Twelve Iowa Republican State Senators have signed a pledge committing to not vote for a budget until a vote is held on the floor of the chamber regarding eminent domain and the carbon capture pipelines.
More than that, a press release sent late Wednesday night said the objective of the group is to pass House File 639 as well as House File 943.
House Rep. Steve Holt, who managed HF639 through the chamber, dubbed it the “No Eminent Domain for Private Gain Omnibus Bill.”
The release, which 12 Republican Senators signed, said that the threat of eminent domain has lingered for the past three-plus years for many Iowa landowners.
“The people of South Dakota emphatically stated that eminent domain will never be granted for this pipeline to cross South Dakota, and it is past time for Iowa to do the same,” it said.
The senators who signed the release said they are “committed to holding a vote for HF639, as passed this session by the Iowa House.”
“We believe addressing eminent domain is more important than the budget or any other priority for the 2025 session and pledge to vote against any remaining budget bill until a floor vote occurs on the clean HF639 bill,” it said.
The 12 senators who signed the pledge are:
*Sen. Kevin Alons
*Sen. Doug Campbell
*Sen. Rocky De Witt
*Sen. Lynn Evans
*Sen. Dennis Guth
*Sen. Mark Lofgren
*Sen. Mike Pike
*Sen. Dave Rowley
*Sen. Sandy Salmon
*Sen. Dave Sires
*Sen. Jeff Taylor
*Sen. Cherielynn Westrich
Alons pledged not to vote for a budget until a floor debate happens regarding eminent domain on Tuesday during a point of personal privilege. You can read about that here.
Sires did the same on Wednesday as he voted against every bill in the Senate Appropriations Committee. You can read about that here.
Westrich told The Iowa Standard that carbon sequestration is a “scam.”
“It’s part of ‘Climate Ideology’ and I will not have any part of it,” she said. “Don’t ask me to compromise. I am confident that my colleagues will join me in passing meaningful legislation, in partnership with our Iowa House colleagues, to protect the private property rights of all Iowans — not just those within our particular districts.
“Our foundational basic right is property ownership. No eminent domain for private gain. It reads in the Constitution public use, not public good. Don’t confuse the two and don’t try to sell it to me. I’m not buying.”
I am glad I gave Mike Pike some money.