Abby Finkenauer

Wages have basically been stagnant in the State of Iowa for the last 10 years.

I am committed to fighting like hell to make sure I am doing everything I can to preserve that way of life.

One of the things that keeps me up at night, and I am sure many of you as well, are the long-term effects of what has now become a very long drawn out trade war process.

It is vital we retain access to new and expanding markets, but also use our economic power to ensure that the American worker and our farms and businesses are competing on a level playing field.

Small businesses--which I like to remind folks are also our farmers--make up 97 percent of U.S. exporters.

I have watched firsthand the last few years as retaliation from the current trade wars has caused unease, uncertainty, and economic losses across the heartland.

As a result of a cancelled flight and circumstances out of my control, I was unable to cast a vote on March 25, 2019 on a bill under suspension of the rules. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on H.R. 1616. ____________________

Trade should help us export goods but also protect our workers and our communities.

With 95 percent of the world's consumers living outside of the United States, small businesses are missing out.

I do really think we have a real opportunity here to rebuild our infrastructure in a way that is more resilient to severe weather, less harmful for our environment, and includes solutions that actually reduce greenhouse gases.

I know one of the challenges for rural businesses and farmers is the trade war started on Twitter.

Our working families and our small businesses should never be used as bargaining chips when it comes to policy decisions.

This shutdown hurt Iowa's families and our farmers, which are quite frankly the lifeblood of our economy in rural America.