Kelly and I have six kids – and one of our jobs as parents is to teach them about personal responsibility. Part of that is coaching them to pick up after themselves. Sometimes, with the little girls, we sing a song that you may be familiar with:
“Clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere
Clean up, clean up, everybody do your share”
It’s tough at times, but it is so rewarding to watch them learn and grow. There are a few “so-called” representatives in Washington, D.C. who could use a similar lesson. That’s why I’ve led the charge to clean up Washington and make commonsense changes so Washington works for you:
- On day 1 in Congress, I introduced a balanced budget amendment to get D.C. back to living within its means the same way Iowa’s families, farmers, and businesses do.
- We’re leading the bipartisan effort to ensure Members of Congress aren’t using the information they gain in D.C. to make stock trades. The Prohibit Insider Trading Act will prevent members from trading stocks and impose a massive fine for violators.
- I’ve also done my part and fulfilled my commitment to sell all my individually owned stock—even in retirement accounts—before being sworn into Congress. I’ll be honest, this wasn’t an easy financial decision for my family, but it was the right choice.
- Members of Congress shouldn’t be getting into public service to get rich, which is why I introduced the End Automatic Pay Raises Act so that Members don’t automatically get a raise year after year.
- We must slow the revolving door from Capitol Hill to lobbying jobs. That’s why I introduced the Ban Members from Becoming Lobbyists Act to triple the amount of time a Member of Congress must wait between leaving public service and starting a job as a lobbyist.
Bottom Line: Our government is supposed to be of the people, for the people, and by the people. It’s time we get Washington back to working for the people.