Houston on airport needs
High on the Greater Des Moines Partnership’s priority list while on a federal lobbying trip to Washington, D.C., was a near-doubling of the limit airports can charge for what is called a passenger facility charge. That fee helps pay for major projects, such as the planned replacement of the Des Moines International Airport terminal. 

The Partnership chairman, Dan Houston, implored the dozens of local business representatives, elected officials and nonprofit organization leaders to push Congress to approve the increase in the fee, which hasn’t been raised since 2000.

“That airport might be acceptable today, but it will not meet the needs in five, six, seven or 10 years,” Houston said. “We cannot become irrelevant.”

A new perspective on mentorship
U.S. Rep. David Young, whose punchlines typically are funny, introduced his colleague Patrick McHenry, who is of below average height. “He is the only mentor I look down to,” Young quipped.
 
McHenry, a Republican representative from North Carolina, channeled Young, suggesting he would say, “As I’m sitting there on my bale of hay and eating kernels of corn and washing it down with ethanol …”
 
McHenry then dispelled good-natured suggestions that he must have some kind of announcement to make, the kind that leads to trips to the Iowa State Fair, and maybe the White House. “This is an Iowa audience — I’m not making an announcement,” McHenry said. 

Poking fun at Congress
The Partnership event is well-known for appearances by members of Iowa’s congressional delegation. Des Moines lawyer Tim Coonan said U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley “apparently ran all the way over here” and “does all the laundry and grocery shopping.” 
  
Grassley said that “half of that is true.” He added, “It’s nice to have some Midwest common sense in here in an island surrounded by reality.” Grassley mentioned he has appeared at all 39 Partnership visits to D.C. and suggested the Iowans “give me some credit for perfect attendance.”

Later Coonan mentioned he had told a young child that maybe after college the new graduate could work for Grassley. 

Coonan introduced Rep. Steve King this way: “Next is another low-profile member of our House delegation …”

Congressman Dave Loebsack, the lone Democrat in Iowa’s delegation, tenderly expressed his heartfelt appreciation for the fervor with which his GOP colleagues spoke of bipartisan efforts on Congress. “When it’s 5-1 (GOP majority), it’s easier to be bipartisan.”

Young noted all the big hearings that had happened in the conference room, from Watergate to Clarence Thomas to the auto industry hearings. “You could hear Sen. Grassley say off mic, ‘I can save $300 by switching to Geico?!” (The crowd laughed.)

On a more serious note
Grassley said Trump may be onto something with his hard-line approach to China. “Trump is not a politician in any negotiation. You keep them wondering. He’s doing plenty of that, isn’t he?” (The crowd laughed.)

Grassley seemed wary of China’s actions. “The goal is to stay ahead of the U.S. and to do anything it likes to do. We have to be tough, and I think we’ve been cautious with China.”

The veteran senator said there is reason for hope. “I see a little light at the end of the tunnel.”

Grassley said that a deal on NAFTA could be a couple of weeks away, and that there has been a “little bit of a hangup” involving dairy products in Canada. 

Sen. Joni Ernst said she is optimistic on trade and committed to year-round use of E15 ethanol blends. 

Congressman Steve King called the tax cut vote “the best one I’ve put up since I’ve been here.” He mentioned he is unhappy with California’s regulation of the egg and pork industries, two of Iowa’s largest. He is pushing an amendment that would prevent one state from regulating production in another. 

Loebsack said that whatever happens in the trade world, “do no harm to ag.”

Rep. Rod Blum: “We need more legal immigration. We need workers. I am not for rewarding illegal immigration.”

Water futures
Several groups met with Bill Northey in his new role as an undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Susan Judkins, who arranged one of the meetings, said there was considerable discussion about how federal programs can help add to the funding approved by state lawmakers to improve the state’s water quality.