Gazette Daily News Podcast: March 23 and 24, 2024

– House GOP budget plan would raise Social Security retirement age, ban abortion

– Cedar Rapids fire that killed man was accidental

– Cardboard Boat Regatta returning to Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival lineup

Episode Transcript

Coming up, the U.S. House GOP budget plan would raise the Social Security retirement age and ban abortion

And later, the U.S. House approves a $1.2 trillion government funding package

Plus, the Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival is bringing back an event last held in 2011. Stay tuned to find out what it is

Welcome to the weekend edition of the Gazette Daily News Podcast. This podcast gives quick bites from the latest headlines coming out of The Gazette newsroom. I’m Bailey Cichon.

First, a group of more than 170 U.S. House Republicans have released a new budget proposal. The budget plan was released Wednesday by the Republican Study Committee, of which Iowa U.S. Reps Randy Feenstra, Ashley Hinson and Zachary Nunn are members. The budget plan would raise the Social Security retirement age, restructure Medicare, ban abortion and threaten fertility treatments. Regarding Social Security, the RSC budget proposes quote “modest adjustments to the retirement age for future retirees to account for increases in life expectancy,” end quote. A specific retirement age was not listed although in the past, advocates for raising the Social Security retirement age have proposed raising it from 67 to 69.

The plan also calls for changes to the Primary Insurance Amount or PIA benefit formula as well as auxiliary benefits for high-income earners. It would also gradually move toward a quote “flat benefit” end quote. A threshold for high-income earners was not specified.

House Republicans emphasized that the ideas will not take effect immediately saying quote, “The RSC Budget does not cut or delay retirement benefits for any senior in or near retirement.”

Iowa Rep. Ashley Hinson told reporters Friday that she doesn’t support any cuts to Social Security or raising the retirement age.

The new budget also proposes converting Medicare to a premium support model. It also endorses a series of bills quote “designed to advance the cause of life” end quote. This includes a national abortion ban and the Life at Conception act, which would give legal protections for human beings at quote “the moment of fertilization” end quote.

President Biden called the RSC’s budget plan extreme. In a statement, Biden said quote, “My budget represents a different future,… A future where we restore the right to choose and protect other freedoms, not take them away. A future where the middle class finally has a fair shot, and we protect Social Security so the working people who built this country can retire with dignity.” end quote.

Hinson said in a statement quote, “President Biden is addicted to taxing and spending, He truly thinks taxpayer dollars are monopoly money and that there is a money tree in the basement of the White House he can pull from to fund his out-of-touch, liberal agenda that Iowans don’t want. I will always work to protect key programs that Iowans rely on, but I will reject Biden’s wasteful spending habits that have caused inflation, driven up our deficit and ruined our economy.”

For a closer look at the budget plan, follow the link in this episode’s description.

In other White House news, the U.S. House approved a $1.2 trillion government funding package Friday ahead of a government shutdown deadline. The final vote was 286-134. 122 Republicans and 22 Democrats voted against it. Iowa Republicans U.S. Reps. Hinson, Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Nunn voted in favor. Rep. Feenstra voted against it.

The package would fund about three-quarters of the federal government for the next six months. It also would raise military pay, eliminate U.S funding for the U.N. relief agency for Palestinians and bolster security at the U.S.-Mexico border.

The government funding package also includes Hinson's $8 million funding request for flood gates and pumps. That request would support the city of Dubuque’s efforts to prevent flood damage to the city’s most at-risk neighborhoods and businesses.

Next, earlier this week we reported on a fire that killed one Cedar Rapids man and injured another. The fire broke out in the 1200 block of N Street SW Tuesday morning. Cedar Rapids Fire Department said in a news release that the fire was started by accident. Cedar Rapids police officers removed one man before firefighters arrived. He was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Firefighters removed 78-year-old Frederick Slagenweit who died at a hospital later.

Next, Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival is bringing back the Cardboard Boat Regatta. This will be the first time the event is held since 2011. The Regatta is a head-to-head race of boats made of cardboard. It will be held at Robbins Lake on June 8. Teams of two to eight people may enter so long as they are age 16 or older. The entry fee is $40 and teams are encouraged to create themed boats. Hopefully this early announcement gives boat builders enough time to craft a sturdy ship.

As always, you can find a link to each of the stories featured in today’s episode in this episode’s description or at the gazette dot com.

Now, let’s take a look at the weather in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Saturday will be sunny. Expect a high of 39 degrees and a low of 28 degrees. Sunday will be windy. Anticipate a high of 44 degrees and a low of 40 degrees. Finally, Monday it will rain but temperatures will warm up. Expect a high of 62 degrees and a low of 33 degrees.

Thank you for listening to the Gazette Daily News Podcast. Stay up to date with the latest news from Eastern Iowa at the gazette dot com. I’m Bailey Cichon.

Comments: bailey.cichon@thegazette.com