Government & Politics

A report from the Lake Restoration Program with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources details the completion of several years-long restoration projects in 2024 and outlines major project plans in 2025.

The comprehensive package supports several key farm and safety net programs, like crop insurance, as well as agriculture research, rural development, conservation projects and food assistance for low-income families. But gridlock over funding for SNAP benefits and incentives for capturing greenhouse gases, among other issues, stood in the way of crafting a new farm bill.

Facing a government shutdown deadline, the Senate rushed through final passage early Saturday of a bipartisan plan that would temporarily fund federal operations and disaster aid, dropping President-elect Donald Trump’s demands for a debt limit increase into the new year.

The bill would fund government at current levels through March, provide $100 billion in disaster aid and $10 billion in assistance to farmers.

Attorney says denial violates First Amendment

The development agreement, approved by the Cedar Rapids City Council on Tuesday, is contingent upon the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission issuing a gaming license to the project.

Also in the Capitol Notebook: Iowa’s unemployment, labor force participation rate ticks up

During a conference call with reporters Thursday morning, Hinson, a Republican from Marion, advocated for passing “a clean CR,” addressing the debt ceiling, providing disaster relief and extending the farm bill to “give our farmers most needed aid.”