WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: Considering the Department of Education's (Ed) failure to provide farm families with transparency surrounding Ed's botched rollout of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is leading 13 colleagues in demanding answers for agricultural communities.  The lawmakers wrote, "We write today to share our concerns specifically in reference to Question 22--Student Assets,  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) are pressing the Education Department for clarity regarding Question 22 on the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The senators are specifically concerned that the way the agency chooses to ask this question will force students to list the net worth of family farms as assets. Current ambiguities could cut off farm kids from needed fi  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- The House Veterans' Affairs Committee issued the following testimony by John Mikelson, a veterans advocate from Columbus Junction, Iowa, involving a hearing on Jan. 11, 2024, entitled "Rural Access: Is VA Meeting All Veterans Where They Live?": * * * Chairman Bost , Ranking Member Takano, and distinguished members of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs - thank you for inviting me to submit this written statement for the record of today's hearing on rural health care  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: DES MOINES -- U.S. Representatives Zach Nunn (IA-03) and Don Davis (NC-01) today introduced bipartisan legislation to preserve access to credit for Iowa's rural communities. The Rural Credit Access Act will modernize the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) program at the U.S. Department of Treasury to create transparency and prevent unintentional harm to rural communities. "Too often, our small to  more