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Former Member, Appropriations Committee, Iowa State Senate
Former Member, Commerce Committee, Iowa State Senate
Former Chair, Human Resources Committee, Iowa State Senate
Former Co-Chair, Joint Oversight Committee on Health Policy, Iowa State Senate
Former Member, State Government Committee, Iowa State Senate
Former Member, Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, Iowa State Senate
Former Vice Chair, Veterans Affairs Committee, Iowa State Senate
Member, Committee on Homeland Security
Member, Education & Labor Committee
Member, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
Member, Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery
Member, Subcommittee on Health (Veterans' Affairs)
Member, Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment
Member, Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security
Member, Subcommittee on Workforce Protections
Member, Veterans' Affairs
Reason for Seeking Public Office:
"I'm running because as a doctor I couldn't sit on the sidelines as the Affordable Care Act jeopardizes the healthcare of Iowans. We were promised that premiums would go down and quality and access would go up, but we're seeing the opposite as the law is being implemented.
"Washington is a dysfunctional mess and it's time to send someone there who has real world experience bringing people together to solve problems -- like implementing better patient-centered healthcare reforms and restoring accountability in government.
"As the Director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, I've seen firsthand what can be done when you put partisanship aside and work for the greater good. I want to bring that problem-solving, common-sense Iowa attitude to Congress. Washington needs more of this Iowa approach."
1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life
1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- Unknown Position
2. Do you support expanding federal funding to support entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare?
- Unknown Position
Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Unknown Position
1. Do you support the protection of government officials, including law enforcement officers, from personal liability in civil lawsuits concerning alleged misconduct?
- Unknown Position
Do you support increasing defense spending?
- Unknown Position
1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Unknown Position
2. Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes
3. Do you support providing financial relief to businesses AND/OR corporations negatively impacted by the state of national emergency for COVID-19?
- Unknown Position
1. Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- Unknown Position
1. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)?
- Unknown Position
2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Unknown Position
Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- Unknown Position
1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- Unknown Position
2. Do you support requiring businesses to provide paid medical leave during public health crises, such as COVID-19?
- Unknown Position
1. Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
- Yes
2. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- Unknown Position
1. Should the United States use military force to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a weapon of mass destruction (for example: nuclear, biological, chemical)?
- Unknown Position
2. Do you support reducing military intervention in Middle East conflicts?
- Unknown Position
Do you generally support removing barriers to international trade (for example: tariffs, quotas, etc.)?
- Yes
1. Abortions should always be illegal.
- No Answer
2. Abortions should always be legal.
- No Answer
3. Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester.
