Capitol Notebook: Iowa AG Bird hails federal judges’ pause on Biden’s student loan plan

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird on Tuesday lauded two federal judges’ rulings that blocked a significant portion of President Joe Biden’s latest plan to cancel or lower student debt, although Iowa was no longer a plaintiff in the case.

Federal judges in Kansas and Missouri issued the rulings that blocked the U.S. Department of Education’s plan to forgive some loan balances and to provide assistance to students with larger loans and long-term payment plans, according to the Associated Press.

Iowa was initially a plaintiff in the lawsuit, but earlier this month the judge in Kansas ruled that Kansas, Iowa and six other states in the lawsuit could not prove they had been harmed by the administration’s student debt relief program, and dismissed those states as plaintiffs, the Associated Press reported.

“I am glad the district court ruled to block Biden’s illegal student debt cancellation and protect American families’ hard-earned money as we continue to make our case in court,” Bird said Tuesday in a news release. “With this win, we are on track to save hundreds of billions in taxpayer dollars. Many Iowans work hard to pay off their debt or start a family, join the military, or go straight into the work force. They should not have to foot the bill for someone else’s loans.”

Testing heightened for dairy exhibits

Amid the latest bird flu outbreak, dairy exhibitors will be required to submit additional tests before dairy cattle can be transported to a show, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Sec. Mike Naig said.

This outbreak has impacted 11 dairy herds in northwest Iowa, according to the state, most of them in Sioux County. The virus has been confirmed in only three commercial bird flocks, according to federal data.

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To help minimize the virus’ potential spread, dairy exhibitors participating in Iowa fairs or exhibitions will be required to complete testing for the bird flu within seven days of moving to the exhibition, the state ag department announced. The new rule goes into effect July 1.

“We want to strike a balance between allowing our 4-H, FFA, and dairy exhibitors the opportunity to show their animals, while also requiring additional testing to protect our livestock and minimize the potential spread of the virus,” Naig said in a news release.

Iowa’s youth voting engagement program recognized

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission has honored Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate and the Carrie Chapman Catt Award program that seeks to engage Iowa youth in voting and help enforce election integrity, the Secretary of State’s office announced.

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission recognizes local and state elections offices annually to share and celebrate best practices in election administration, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.

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“Research shows that engaging young people early and teaching them how to register to vote and participate in elections instills lifelong civic engagement,” Pate said in a news release. “With this program, it’s our hope to not only give Iowa’s younger generations the tools they need to participate in current elections, but to encourage them to be voters throughout their entire lives.”

The Iowa program encourages high school students to host voter registration drives and register eligible students to vote. During the 2023-2024 school year, more than 40 schools registered 90 percent or more of eligible students, the Secretary of State’s Office said.

Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau

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