Election winners reflect on what comes next
By Jean Caspers-Simmet
simmet@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 11/18/2010 3:35 PM
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Branstad hits ground running after victory
DES MOINES —Iowa Governor-elect Terry Branstad is ready to go to work.
"We'll hit the ground running on jobs making Iowa a more attractive place for businesses by reducing the tax and regulatory burden," Branstad said last week."
Branstad said that agriculture will play a central role.
"Iowa is a major agriculture state and ag is doing well," Branstad said. "We have very good commodity prices and cattle numbers are coming back. We are a leading pork producing state and we have a big renewable fuels industry. It has hurt that the biodiesel tax credit was not extended and we hope we can get that worked out as well as getting the EPA to approve a 15 percent ethanol blend for more vehicles."
Branstad said that he doesn't foresee a sales tax increase any time in the future. That is needed to make funding available for the recently passed Iowa's Water and Land Legacy Amendment.
"Once we get the state's financial house in order hopefully we will have more resources for soil conservation and natural resources," Branstad said. "I can say that there will be no increase in state sales tax."
Republicans will control the House and it looks like Democrats will control the Senate, although several races were too close to call last week.
Branstad said he's very excited to be back as Iowa governor.
"I never imagined I'd be doing this again but people were calling to me to come back and put the focus on jobs, provide leadership in education. I have definite ideas on how I'm going to do that and I'm already laying the groundwork."
He said there are tough budget decisions that need to be made in the coming year.
"There was a lot of one-time money used to pay for ongoing expenses," he said.
Branstad said he and Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds are committed to visiting every Iowa county annually.
Election outcome bodes well for agriculture, King says
KIRON, Iowa —The outcome of the mid-term election will result in a lot more members of Congress from rural agricultural areas than the previous election, said U.S. Rep. Steve King, a Republican from Kiron.
"That bodes well for the future of agriculture in the country," King said. "We will have people in Congress who know something about agriculture."
King, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, said the incoming chair is likely to be Rep. Frank Lucas of Oklahoma.
"Frank is a friend and we will have an effective working relationship," King said. "We will be writing a new farm bill, and it will be written by Republicans not inner-city Democrats. Frank Lucas is an active Oklahoma farmer who raises wheat, soybeans and corn. He's very smart."
King said extending the tax credit for ethanol and reinstating the biodiesel tax credit are more likely to happen with Republicans controlling the House.
"I'll be pushing hard on that," King said.
King said a farm bill will not be written until hearings are held around the country and there have been discussions with the agricultural industry.
"We want a farm bill that picks up on the wisdom of the industry," King said. "We don't want to fence in or lock out."
King said he will likely be named chairman of the Judiciary Committee's immigration subcommittee. He intends to move ahead with legislation that includes border security and control, shutting down the jobs magnet and ending sanctuary cities.
King warned against the lame-duck Congress making big decisions unless there is a consensus between Democrats and Republicans.
"The Congress that is seated now has been rejected by the American people," King said. "The legitimate Congress is the incoming Congress."
Grassley to continue on agriculture committee
NEW HARTFORD, Iowa —U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley said last week that he expects to continue to serve on the Finance, Judiciary, Agriculture and Budget committees. Because the Republican Conference limits service as ranking member on any one committee to six years, he will be ranking member of the Judiciary Committee instead of the Finance Committee starting in January.
"Overall, a more narrowly divided Senate should result in the majority party doing more to find common ground with members of the minority party," Grassley said.
Grassley said the first, second and third priorities for both the lame-duck session and the new Congress will be creating an environment for job creation and economic growth.
"Uncertainty about higher taxes is keeping employers from being able to make investments and hiring," Grassley said. "So Congress needs to prevent the largest-dollar tax increase in history, including on small business where 70 percent of new jobs are created. There has been and continues to be bipartisan support to do so. Congress also needs to stop delaying action on tax incentives for renewable energy."
The new Congress also needs listen to the message sent by the voters and stop out-of control spending by the government, Grassley said.
"Americans know that spending increases of 22 percent, which we've seen in the last two years, don't create prosperity," Grassley said. "Instead they put a crushing level of debt on the next generation."