- No Answer
4. Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
- X
5. Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
- X
6. Dilation and extraction or "partial-birth" abortion procedures should be legal.
- No Answer
7. Medicare, Medicaid, and federal subsidies should be prohibited from being used on abortion procedures.
- X
8. Other or expanded principles.
- No Answer
1. Agriculture
- Maintain Status
2. Arts
- Maintain Status
3. Defense
- Maintain Status
4. Education
- Slightly Increase
5. Environment
- Maintain Status
6. FEMA
- Slightly Increase
7. Homeland security
- Maintain Status
8. International aid
- Slightly Decrease
9. Law enforcement (Federal)
- Maintain Status
10. Law enforcement (State)
- Slightly Increase
11. Medical research
- Maintain Status
12. National parks
- Maintain Status
13. Public health services
- Maintain Status
14. Scientific research
- Slightly Increase
15. Space exploration programs
- Maintain Status
16. Transportation and highway infrastructure
- Slightly Increase
17. United Nations
- Slightly Decrease
18. Welfare
- Maintain Status
19. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer
20. Armed forces personnel training
- Maintain Status
21. Intelligence operations
- Maintain Status
22. Military hardware
- Maintain Status
23. Modernization of weaponry and equipment
- Maintain Status
24. National missile defense
- Slightly Increase
25. Pay for active duty personnel
- Slightly Increase
26. Programs to improve troop retention rates
- Slightly Increase
27. Research and development of new weapons
- Maintain Status
28. Troop and equipment readiness
- Slightly Increase
29. Less than $12,000
- Eliminate
30. $12,001-$40,000
- Slightly Decrease
31. $40,001-$100,000
- Slightly Decrease
32. $100,001-$180,000
- Maintain Status
33. $180,001-$350,000
- Maintain Status
34. $350,001 and above
- Maintain Status
35. Alcohol taxes
- Maintain Status
36. Capital gains taxes
- Slightly Decrease
37. Cigarette taxes
- Maintain Status
38. Corporate taxes
- Slightly Decrease
39. Gasoline taxes
- Maintain Status
40. Inheritance taxes
- Eliminate
41. Charitable contribution deduction
- Maintain Status
42. Child tax credit
- Slightly Increase
43. Earned income tax credit
- Slightly Increase
44. Medical expense deduction
- Slightly Increase
45. Mortgage deduction
- Maintain Status
46. Student loan credit
- Slightly Increase
47. Do you support the permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?
- Yes
48. Do you support requiring the federal budget to be balanced each year?
- Yes
49. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Support increasing the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns.
- X
2. Prohibit Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to candidates for federal office.
- X
3. Allow unregulated soft money campaign contributions to political parties or committees.
- No Answer
4. Remove all contribution limits on federal campaigns and parties.
- X
5. Support prohibiting ads containing candidates' name that are paid for by third parties from airing 60 days before a primary and 30 days before a general federal election.
- X
6. Support instant run-off voting (IRV).
- No Answer
7. Support designating Election Day as a national holiday.
- No Answer
8. Support giving the President the power of the line item veto for items concerning appropriations.
- X
9. Support limiting the President's use of signing statements in order to prevent an alternative interpretation of the bill.
- No Answer
10. Support a federal shield law to protect reporter-source privilege.
- No Answer
11. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Support the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
- No Answer
2. Eliminate the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
- No Answer
3. Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
- X
4. Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction treatment.
- X
5. Reduce prison sentences for those who commit non-violent crimes.
- No Answer
6. Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
- No Answer
7. Support strict penalties for internet crime (e.g. hacking, identity theft, worms/viruses).
- X
8. Require that crimes based on sexual orientation be prosecuted as federal hate crimes.
- No Answer
9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Support the federal government funding universal pre-K programs.
- No Answer
2. Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any public school.
- X
3. Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any private or religious school.
- X
4. Allow teachers and professionals to receive federal funding to establish charter or magnet schools.
- X
5. Increase funding for the Pell Grant program.
- X
6. Decrease interest rates of Stafford Loans.
- X
7. Support federal tax incentives to help families save for college.
- X
8. Ban university financial aid officers from owning stock in or accepting gifts from student loan lenders.
- X
9. Require universities to disclose financial relationships with lenders.
- X
10. Support federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind).
- No Answer
11. Eliminate all federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind).
- X
1. Increase funding for national job-training programs that retrain displaced workers or teach skills needed in today?s job market.
- X
2. Reduce government regulation of the private sector.
- X
3. Encourage employers to offer child care services, flex-time scheduling, comp-time, and unpaid leave for family emergencies.
- X
4. Increase the federal minimum wage.
- No Answer
5. Support the right of workers to unionize.
- No Answer
6. Eliminate all federal programs designed to reduce unemployment.
- No Answer
7. Include sexual orientation in federal anti-discrimination laws.
- No Answer
8. Include gender identity in federal anti-discrimination laws.
- No Answer
9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Water Act.
- No Answer
2. Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Air Act.
- No Answer
3. Support increased development of traditional energy resources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil).
- X
4. Strengthen emission controls on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
- X
5. Strengthen fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
- X
6. Support domestic oil exploration in areas that are currently restricted.
- X
7. Encourage further development and use of alternative fuels.
- X
8. Support the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel.
- X
9. Support research and development of nuclear reactors as an alternative energy source.
- X
10. Allow energy producers to trade pollution credits under "cap and trade" laws.
- X
11. Support international mandatory emission targets to limit global warming.
- No Answer
12. Support international voluntary emission targets to limit global warming.
- No Answer
13. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Allow individuals to carry concealed guns.
- X
2. Ban the sale, ownership or possession of handguns except by law enforcement and other government officials.
- No Answer
3. Enforcement of existing restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
- Maintain Status
4. Restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
- Maintain Status
5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Implement a universal healthcare program to guarantee coverage to all Americans, regardless of income.
