Federal Government

Iowa Republican officials condemned the trial and unanimous guilty verdict by a New York jury as a politically motivated “sham.”

The federal declaration comes as more than a third of Iowa’s counties are under state disaster proclamations after a week of dangerous and damaging weather.

The Education Department announced the latest round of cancellation on Wednesday, saying it will erase $7.7 billion in federal student loans. With the latest action, the administration said it has canceled $167 billion in student debt for nearly 5 million Americans through several programs.

$17.5 million in federal pandemic relief dollars will fund opioid use prevention and treatment projects after Iowa lawmakers failed to agree on spending from the state's Opioid Settlement Fund.

The FDA strongly warned against drinking raw milk. Some states, including Iowa, have sought in recent years to expand the unpasteurized milk’s availability for purchase.

Once OMB signs off, the DEA will take public comment on the plan to move marijuana from its current classification as a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and LSD. It moves pot to Schedule III, alongside ketamine and some anabolic steroids.

The rule advances President Joe Biden’s commitment to environmental justice by delivering critical health protections for communities burdened by industrial pollution from ethylene oxide, chloroprene and other dangerous chemicals, officials said.

After lobbying for years, Cedar Rapids has secured $56.4 million in federal funding to replace the Eighth Avenue Bridge — a key segment of the city’s permanent flood control system that has long been awaiting funding.