Iowa, and I look forward to continuing this work.
I’m honored to receive recognition for my bipartisanship, and I will continue working tirelessly to bring Iowans’ voices to Congress with me.
Rep. Cindy Axne of West Des Moines represents Iowa’s Third Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. She can be reached at 202-225-5476.
