Over the past year, I’ve been hard at work, fighting for the policies and investments that Iowa needs to grow and succeed in the future – and I’m proud of all that I’ve been able to get done with the help of Iowans like you.
This year has proved to be a particularly busy year for me in Congress as I helped secure historic investments in our infrastructure and tax cuts for our working families that put billions back into Iowa’s economy.
In addition, I helped bring more than $114 million in federal grant money back to Iowa to support projects happening here in Iowa’s Third Congressional District and ensured more than $930,000 owed to my constituents from the federal government was returned.
In Des Moines, my office closed 750 cases brought forward by constituents who were seeking to get tax returns they were owed from the Internal Revenue Service, secure their Social Security payments and find their stimulus and Child Tax Credit payments they were promised and much more.
And in Washington, D.C., I voted for the American Rescue Plan, which helped put over 4 million vaccines in Iowans’ arms, 1.5 million direct payments into Iowans’ pockets and almost $1 billion in Child Tax Credit payments into Iowa’s economy.
I also helped secure a new bipartisan infrastructure deal that is projected to bring Iowa more than $5 billion in investments over the next five years – with more than $700 million already allocated from that law to invest in our roads, bridges, airports, and water supply.
The infrastructure law I helped get signed into law also includes the largest investment in connecting rural America to high-speed internet in our nation’s history, something that I’ve been working to get done for Iowa since day one in Congress.
I’ve also been working to tackle the supply-chain disruptions and bottlenecks that Iowans have been facing for the past year.
I rolled out my Supply Chain Solutions Agenda to tackle a range of issues affecting Iowans’ ability to get the products they need and bring their own goods to market – everything from port congestion to shortages of truck drivers and lack of investments in our domestic manufacturers.
And I helped get legislation passed in the House to fix our supply chains, lower prices for Iowans and ensure our industries can continue to feed and fuel the world.
Eleven of my bills were signed into law in 2021, including the Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans’ Mental Health Act, which will expand mental health care to rural veterans. I also backed legislation to award Corporal Daegan Page, a U.S. Marine from Red Oak, the Congressional Gold Medal after he was killed in Afghanistan while serving our country earlier this year.
I got new laws on the books that help ensure first responders are reimbursed fairly and to make sure those who were affected by the 2020 derecho received the federal assistance they needed.
But the work is far from over. I’m continuing to work in Congress to lower the costs of prescription drugs, child care, housing and education.
I’m determined to get bills that I’ve written that support our biofuels industry, farmers and Iowa manufacturers signed into law.
I’m committed to extending measures like the expanded Child Tax Credit and health care tax credits that have already put more money back in Iowans’ pockets and helped them make ends meet.
And I’m ready to continue pushing for legislation that will protect Iowans’ voting rights, promote access to safe and affordable health care, lower the costs of a quality education and ensure there are more good-paying jobs for Iowans.
This has been a year for the history books, and I want to thank each and every Iowan whom I’ve heard from over the past year. Sharing your thoughts and perspectives with me has helped me push for these legislative solutions and more in Washington, and I hope you will continue to let me know the things on your mind so I can continue being the best representative for you in Congress.
Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas, happy holidays and a healthy and prosperous New Year!
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.
