In Representative Miller-Meeks’ Weekly Newsletter on Nov 5, she included a photo of herself with Paul Bishop, President and CEO of Water Professionals International. The photo caption stated, “Maintaining water quality standards in my district, specifically for communities by the Mississippi River, is crucial.” The Congresswoman is right. Iowans are entitled to clean, safe water.
The good news is that the American Rescue Plan is currently providing nearly $7 million for 29 water and wastewater projects in the district’s seven counties that border the Mississippi River: Jackson, Clinton, Scott, Muscatine, Louisa, Des Moines, and Lee counties. Details about each of these 29 projects can be found at www.iowaatwork.org.
The not-so-good news is that Representative Miller-Meeks and her MAGA colleagues voted against all of these investments. Seems like it’s important to talk about clean water in Washington, but not so important to provide it in Iowa. We need to judge our representatives by their actions, not by their smiling photos, their vague statements, or their presence at ribbon-cutting ceremonies for projects they voted against. We have important choices to make in just twelve months and we need to remember that “actions speak louder than words.” Or photos.
Thomas Cook
Iowa City