This week in Iowa organizing…
If warm spring days are your thing, I hope you were able to get out and enjoy the weather over the weekend.
Speaking of getting out, U.S. Senators and Representatives got out of Washington, D.C. for their two week April recess late last week. If you catch any of them actually holding a town hall over the break, please go and make your voice heard.
Whether it's in person or leaving a message at their office, these two weeks are a good time to let your Representative and Sens. Grassley and Ernst know your thoughts about the recently passed budget resolution they'll get to work hammering out details of when returning to D.C.
This latest action once again makes it clear they aim to come for vital safety net programs like Medicaid and SNAP in order to pass tax cuts for the wealthy elite.
Working folks made this the wealthiest country in the world, and there's enough for everyone if corporations and billionaires don't steal it. Let's remind our elected officials they represent us, and that we demand tax policy that keeps corporate power in check, not a free pass to run amok.
Onward,
Matthew Covington
Strategic Operations Director
At the Statehouse
Bousselot's bait and switch...
Much like last year, the House passed several bills to address Bruce Rastetter's proposed CO2 pipeline and curb the use of eminent domain for private gain. Many of them failed to pass out of Senator Mike Bousselot’s Commerce Committee. But Sen. Bousselot (who used to work for Bruce Rastetter’s company) did take up House File 639 right before the funnel deadline of April 4.
But here's the rub – he amended it heavily, and went on to claim he's protecting the property rights of all Iowans. Hogwash. His amended bill would force the Iowa Utilities Commission to make a final decision within one year of receiving an application. It also allows Summit to seek easements outside the notification corridor. And the amendment expands the bill to impact all kinds of utilities and projects, not just CO2 pipelines. This last point likely makes it a poison pill that won’t pass the full Senate.
If the Senate ends up debating HF 639 on the floor, they should take a page out of Bousselot's playbook and amend it again to include language from House File 943. That bill would prohibit the use of eminent domain on agriculture land for the construction of hazardous liquid pipelines.
And don't forget Bayer's "Cancer Gag Act" isn't officially dead until the legislative session ends. Some CCI Action members have heard from their legislators at local forums there's rumors it might be sneaked into another bill before they adjourn. So keep contacting your state legislators on these issues and check to see if there's a legislative forum coming up in your area.
Take action
April 21, 26 & 30: do you see yourself on your local school board?
One of the tools we have to protect public education is our school boards. We know that in order to win fully funded, honest, and equitable education, we need folks who share our values and responsive to their communities sitting in those seats. People just like you!
If seats like school board members didn't matter, groups like Moms for Liberty wouldn't be working so hard to take them over. That's why we’re holding a candidate training series for folks who are interested in running for their community’s school board, or for folks who are interested in helping others run.
This training will be a three-part series over Zoom on April 21, 26, & 30. Each 2 hour session will build on the previous session. Register here!
April 24: water quality meet-up in Cedar Falls
The correlation between cancer and nitrates in our water is hard to ignore. Testing for nitrates in our water is easy and free – it just requires time and a little dedication.
Meet with others in the Cedar Falls area who are interested in Iowa water quality and participating in nitrate testing with others in 2025!
When/Where: We'll meet in the upstairs meeting room at the Cedar Falls Library, 524 Main St, on April 24 from 4-5PM, with an option to participate in a zoom following the meeting from 5-6PM with others in the state who are involved as well.
Bring: Your curiosity and a neighbor, and a small sample of your tap water or local stream water in a clean sealed container to test if you can. We'll provide simple refreshments.
April 28: Public School Strong orientation
Iowa’s public schools were once top ranked but we’ve fallen behind because of chronic underfunding and poor leadership. But we're fighting back through our Public School Strong campaign to win honest, equitable, safe, and fully-funded public schools.
Here's two ways you can plug in:
Join our next Public School Strong orientation session on Monday, April 28 at 6pm over Zoom. RSVP here!
Collect signatures to urge your local school board to pass a resolution calling on the Governor and legislature to fully fund our public schools at a 5% annual increase and to phase out private school vouchers. Learn more and add your name here!
Everyday Iowans know that strong public schools are a cornerstone of our communities and democracy. By organizing in our neighborhoods and at local school board meetings, we can create positive, common sense solutions to address the real issues our schools are facing.
CCI's spring sustainer drive - 50 for our 50th!
We're at 31 new Sustainers so far! 62% to our goal - THANK YOU! Could YOU be the next monthly giver?
Now is the time to become a CCI sustainer! Our community-led campaigns are more important than ever, and it’s critical that we fund the work ourselves. People power is how we win!
Here’s why CCI Sustainers make such a difference:
It’s revenue we can count on. We know these donations will come in each month.
It gives us flexibility to seize moments and take on emerging organizing campaigns. More importantly, it also allows us to plan, to be forward-looking, and to be strategic.
It builds our strength. Member contributions, especially monthly pledges, mean we have more control over our work. And it allows us to take powerful positions and action, backed by members, that foundations may not support.
Click here to become a CCI Sustainer today! It’s easier on your budget, your time, and you make an impact all year long.
Bonus -- sign up as a new sustainer today and we'll send you our "People Power" wool socks.
Citizen science and Nitrate Watch in the news!
CCI member and avid water tester Rich Gradoville was featured in this story about Nitrate Watch and the monitoring he does on the Des Moines river.
This is a great example of amplifying the work you all are doing. Thanks to all you water testers out there, and to our partner Heather Wilson at the Izaak Walton League for spreading the word far and wide!
Click here to get registered for Regional Team Building April 16 at 5pm on Zoom! CCI is working to build regional teams to conduct water testing and collect data. Join us this Wednesday to meet your team and work on developing this community practice.
Spring rains are coming so it is time to start testing for those baseline nitrate numbers! Learn more about this citizen science and order your Nitrate Watch test kit here!
Click here to get registered for our monthly Zoom on April 24 at 5pm. Thanks for caring about and taking action for Iowa's water!
Save the Date
Early bird registration open for CCI's 50th!
We're hammering out the details, but we know we're turning 50 this year! We've got the Iowa Events Center reserved for July 25 & 26, and we want to see you there!
Save the date and stay tuned in the coming weeks for more details - it'll be good! Know you'll be joining us regardless of the details? Then get the "early early bird" rate by signing up here today!
What We're Reading
These are a few links that are informing our work - we've shared them so that you can read, too!
Bad water [Working Class Storytelling]
DOGE's latest cuts will hit local culture hard [Slate]
Back at the Alma Mater [My Integrated Life]
USPS is under serious threat - and on one is talking about it [Courier]
The U.S. is abducting students. What will be the cost to us? [Des Moines Register]