Photo courtesy of cindyaxneforcongress.com

Congresswoman Cindy Axne (D) is nearing the end of her first year serving the state’s third district in the U.S. House of Representatives, and she comments on her successes and challenges.

The year started with the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, and then came the disastrous floods in Iowa last spring, and the challenges she’s faced serving on the Agriculture Committee with trade wars, weather, working to revive biodiesel and biofuel tax credits, among other issues.

Axne says there’s been 77 bills passed in Congress this year, which is less than one-percent of the bills introduced in the Senate and the House, “I will lay that firmly at the foot of (Senate Majority Leader) Mitch McConnell, he needs to step up and do his job. When you remove post office naming and things like funding the government you’re down to only about 50 bills that impact people’s lives have been signed into law. I voted for all 77 of those bills including the disaster funding for Iowa and the midwest and funding for 9/11 victims funds, giving veterans a cost of living adjustment, and so many other things. So I’m pleased about that.”

Axne adds she co-led nine bills that were signed into law, including the animal cruelty bill, Family Farmer Relief Act, and the Autism Cares Act, which provides support to teachers and families of those who have autism. She’s also introduced over a dozen bills in the House regarding disaster relief, surprise medical billings, and the Clean Up Congress Act, which would prevent lawmakers from becoming lobbyists.