- No Answer
2. Expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts.
- X
3. Allow the importation of prescription drugs into the United States.
- No Answer
4. Support expanding prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
- No Answer
5. Offer tax credits to individuals and small businesses to offset the cost of insurance coverage.
- X
6. Support expanding child healthcare programs.
- X
7. Providing healthcare is not a responsibility of the federal government.
- No Answer
8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Decrease the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country.
- No Answer
2. Establish English as the official national language.
- X
3. Support a temporary worker program.
- X
4. Support harsher financial punishments for those who knowingly employ illegal immigrants.
- X
5. Support amnesty for illegal immigrants already working in the United States.
- No Answer
6. Illegal immigrants should have to return to their countries of origin before being considered for citizenship.
- No Answer
7. Illegal immigrants should be given a pathway to citizenship.
- X
8. Support merit-based visas over family-based visas.
- X
9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Support the United States granting aid to countries when extraordinary circumstances cause disaster and threaten civilian lives.
- X
2. Support the United States granting aid to countries when it is in the security interests of the United States.
- X
3. Eliminate United States aid for any nation with documented human rights abuses.
- No Answer
4. Aid granted by the United States should be scaled back and eventually eliminated.
- No Answer
5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
6. Should the United States continue to provide leadership in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?
- Yes
7. Should the United States support the creation of a Palestinian state?
- Undecided
8. Should the United States impose greater international sanctions on Iran if it continues to defy United Nations mandates?
- Undecided
9. Should the United States support the Lebanese government against insurgent forces?
- Yes
10. Should the United States maintain its troop levels in Iraq?
- Undecided
11. Should the United States withdraw its troops from Iraq?
- No
12. Should the United States apply greater economic and diplomatic sanctions against North Korea if it fails to abide by its agreement to suspend its nuclear program?
- Yes
13. Should the United States increase financial support for Afghanistan?
- Undecided
14. Should the United States increase military support for Afghanistan?
- Undecided
15. Should the United States trade nuclear fuel to India for civilian purposes?
- Yes
16. Should the United States decrease financial support for Pakistan?
- No
17. Should the United States decrease military support for Pakistan?
- No
18. Should the United States be involved in bringing an end to the violence in Darfur, Sudan?
- Undecided
19. Should the United States be involved in bringing an end to the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Undecided
20. Should the United States provide economic and military support to the Transitional Government of Somalia?
- Undecided
21. Should the United States use sanctions to encourage the government of Zimbabwe to end its human rights abuses?
- Yes
22. Should the United States support the creation of an independent nation of Kosovo?
- Yes
23. Do you support the United States imposing economic sanctions on China?
- Undecided
24. Do you support the United States imposing trade sanctions on Venezuela?
- No
25. Do you support the United States involvement in free trade agreements?
- Yes
26. Do you support the United States involvement in intergovernmental organizations dedicated to trade?
- Yes
1. Do you support using military tribunals to try suspected terrorists when ordinary civilian courts are deemed inappropriate or impractical?
- Yes
2. Should law enforcement agencies have greater discretion to monitor domestic communications, to prevent future terrorist attacks?
- Undecided
3. Should the United States hold foreign states accountable for terrorists who operate in their country?
- Undecided
4. Should the federal government increase funding to states and cities for homeland security?
- No
5. Do you support pre-emptive military strikes against countries deemed to be a threat to United States national security?
- No
6. Do you support the creation of a federal identification card system?
- No
7. Do you support long-term use of National Guard troops to supplement the armed forces in assignments overseas?
- No
8. Should the United States expand its missile defense shield?
- Yes
9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Should same-sex couples be allowed to marry?
- No
2. Do you support a federal constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman?
- Undecided
3. Do you support federal funding for research on existing embryonic stem cell lines?
- Yes
4. Do you support federal funding to create lines of stem cells from new embryos?
- Undecided
5. Should the federal government consider race and gender in government contracting decisions?
- Undecided
6. Should the federal government continue affirmative action programs?
- Undecided
7. Should the federal government regulate internet gambling?
- Yes
8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts that they manage themselves.
