DES MOINES — U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) introduced bipartisan legislation to incentivize the adoption of siblings. The Fight for Siblings Act, which is co-led by U.S. Representative Don Davis (NC-01), will double the federal adoption tax credit for families that adopt siblings.

“Family is everything to Iowans, and I want to make sure that I’m doing everything in my power to help Iowans who are willing to open their home to disadvantaged children,” said Rep. Nunn. “When we began fostering and ultimately adopted Jayna and Aliya, we knew it was incredibly important to keep them together as sisters. Now, I’m fighting to ensure every sibling in the foster system or awaiting adoption can stay together forever.”

Nothing is more important than providing children with a safe, loving environment to grow and learn. In April 2023, Rep. Nunn and his wife adopted two sisters into their family. His firsthand experience with the shortcomings of the foster and adoption process is the foundation for his passion to help other children find their forever homes. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, there are 4,144 Iowa children in foster care and 1,004 Iowa children awaiting adoption.

“It’s important to ensure that low- and middle-income parents have the same opportunities as others when it comes to adopting children,” said Rep. Davis. “Our legislation aims to level the playing field and guarantee equal access to adoption for all families willing to provide caring and loving homes to children.”

Under federal law, foster care agencies are required to strive to find temporary placements in the same home for foster siblings. When placed together, siblings are ultimately provided with a sense of stability that positively impacts their transition and long-term well-being. “A family should not be discouraged to foster and adopt because of cost,” said Mary Beth O’Neill, President and CEO of Four Oaks. “This legislation will allow more siblings to stay together through the adoption process. This, in turn, will provide consistency and stability for not just the children and families supported by Four Oaks in Iowa, but foster and adoptive families all across the country. We are grateful for Representative Nunn’s Fight for Siblings Act. His advocacy efforts will drive positive outcomes for children throughout the nation.”

Adoption fees and related expenses are high which makes it difficult to adopt more than one child at a time. According to the HHS, independent adoptions as of June, 2023 range from $25,000 to $45,000. Adoptions from a private agency range from $30,000 to $60,000. These costs can be prohibitive to families seeking to adopt siblings, unintentionally forcing the separation of siblings.

“When most people think about adoption from foster care, they often envision heartwarming pictures of families proudly standing outside a courthouse with a sign that reads, ‘After X days in foster care, I’ve joined my forever family.’ While these moments are certainly worth celebrating, it’s important to acknowledge that adoption from foster care can also be a bittersweet experience, marked by the loss and trauma that these children have experienced,” said Traci Schermerhorn, President and CEO of Foster Squad. “The Foster SQUAD is committed to supporting foster families as they navigate the next phase of their journey, and we’re excited to get behind the Fight for Siblings Act, which aims to alleviate some of the financial burden on these families so they can focus on providing the love and care that these children need.”

The bipartisan Fight for Siblings Act would double the federal adoption tax credit for families who adopt two or more siblings within the same fiscal year.

Rep. Nunn introduced the bipartisan bill at a press conference in Ankeny on Tuesday with representatives from Four Oaks and the Foster Squad. Text of the bill can be found here.

(Radio Iowa) – A House panel has voted to set aside a quarter of a million dollars for projects that make Iowa’s state  parks more accessible to visitors with disabilities. Republican Representative Norlin Mommsen of  DeWitt says it’s a first installment for needed improvements.) “The DNR’s been running a survey, evaluating their parks and stuff,” Mommsen says. “I’m hoping they have a list and I would think they’d prioritize most important and start there.”

The proposed funding boost is included in a budget plan for the Department of Natural Resources that is supported by Republicans and Democrats on a House subcommittee. Representative Sami Scheetz is a Democrat from Cedar Rapids. “State parks need to be accessible to everybody in our state, so this is a good start,” Scheetz said.

Most historic structures in Iowa’s 69 state parks are not required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, however any park facility built or updated in the past 12 years must comply with the A-D-A’s accessibility standards.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Pottawattamie County, today (Tuesday), approved a funding request from Main Street Avoca, in the amount of $3,000. The funds will be used for general operations of the non-profit, volunteer-driven organization, which is focused on community engagement, historic preservation and economic development.

