Gov. Reynolds Outlines Iowa Vaccine Deployment, Updated Plan Available Friday
In the governor’s press conference this morning she outlined the state’s plan for initial vaccine deployment. Gov. Reynolds mentioned the state of Iowa will receive a total of 172,000 doses during the month of December of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine beginning the week of Dec. 13. The initial doses will go to hospital workers and skilled nursing residents and workers. The state has followed the federal guidance and partnered with pharmacies who will help administer and provide the workforce to get the vaccine deployed. Information about the vaccine begins around the 22-minute mark during the press conference.
Director Garcia of the Iowa Department of Human Services/Public Health spoke in more detail about the process for additional deployment of the vaccine. Her comments begin around the 24-minute mark. Director Garcia talked about the sub-prioritization that will take place within the priority categories. DHS is convening a team of internal and external experts known as the Infectious Disease Advisory Council (IDAC) that will assist the state in developing COVID-19 vaccine guidance for early response when supply is limited.
The group will bring together ethical and clinical expertise from across the state that represents rural and urban, hospital administration, infectious disease experts, vulnerable populations and advocates for aging populations, intellectual/developmental disabilities and refugees. The diversity of the group is put together to minimize health inequities based on geography, poverty and other social determinants. They’ll provide input as additional vaccines become available and will help navigate the distribution of therapeutics. Commitments to the council are being solidified and will be shared on Friday along with the updated vaccine distribution plan.
House and Senate Chairs and Vice Chairs Announced
Speaker of the House Pat Grassley and Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver unveiled their selections for committee chairs and vice chairs this week. Republicans maintained their majorities following the 2020 elections and will set the agenda in the new year. ABI is pleased to note all committee chairs announced this week are IIPAC-endorsed Friends of Iowa Business.
On the Senate side, here are some of the most significant appointments. Jason Schultz (R-Schleswig) will lead the Commerce Committee. Dan Dawson (R-Council Bluffs) will head up Ways & Means as the former chair of that committee, Jake Chapman (R-Adel), has become Senate President. Zach Whiting (R-Spirit Lake), who floor managed the COVID-19 limited liability legislation last session, will chair Labor and Business Relations. Leader Whitver also announced that Sen. Zach Nunn (R-Altoona) is on active military duty and will miss the 2021 legislative session. You can view all of the Senate chairs and vice chairs here.
On the House side, small business owner Shannon Lundgren (R-Peosta) will lead Commerce, Lee Hein (R-Monticello) will continue his role as Ways & Means Chair, Dustin Hite (R-New Sharon) will head up Education, Dave Deyoe (R-Nevada) will maintain his position as Labor Chair, and Ray “Bubba” Sorensen (R-Greenfield) will take charge of the Economic Growth Committee. A new standing committee, Information Technology, was formed and will be led by Brian Lohse (R-Bondurant). This committee will be focused on state technology information, broadband and cybersecurity issues. You can view all of the House chairs and vice chairs here.
Board Certifies Iowa Elections: Miller-Meeks Wins 2nd Congressional by Six Votes, U.S. House Likely to Decide Winner
The bipartisan state Board of Canvass met on Monday to certify election results from earlier this month. The board notably certified GOP State Sen. Mariannette Miller-Meeks as the winner of the 2nd Congressional District race by just six votes over Democratic opponent Rita Hart. Both candidates sought to fill the seat of Congressman Dave Loebsack, who did not seek re-election.
With such a narrow margin of victory in a race where over 393,000 votes were cast and multiple recounts have altered the margins, Hart’s team has stated it will appeal the result directly to the U.S. House, skipping a state appeals process. Traditionally, the next step in the appeals process would be to form a judicial tribunal, which would include four district court judges and Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court Susan Christensen. That panel would have to rule on which candidate would be seated by Dec. 8.
Instead, Hart is going straight to the U.S. House Administration Committee, which could launch an investigation into the matter. According to the Congressional Research Service, the House could dismiss the complaint, rule in favor of either party or void the election. With this being the closest Congressional race in decades, it could be weeks or months before we know the final verdict of this matter. Read more from Politico.
Federal Panel Releases Recommendations for Prioritization of COVID-19 Vaccines
A COVID-19 vaccine advisory panel announced on Tuesday that healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities should be the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The panel voted 13-1 on its recommendations, which were then given to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Federal officials project 40 million doses will be available in December.
The initial vaccines will be given in two separate rounds that are three to four weeks apart, which means 20 million people could be vaccinated over the next month or two. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar has said governors will make the final call about who is vaccinated first.