- X
2. Ensure the viability of Social Security by increasing the payroll tax.
- No Answer
3. Decrease benefits paid to retirees.
- X
4. Support proportional increases of Social Security benefits based on the cost of living index.
- X
5. Raise the retirement age for individual eligibility to receive full Social Security benefits.
- X
1. Require welfare recipients to spend at least 40 hours a week in a combination of work and training programs.
- X
2. Continue to give states and local governments flexibility in and responsibility for welfare programs through federal block grants.
- X
3. Support housing assistance for welfare recipients.
- No Answer
4. Abolish all federal welfare programs.
- No Answer
5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
Please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- No Answer
By Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Dan Newhouse Our local communities are capable of making land use and water decisions far better than a bureaucrat thousands of miles away Water is one of our most precious natural resources. Whether for drinking, farming, or fishing, clean water is a national priority, and future generations depend on us doing our part to preserve and protect bodies of water throughout the United States. In Iowa and in rural communities throughout the country, we recognize that farmers and ranchers are the original conservationists. They depend on clean air and water to sustain their livelihoods, and in many cases, they are leading efforts to improve our land and overall health of local ecosystems. The Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR) was put in place in August 2020 to replace the Waters of the United States (WOTUS), a controversial and overreaching regulation that left our nation's farmers and rural communities facing uncertainty. In turn, the NWPR balances our environmental protection efforts with the land rights of individuals and small businesses in rural communities throughout the United States -- just as it always should have been. The Clean Water Act gives the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers jurisdiction over "navigable waters" in the United States, but it leaves this definition up to the federal agencies to define. WOTUS drastically expanded this jurisdiction over bodies of water like streams and ponds -- including those on private land -- that the Clean Water Act never intended to regulate. Instead of burdening private citizens with confusing and ambiguous standards that could end up costing them thousands of dollars, the NWPR ensures that the federal government's clean water efforts are focused on clearly defined bodies of water. Clean water is something all rural communities need, and Iowans of all walks of life have benefited from this revised rule, which provides much-needed certainty and predictability. The NWPR ensures that farmers, ranchers, private landowners, and small businesses -- vital sectors of our rural economies -- are able to continue operating with a clear and concise direction and without the fear of the federal government's overreach. Empowering our state and local governments, communities, tribes, and businesses to work collaboratively with the federal government results in stronger environmental protections. These are the kind of partnerships we should be encouraging, and that is exactly what the NWPR does. Not only will this rule result in stronger protections for clean water, but when business owners have clarity, it leads to job creation. We have seen this firsthand in Iowa. Sen. Joni Ernst has been a strong leader in preserving the protections for Iowa industries under the NWPR, and we are proud to join her in these efforts as members of the Congressional Western Caucus. As representatives of rural communities in Congress, we understand that clean water protections are not contrary to economic development, and these efforts don't have to punish those who live, work, and raise a family throughout rural America. Today, we introduced a resolution with the support of over 100 members of Congress to reaffirm our commitment to clean water and to support the NWPR. This resolution is a strong demonstration of our continued environmental protection efforts as we work to ensure that families, farmers, ranchers, business owners, and individuals in rural communities continue to work together -- alongside the federal government -- toward responsible stewardship of our resources. Our local communities are capable of making land use and water decisions far better than a bureaucrat thousands of miles away. We are committed to maintaining the Navigable Waters Protection Rule because we know that rural America is dedicated to clean water, and we will continue working to lead the way. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks represents Iowa's 2nd Congressional District and is a member of the Congressional Western Caucus. Rep. Dan Newhouse represents Washington's 4th Congressional District and is the Chair of the Congressional Western Caucus. ###
