COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KMTV) — Iowa Senator Joni Ernst toured Powertech, a Council Bluffs-based electrical contractor, on Wednesday. She spoke to the owners about their needs and concerns including the regulatory environment and government contracts.
- Katrina Markel asked the senator about a provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that would make it harder for the judiciary to hold administration officials in contempt of court if they ignored a court order. Rep. Mike Flood told Nebraskans at a town hall that he didn't know about that provision until after the bill was passed. Ernst says it's unlikely to be in the final version of the Senate bill.
- The Powertech owners asked the senator about tariffs and the costs tariffs add for small businesses. Ernst says she's aware of the issue and wants to see the administration move through tariff negotiations quickly. She also defended President Trump's tariff plans.
- A spokesperson in Sen. Chuck Grassley's office sent a statement about the provision in the budget reconciliation bill that would make it harder to hold administration officials in contempt of court: “Sweeping universal injunctions reach far beyond the legitimate authority of the judicial branch. Chairman Grassley is considering approaches to address universal injunctions through reconciliation that comply with the Senate’s Byrd rule.”
WATCH KATRINA'S STORY BELOW
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
I'm Southwest Iowa Neighborhood Reporter Katrina Markel. President Trump’s one big beautiful budget bill is now in the hands of the Senate. I'm in Council Bluffs asking Senator Joni Ernst about this bill and what it means for Iowans.
Katrina Markel: “There’s a provision in that bill that would make it harder for the judiciary to hold the Trump Administration in contempt of court if they just ignored an injunction. Is that something that you’re even aware of, but is it something that you would actually vote for?"
Ernst: “Well, yes. I will tell you I don’t think that actually makes it into the Senate version of the bill since that doesn’t necessarily deal with spending or revenues it probably will not meet the statutory requirements of the Senate."
Ernst was in Council Bluffs to tour Powertech, a locally-owned electrical contractor. The owners asked her about tariffs and the increased cost to small businesses.
I asked Ernst about a Council Bluffs woman who told me she lost a job because tariffs were affecting the price of her company’s products.
"But the goal is to balance our trade with other countries," said Ernst. "If they have tariffs on the United States then for sure we’re going to push tariffs out on them. This is what President Trump is working on quickly, but I don’t want to see Iowans losing their jobs because of the tariffs. We need to move through this very, very quickly."
The president has asked senators to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act by the Fourth of July, but that's a self-imposed deadline.
