Iowa’s Ashley Hinson calls on House GOP ‘to unite’ around Scalise as speaker

Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, of Marion, called on her peers in the House GOP conference to stand behind House Majority Leader Steve Scalise as the party’s nominee and quickly elect him to be the next speaker.

“It’s time to unite," Hinson told reporters on a conference call Thursday. “Iowans are just fed up with the chaos and dysfunction and so am I, and so we need to get this done as soon as possible. That’s my goal and that’s also what I’m communicating to my colleagues who may be holding out.”

House Republicans on Wednesday narrowly nominated Scalise of Louisiana to be the next House speaker during a closed-door meeting, besting House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio. The nomination followed last week’s historic ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Scalise, though, has struggled to secure the 217 votes needed to win the gavel, having won just 113 votes in the GOP conference.

Hinson said she spoke in favor of Scalise’s nomination during the closed-door meeting, and had spoken to colleagues to get them to back him as speaker.

“He’s been a very good friend to me and he listens to me,” Hinson said, “and I think that’s really important in making sure Iowa’s priorities can get done here in Washington, D.C.”

She said she would have backed Jordan, had he won the nomination.

Congress ‘losing valuable time’

Hinson said Congress is "losing valuable time" to pass spending bills before government funding runs out Nov. 17, including measures supporting Israel.

The House last month passed national defense and foreign operations spending bills, which includes $500 million in missile defense for Israel and other pro-Israel provisions. The Senate has not taken up the bills.

The Biden administration is preparing a supplemental funding request to submit to Congress that includes money for Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan and U.S. border security, according to NBC News, quoting anonymous sources.

Hinson opposes that approach.

"There is wide bipartisan support in Congress for Israel, so I’m hopeful we can come together and put politics and disagreement on other issues aside, and show our friends we’re going to stay true to our word and get them what they need,“ Hinson said.

Hinson joined other Republicans, including Iowa U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Iowa U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, in calling for ratcheting up sanctions on Iran and for refreezing the release of Iranian assets that were part of deal that led to the release of five Americans being held in Iran in exchange for several Iranians jailed in the United States.

Miller-Meeks introduced a House resolution Thursday urging the Biden administration to “utilize all coercive and diplomatic resources to secure the release of Americans held hostage, return to a policy of maximum sanctions” against Iran, and freeze the release of the Iranian assets.

Several media outlets, quoting anonymous sources, reported Thursday that a Treasury official told House Democrats that the White House and the government of Qatar, where the money is being kept, blocked Iran’s access.

Hinson working to bring Iowans stuck in Israel home

Hinson said her office has been in touch with several Iowans stuck in Israel, and is working with the State Department to bring them home, including asking to use using charter flights if necessary. Many airports in the region have shut down.

Hinson said the images out of Israel are "horrific" and "stomach-turning.“ She mentioned viral reports of Israeli soldiers discovering babies that had been headed by Hamas militants at the Kfar Aza kibbutz near the Gaza border, which Hinson visited in February during a visit to Israel. Israeli officials have not confirmed the claim.

Iowa AG leads coalition in condemning Hamas attack

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird led a coalition of Republican state attorneys general in a statement condemning the terrorist attacks.

"No sovereign nation can tolerate such terrorist operations within its borders,” the statement reads. “We stand with Israel as it defends itself from this inexplicable and obscene violence. … We regret that Israel’s pursuit of justice and self-defense will cost lives. But responsibility for every life lost in this conflict can be laid at the feet of the cowardly Hamas leadership, residing in comfort in Doha, and their murderous servants. We pray for peace and safety for Israel and the rest of the Middle East."

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