From press release:
U.S. Congresswoman Cindy Axne (IA-03) introduced two amendments to the For the People Act of 2019 (H.R. 1), legislation intended to end corruption in Washington and get money out of politics. Congresswoman Axne’s amendments would prohibit current and previous Members of Congress from ever serving as lobbyists and prohibit Members of Congress from using taxpayer dollars for first-class airline travel.
Later this week, the House of Representatives will vote on H.R. 1, a major campaign finance reform bill intended to make elections fairer, end the dominance of big money in our politics and ensure elected officials put the interests of everyday people ahead of special interests.
“I ran for Congress because I was fed up with corporations and special interests running the show. I promised Iowans that I would be a voice for everyday people in Washington and would fight to get money out of politics. As an elected official, you should never be allowed to cash out on your service to the public. That’s why I’m proud to introduce an amendment that prevents Members of Congress from ever serving as lobbyists,” said Rep. Axne. “When I found out that Members of Congress were using hard-earned taxpayer dollars to pay for luxury travel, I was appalled. Iowans deserve to know that their taxpayer dollars are being used to help move our country forward, not to pay for first-class flights for politicians.”
On February 14th, Congresswoman Axne introduced the bipartisan Reining in Irresponsible Decorating Expenses (RIIDE) Act, legislation to rein in excessive and frivolous government spending. This legislation would save taxpayer dollars, bring much-needed transparency when it comes to federal agency heads’ excessive spending and create real consequences for officials who break the rules.
On January 17th, the House passed Congresswoman Axne’s bipartisan Grant Reporting Efficiency and Agreements Transparency (GREAT) Act of 2019. This legislation would streamline the outdated and burdensome federal grant process, making it easier and cheaper for Iowans to apply for grants and allow taxpayers to better track government spending.
From 2005 to 2014, Representative Axne worked for the State of Iowa, helping over twenty different state agencies deliver government services more effectively and efficiently for taxpayers. An expert of government efficiency and accountability, Axne directed initiatives to root out waste, fraud and abuse in order to save Iowa taxpayers tens of millions of dollars, without cutting services.
