Columns
Thursday, December 7, 2006
a bipartisan new beginning
In the course of every campaign season, emotions run high as candidates present different ideas about how best to govern. Now that the people have spoken, however, it is time to put partisanship aside and get to work for Iowa’s – and America’s – best interests. That means reaching across the aisle and focusing on policy, not politics. I plan to work with Republicans and Democrats alike on an ambitious agenda to move our nation forward, create economic opportunity, and strengthen our energy and national security. When the new Congress meets in January, one of our top priorities will be lifting restrictions on using federal funds to help medical researchers carry out stem cell research. Expanding federal funding for this cutting-edge research has been one of my primary areas of focus. Stem cell research has the potential to find cures for Parkinson’s, Diabetes, Alzheimer’s and other diseases that affect millions of Americans. Bipartisan majorities in the current Congress passed legislation to restore funding to this crucial research. Unfortunately, President Bush vetoed that bill in July. I hope that he will have a change of heart next year.
Raising the minimum wage, which has been stagnate for almost 10 years, will also be at the top of Congress’ agenda. Due to inflation, minimum-wage workers today have less to live on than they did a decade ago. In Iowa, 87,400 workers would be helped directly by increasing the minimum wage to $7.25. A full-time, year-round worker would gain $4,370 in income. For a low-income family of three, that would be enough money to pay for a year and a half of heat and electricity, almost two years of child care, or full tuition for a community college degree. In the new Congress, I am also looking forward to once again becoming Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry as we craft a new version of what is commonly called the farm bill. In this new legislation, we need to embody a bold vision for agriculture, rural communities and all of America.
It was an honor to be Chairman when we wrote the 2002 farm bill, the full name of which is The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act. We need to continue and improve policies that promote farm profitability and invest in jobs, economic growth and quality of life in our rural communities. I certainly intend to push for a stronger title promoting farm-based renewable energy, building on what we started in the 2002 bill. We must take robust, concrete steps to restore America’s energy security – which is vital to improving our national security.
Another top priority is promoting conservation. In the 2002 bill, I created the Conservation Security Program, a system of financial incentives for agricultural producers who adopt and maintain sound conservation practices on land in agricultural production. CSP has strong, broad support among farmers, conservationists and the wider public, but it has suffered from severe budget cutbacks by Congress and the administration since 2002. We need to restore CSP so it can operate as a fully funded, national program, which is what we intended when we created it.
We have an exciting year ahead of us, with great opportunities to pass legislation that will help improve the lives of American families. Americans have clearly said they want members of Congress and President Bush to work together to make our nation a land of opportunity for all. Of course, differences will remain. People will always disagree about what policies will best lead America forward. But I believe that by building upon common values, we can work together to create a brighter future for our great nation.