By Brad Wenstrup, Andy Harris, Michael Burgess and Mariannette Miller-Meeks Democratic leaders have spent months promising to "listen to the scientists;" however, when it comes to reopening schools and getting children back to in-person learning, their actions do not match their words. Being both physicians and members of Congress with direct patient care experience, we have closely followed the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic and the scientific data and studies compiled over the last year. Thankfully, given the emergency authorization of two vaccines and potentially more on the way under Operation Warp Speed, we are closer than ever to getting life back to normal. Over the course of the past year, we have studied and learned more about this virus and have similarly improved on how we respond to and adjust to this "new normal" in a safe and healthy manner. Unfortunately, while many restaurants and other businesses have managed to reopen safely, many schools remain closed since last spring, despite risk-assessment evidence to the contrary. According to the data available -- and the current administration's own recent public statements -- schools can, and should, safely reopen for the overall health and well-being of our children. Just a few hours after President Biden's newly appointed director of the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) declared that "vaccination of teachers is not a prerequisite for safe reopening of schools," the White House walked back the scientist's statement, claiming it was not official CDC guidance. Clearly, that scientific answer was simply inconvenient for President Biden and Democrats. Teachers unions across America are pushing back on any calls for reopening and are resisting all efforts to take steps in that direction. Coupled with mounting parental frustration, local leaders are feeling pressure on all sides. Even some of our nation's most liberal cities have reached a breaking point -- Chicago's mayor, while calling for schools to reopen, says discussions with the local union have gone "backward." San Francisco's city attorney is suing its own school board and district over their reopening plan, calling it "ambiguous, empty rhetoric." Amongst the heated and contentious conversations, scientific facts should guide our solutions, and here's what we know. First, children are not at great risk for severe illness or death from COVID-19. Second, while Democrats call for billions in new funding to help schools reopen, there are still billions in unspent funding for educational services from the previous COVID-19 relief packages, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Congress most recently provided an additional $82 billion for the Education Stabilization Fund in the December relief package. Third, and most critical to getting students and teachers back in the classroom, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Wolensky stated just this past week that the data -- the science -- supports the notion that schools can reopen even without teacher vaccinations. The data is clear. Unfortunately, some of our nation's public schools are failing our children. Virtual learning yields subpar results, and many students are falling further behind, especially those in low-income and underprivileged communities. Additionally, Clark County, Nevada, serves as a glaring example of the serious mental anguish children are enduring, as they have already had double the number of student suicides compared to last year. Unfortunately, the detrimental effects of keeping kids home are great, which is why the American Academy of Pediatrics has stressed the importance of students returning to in-person learning.We should never allow teachers unions or any other entity to make unscientific decisions that affect the health and well-being of our children. We must listen to the scientists and reopen our schools immediately. Dr. Brad Wenstrup specializes in podiatric medicine and surgery and is a co-chair of the GOP Doctor's Caucus. He is an Iraq War veteran and currently serves as a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. Dr. Andy Harris specializes in anesthesiology and is the former head of obstetric anesthesiology at Johns Hopkins University. He serves as co-chair of the GOP Doctor's Caucus. Dr. Michael Burgess specializes in obstetrics and gynecology and practiced medicine in North Texas. He was recently elected a co-chair of the GOP Doctor's Caucus for the 117th Congress. Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks specializes in ophthalmology, served as president of the Iowa Medical Society, and is a former member of the Army Reserve. She was just elected to Congress to represent Iowa's 2nd Congressional District and is a member of the GOP Doctor's Caucus.
By Ty Rushing With election day looming, Republican Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks is hitting the campaign trail hard in her bid to upset Dave Loebasck, her incumbent Democrat opponent in hopes of becoming Iowa's Second District Representative in the U.S. House. During a marathon day of appearances Friday, Miller-Meeks brought along U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina to endorse her while they met with local candidates and supporters at Bridgehouse Coffee in Newton. "It's time for us to put people over policy and politics. To put common sense over nonsense. And to inspire us to be our best selves. "Because we in fact are a great nation of great people and we have found over the past six years that hope does not come from the government, but the government shouldn't stand in the way of hope either," Miller-Meeks said. Miller-Meeks presented herself as the type of candidate who could go about bringing the positive benefits of how Iowa's government is run to the federal level. The candidate also spoke on the benefits of smaller government, which was a point Grassley reiterated when he spoke. As she was wrapping up her stop, Miller-Meeks blasted the Obama Administration and vowed to help make things better if elected. "We need to send a check and balance to this government that they are not -- with executive authority -- able to do anything and everything that they want to do. This is in fact still a nation of, for and by the people," Miller-Meeks said.