ABI continues to be in contact with and following communications from the governor’s office and the Iowa Department of Public Health concerning this issue. Read more from The Wall Street Journal.
DNR Unveils Draft of Impaired Waterways in Iowa
On Tuesday, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) released its latest draft of 303d of impaired waters and is seeking feedback from the public. The DNR has recommended 99 impairments be removed from the impairment list once that measure is approved by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA).
According to the DNR, “The report identifies surface waters that do not fully meet all applicable state water quality standards for their intended use and that need a water quality improvement plan.” Out of the 1,545 water segments that were studied, 284 segments fully met the standards for intended use, 489 were deemed to need further investigation and 586 did not fully meet one or more of the standards and were impaired.
The DNR is taking public comments through Dec. 30. Those should be emailed to IRcomment@dnr.iowa.gov. If you have specific comments or feedback that you would like ABI to submit, please contact Brad Hartkopf.
Federal Spotlight: Members of Iowa’s Congressional Delegation Selected to Leadership Positions in Congress
The new Congress will be sworn in sometime in early January, and with that comes the announcements of leadership posts for both parties.
On the House side, Congresswoman Cindy Axne was unanimously elected by her colleagues to represent the Midwest as a Regional Whip for the House Democratic Caucus. She’s serving as one of two whips for the region.
On the Senate side, Sen. Joni Ernst was unanimously re-elected to serve as Vice Chairwoman of the Senate Republican Conference. This is the fifth ranking position within the GOP Conference.
If Republicans maintain control of the Senate following the Georgia runoffs in January, Sen. Charles Grassley will likely serve as Senate President Pro Tempore, which puts him third in line to the presidency. He would also likely serve as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
It’s important and positive that Iowa has members of our delegation in the leadership of their respective parties. This gives our state more clout during the legislative process.
Federal Spotlight: Biden’s Cabinet Beginning to Take Shape
As the transition between the outgoing and incoming administrations unfolds, President-elect Joe Biden has begun announcing his choices for his cabinet and other senior posts within the federal government.
Some of the most important choices revealed so far include Tony Blinken, a longtime foreign policy advisor to Mr. Biden, to be his Secretary of State. He has selected Janet Yellen to lead Treasury. She has previously served as Chair of the Federal Reserve under President Obama. He has picked Neera Tanden to be the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. She previously served as president and CEO of American Progress, a liberal think tank. He has not announced a pick for Labor Secretary, but it’s been reported that Iowa Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer is under consideration for that post.
These are just a few of the most high-level announcements so far. Cabinet nominees and those chosen for select senior-level positions must go through the Senate confirmation process, which will be interesting to watch should Republicans hold the majority in January. If that happens, Mr. Biden will have to negotiate with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). You can read more from National Public Radio.
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Reshoring Webinar is Dec. 10 |
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For many Iowa manufacturers, it has never been more evident that offshoring components can carry a great deal of cost and risk. Join co-sponsor ABI for a complimentary reshoring webinar on Dec. 10, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
National reshoring expert Harry Moser will discuss the benefits of reshoring and calculating your product’s total cost of ownership. He will show that 20% to 30% of what is now imported would be produced or sourced here more profitably. Tune in to find the tools to help you source smarter and also sell smarter when competing with imports.
Additional event sponsors include the Iowa State University Center for Industrial Research and Service, Iowa Economic Development Authority, Iowa Area Development Group and Greater Des Moines Partnership.
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ABI Foundation Seeks Involvement from All of Iowa's 99 Iowa Counties |
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With Giving Tuesday this week, the ABI Foundation launched a campaign to connect with leaders in all of Iowa’s 99 counties this year.
You’re invited to recognize leaders and be recognized as a leader in our state. Nominate Iowans (consider friends, family, neighbors, colleagues and others) to be connected to each of our programs. Donations to the ABI Foundation also support outreach efforts, as well as enable program development. Each action you take will be counted as involvement from your city and county.
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Why I’m Passionate About ABI |
Mike Ralston
President
ABI
An ABI member reminded me of a column I wrote a few years ago and told me it might be time to see it again. It has been edited slightly to make it more timely.
The open rate for the ABI e-newsletter is statistically very high. Knowing how busy you are, all of us at ABI appreciate you taking the time to open and read this newsletter each week. Once each month, I write a column for the newsletter and this month's column is a bit different than those I have written in the past.