Avoca Main Street spokesperson Amber Mohr was asked about the organization’s economic impact on the community. She said their efforts to date have produced over $4.2-million dollars worth of investment in downtown projects and acquisitions.

Avoca Main Street has been in operation for 10-years. In other business, the Pott. County Supervisors held public hearings on, and passed resolutions for:

Pottawattamie County BOS meeting, 4-9-2024

• The reallocation of certain unspent proceeds of the General Obligation Capital Loan Notes, Series 2020A, in the amount of $4.610-million.
• The reallocation of certain unspent proceeds of the General Obligation Capital Loan Notes, Series 2021A, in the amount of $1.905-million.
• And, a resolution for the reallocation of certain unspent proceeds of the General Obligation Capital Loan Notes, Series 2022, in the amount of $1.745-million.

They also approved an amendment to the FY 2023/24 Pott. County Budget, and the appropriation of funds from the amendment for FY 2023/24.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is accusing seven key federal agencies of “dragging their feet” on upgrading their systems against cyber attacks. Grassley, a Republican, says it may be putting our national security at risk, along with the personal data of an untold number of Iowans. “We’ve had studies made on what agencies ought to be doing,” Grassley says, “and then we find out after years, they haven’t followed up and protected the American people the way they should.”

Keeping Americans safe is “job one” for the federal government, and Grassley says Congress needs to know how those agencies are working to bolster critical infrastructure defense, or “whether they’re asleep at the switch.” “It’s a matter of accountability,” Grassley says, “the extent to which cyber attacks might affect our national security, steal our military secrets, even stealing our most advanced war materiel.”

Grassley is singling out the E-P-A as well as the U-S Departments of: Defense, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Treasury and Transportation. On a related matter, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell called Monday for action on legislation that would restrict TikTok. Grassley says it’s clear that social media platform needs to be more closely regulated. Grassley says, “I’m committed to making sure that the privacy of our teenagers, well, there may be people older than teenagers, but I think most of the people I hear from are teenagers about this issue, that it’d be protected and not this privacy information being sold to some company in China.”

Sen. Grassley

Grassley says he would support the House bill that passed last month which would force ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to sell the app or face being banned across the U.S. He says changes to that legislation may be pending in another Senate version of the bill.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisor’s, today (Tuesday), reminded citizens of the County about electronic recycling, which takes place Wednesday (April 10^th), from 4-until 6-p.m., at the Fairgrounds, in Red Oak. Supervisor Donna Robinson said it’s a regular event, with some new features this year.

New this year, residents may bring old vehicle their tires in for recycling. Two high school seniors are in charge of that aspect of the event.

Montgomery County Engineer Karen Albert updated the Board on Secondary Roads Department activities.

In other business, the Board approved additional square footage for the tuckpointing project, with regard to the West elevation of the courthouse. Maintenance Director Dan Wright…

The additional work is estimated at $40,948, for a total project cost of $423,217. The Board approved the added work, and a quote to spray the Law Enforcement Center lawn to keep down the dandelions and other weeds. Auditor Jill Ozuna presented to the Board results of the FY 2022 Montgomery County Audit.

Ozuna said Auditor of State Rob Sand’s office found five findings related to receipt and expenditure of taxpayer funds. She said those are items that counties tend to get “dinged” for every year.

Supervisor Donna Robinson said with regard to the Board’s “Fiduciary responsibility to provide oversight to the County’s operations and financial transactions,” she feels, they have and are continuing to conduct due diligence in that aspect of their duties.

A copy of the Audit Report is available in the Montgomery County Auditor’s Office, or on the Auditor of State’s website. The next meeting of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, is April 16^th at 8:30-a.m.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports a Nebraska man was arrested Monday evening on an Out-of-County/Out-0f-State warrant. Authorities say 29-year-old Kody Allen Gregg, of Nehawka, NE, was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.