The 2006 session of the Iowa Legislature is off and running. I am privileged to be starting my tenth year as your representative from House District 29. Usually we expect the first week of the session to be slow and ceremonial. However, due to problems with the federal government in relation to Medicaid and my continuing responsibilities for health care issues, I became very active right from the first day.

I am assigned to the Standing Committees of Education, Judiciary and Human Resources. I will also be serving as the Ranking member of the Health and Human Services Joint Appropriations Subcommittee. That committee is responsible for the budgets of the Department of Public Health and the Department of Human Services. The biggest part of the budget in those departments is the appropriation for Medicaid, which provides health care services for 300,000 Iowans, or 1 of every 10 Iowans.

The balance of power in the Iowa House of Representatives continues to be nearly even with 51 Republicans and 49 Democrats. The Iowa Senate is a dead heat with a 25-25 split. With this even split in partisan power, many predicted a “do-nothing” legislative session last year. We certainly exceeded that expectation, and we can do that again. Last year, due to the bipartisan efforts of Senators Tinsman and Hatch, along with Representative Carroll and me, thousands of Iowans now have improved access to affordable health care. That is only one example of many where we realized that we can work together to achieve goals acceptable to all legislators and all Iowans.

On Tuesday, in his Condition of the State Address, Governor Tom Vilsack came to the Legislature and called on members of the Iowa General Assembly to work together to keep Iowa’s communities strong and secure. Vilsack asked state legislators to continue the state’s momentum in education and make a stronger commitment to Iowa families by investing in early childhood education. Vilsack also urged legislators to finish the work they started in teacher quality and compensation.

I am pleased with the Governor's education proposals. The Governor commits $171.8 million, half of the new spending in the budget, to education.

The Governor laid out a plan for strategic job creation and economic development focused on the areas of most potential for the state: agriculture and chemical biotechnology, advanced manufacturing and information solutions, and financial services.

The Governor asked members of the General Assembly to save lives by raising the tobacco tax and securing revenues to expand smoking prevention and cessation programs, support the Medicaid program, and repay the Senior Living Trust. Proceeds from the tax could also be used to help small businesses with the rising costs of health insurance.

I totally agree with the Governor when he said in his speech, “A strong community depends on small business for most of its new jobs. Small business remains the lifeblood of our Iowa economy. Small business owners in Iowa face unprecedented challenges from competitors around the globe, and we should do more to help them effectively compete.”

I also concur with Governor Vilsack’s concern about Iowa’s 72,000 miles of rivers and streams, and 182,000 acres of lakes, reservoirs and wetlands. He is proposing to spend $50 million over the next three years to ensure that we continue to make progress in improving water quality throughout Iowa.

The Governor has recommended his budget. It is now up to the Legislature to decide if this money should indeed be appropriated.

Every week there are many visitors from Linn and Johnson County to the Capitol. Some of the people that came to the Capitol last week to share their expertise included: Jean Oxley, Leta Wall and Betty Kelly with the Linn County and Johnson County Task Force on Aging; Zach Hebl and Troy Zimmerman from Solon High School, members of the Governor’s State of Iowa Youth Action Committee; and members of the staff and board of Four Oaks. I look forward to seeing many of you in the Capitol in the coming weeks.

We face serious problems, but we can find solutions if we have the will and the ability to work together. We achieved much last year when we set aside partisan politics and instead, focused on good policy for all Iowans. We know our areas of agreement: the need to create greater economic opportunity, improve education, make health care more affordable, develop alternative and renewable sources of energy, and attract good paying jobs to Iowa. We must work together to make Iowa the best place to live, work and raise a family.

You can write me at the State Capitol, Des Moines, IA 50319; call me at 515/281-7328 or e-mail me at ro.foege@legis.state.ia.us.

Ro

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