IOWA supporting TEXAS
On 26 January 2024, the Supreme Court temporarily allowed the federal government to force Texas to open its border to anyone who attempts to cross. The federal government is asserting Texas cannot stop this invasion across its 1,254 mile border with Mexico. The impact on Iowa is significant since this unchecked invasion is directly connected to human labor trafficking. The federal government is in violation of the 10th Amendment (The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people), and is at the crux of the case before the Supreme Court. Currently, Texas has stated they will continue to build barriers to prevent illegal border crossings, and await a final court decision in the coming months. Governor Reynolds has joined 24 other states in support of Texas. In the meantime, an Iowa House Resolution may soon come to a floor vote that reflects the House’s support as well. To put this situation in perspective, there were over 10,000 people per day “encountered” in December coming across our border unchecked. That’s the approximate population of Hancock County – each day, and does not include those who entered unnoticed This past summer, the Governor sent both State Patrol officers and members of the Iowa National Guard for several weeks as a sign of our support of their efforts to protect our sovereignty.
Area Education Association Update
I have reached out to Governor Reynolds expressing my thoughts on "tapping the breaks" to allow leaders, teachers and parents more input. It is my understanding that there will be amendments to the bill. If there are subcommittees open for that input, there are several within our school leadership ready to come to the capitol. I am gratified that so many are willing to take time from their schedules to testify so that we get this right for our students needing the AEA services.
IJAG
IJAG (Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates) partners with Iowa schools to deliver career development programming that includes leadership training, career education, individualized guidance and employer engagement. I was pleased to get to meet a group from Clarksville this week as they visited the capital. They actually came from Speaker Grassley’s district, but sought me out prior to meeting with him. I’m looking forward to speaking with IJAG in Eagle Grove in a few weeks. These students and their instructors are always a welcome sight. An added opportunity was being able to introduce the IJAG students to Dennis, a House Page. I met Dennis last year after I participated in a panel at ISU. Dennis was still in High School at the time. He shared with me how he and his friends had started a group in their school to ensure no student felt alone, after suicide had rocked their school. Dennis is an inspiration, and kindly shared his inspiring message with the group Later the group and I climbed to the top of the Capital Dome. It reminded all of us that physical effort to reach a goal can be rewarding on several levels.