As you know, I typically share information about upcoming ABI events or news from the ABI Board of Directors or both. This month, my comments are more general and they relate to troublesome trends in some parts of our country.
It seems as if everywhere one turns, business is the subject of negative remarks. Some rail against the perceived injustice of the economy. Some lament terrible actions on the part of some businesspeople and unfairly blame all businesses for the actions of others. Some exhort job creation and then lambaste the very companies that are creating those jobs.
Businesspeople are like every other group of human beings. They aren't perfect. But, as a group, the women and men leading ABI member companies are terrific individuals. They care about their companies, about their employees and about their communities. They ensure they are paying a fair wage and providing benefits. They encourage their employees to help with community endeavors. They make our state a better place to live.
That is why I am passionate about ABI. There is no more positive organization anywhere. You can't own or run a business and not be an optimist. Against all odds, against terrible economies, against pandemics and derechos, against circumstances outside their control, ABI member company executives and workers come to the job every day. They make things or they build things or they provide services that make things better. And they do so knowing that good hard work is the thing that can make a difference.
ABI is not a political organization, though impacting political activity is important to our work. ABI is not an educational organization, though telling the story of business and educating Iowans about its positive impact is vital. ABI is not a community development organization, though programs such as those produced by the ABI Foundation certainly make communities stronger.
ABI is all about adding value for members and increasing their opportunity for success. And by that, increasing the opportunity for success for Iowa families and communities.
The point of this column, on behalf of ABI Chair Steven Bradford and our other officers, is simply to thank you and your business. Yes, for your investment in ABI. But even more for your investment in Iowa. At ABI, we never take it for granted.
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Attorney Spencer Willems Joins Davis Brown Law Firm
Spencer Willems (pictured) recently joined the Davis Brown Law Firm as an associate litigation attorney. Spencer’s practice focuses primarily on general litigation, commercial litigation, and employment and labor law. Prior to joining Davis Brown, Spencer practiced litigation at Lane & Waterman in Davenport. During law school, he interned in the Story County Attorney’s Office, as well as served as a judicial extern for former Chief Justice Mark Cady of the Iowa Supreme Court. Read the full news release.
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Utility Bill Assistance Program Deadline is Tomorrow
A reminder from Alliant Energy: Gov. Kim Reynolds recently announced the Residential Utility Disruption Prevention Program, which provides eligible households with up to $2,000 toward electric, natural gas and water bills if they are at risk of disconnection due to an inability to pay due to a COVID-19 related loss of income. The state allocated approximately $14.5 million of federal CARES Act funds for this utility assistance program, with funds distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here to see a full list of requirements and to apply by Dec. 4.
The Wall Street Journal Ranks International Paper One of “The 100 Most Sustainably Managed Companies in the World”
The Wall Street Journal announced “The 100 Most Sustainably Managed Companies in the World,” a new ranking that focuses on companies’ ability to create long-term shareholder value. International Paper is proud to rank among the top 2% of global firms. The Journal’s environment, social and governance research analysts assessed more than 5,500 publicly traded companies based on sustainability metrics in areas such as business model and innovation, external social and product issues, employee and workplace issues and the environment. Read the full news release.
Raytheon Technologies Honors “GivingTuesday” with $25M Commitment Toward Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Raytheon Technologies, a global aerospace and defense company, is honoring “GivingTuesday” with a five-year, $25 million commitment to support marginalized individuals and communities through programs focused on racial justice, empowerment and career readiness. The commitment is part of the company’s four-pillar strategy, which integrates initiatives across talent management, community engagement, public policy and supplier diversity, to drive progress and advance increased diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) across its workforce. Read the full news release.
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Heidi Nebel Meets with Biden-Harris Transition Team for Department of Commerce
Heidi S. Nebel (pictured), managing member of McKee, Voorhees & Sease, PLC, and recently elected board of directors member for the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM), is meeting with the Biden-Harris transition team that oversees the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The transition team includes a review committee for the Department of Commerce and has reached out to AUTM for input. Read the full news release.
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"How to Implement an EMS" Webinar Series is Dec. 15-18
Iowa Pollution Prevention Services will host an interactive webinar series, "How to Implement an EMS," on December 15-18, 8 a.m.-noon each day. Presenters will use real-world examples to share the challenges of implementing an environmental management system and how to solve them. The focus will be on the various elements of EMS (ISO 14001:2015), such as environmental policy, compliance, training and management review. Exercises will be facilitated to reinforce the content and allow for audience participation and discovery. Register now.
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