Iowa Democratic Party Chair Troy Price released the following statement after the GOP-Led legislature passed a final budget:
“What Republicans did in the final hours of the legislative session can only be described as shameful. Budgets are meant to be a blueprint of the state’s priorities, and today Republicans chose to use that opportunity to perpetuate their extreme political agenda. Rather than work to make Iowans’ lives better, Republicans forced a final bill that curbs the Attorney General’s powers for political gain, politicizes Iowa’s judicial nominating process, includes last minute additions to gut federal funding for sexual education, and denies transgender services to Medicaid patients.
“Our state is facing a real health crisis under the privatized Medicaid disaster and lawmakers could have worked towards a solution for the 425,000 Iowans who recently found out they won’t be able to keep their insurance next year. Instead they passed a party-line measure to gut federal funding for critical Planned Parenthood sex education resources, and went against a Supreme Court ruling to deny transgender services to Medicaid patients.
“Politicizing our courts, restricting the Attorney General’s ability to serve Iowans, and taking away health care benefits from marginalized members of our community is wrong. If Governor Reynolds has any regard for the health of her constituents, she will veto these extreme provisions.
“Democrats will continue to fight these harmful political games and elect new leaders who will always put Iowans first.”
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