Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, led a bipartisan group which sent a letter to the head of the Department of Health and Human Services following the release of a second undercover video allegedly showing a Planned Parenthood official talking about selling body parts from aborted babies. “The goal of this letter was to draw attention to the legal, ethical and policy issues raised by the footage, and call upon Secretary Burwell to cooperate with ongoing and future investigations into these questions,” Ernst says. Ernst talked about the goal of the letter.

“We called on H-H-S to review the compliance of Planned Parenthood — one of the department grantees — with all relevant and applicable federal statutes, regulations and other requirements,” Ernst says. “I truly find this footage reprehensible, vial, and they truly raise questions that taxpayers deserve answers to.” During her weekly teleconference with reporters, Ernst was asked about a vaccine that reportedly can prevent the avian flu. Ernst says she is in favor of vaccines, but wants to be sure of the consequences of using them.

“What we want to make sure is if we are utilizing vaccines to prevent the avian influenza, that our trade partners will still accept any exports that we have in poultry production areas,” Ernst says. She says there is still not a consensus in the chicken and turkey industries about the use of the vaccines. “We’re going to have to look at this very carefully and those decisions — of course we rely heavily on producers to provide us with information on whether they believe the vaccines are the right way to go,” Ernst says. She says the U-S-D-A will also provide input on the vaccines as will state ag officials in the areas which have dealt with the outbreak.

Iowa was one of the hardest hit states with the avian flu outbreak .

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa court says people can drink alcohol in their cars as long as they’re parked on private property. The Des Moines Register says the Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday a state law banning open alcohol containers in vehicles doesn’t apply to people parked in private lots or driveways.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A Dubuque woman says she has a state cannabis card allowing her to give an oil extracted from marijuana to her son, but she’s not allowed to do so in his care center. Instead, Jennifer McFadden says she gives the oil to her 12-year-old son, who has severe epilepsy, twice a day in the facility’s parking lot. She tells the Des Moines Register that the agency which operates the center says it can’t allow the oil into the facility. She says the agency told her that federal authorities still consider it a strictly controlled marijuana product.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Former state lawmaker Pat Murphy is embarking on a second Democratic bid for Congress, after a failed campaign in 2014. The 55-year-old from Dubuque lost a closerace to newcomer Republican Rod Blum in November.

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (AP) — About 100 people were evacuated safely when a fire broke out on a paddle wheel boat on Clear Lake. The Globe Gazette reports the fire was reported Thursday morning, just after the Lady of the Lake cruise ship had docked. About 100 people, including 27 from a care center, were evacuated to shore.