Fairness for Iowa

Fairness for Iowa is a coalition made up of advocacy groups and labor unions pushing for left-of-center policies in Iowa. 1 Fairness for Iowa advocates for increasing taxes for wealthy Americans and businesses, expanding taxpayer-funded healthcare, and opposing U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (R-IA). 2

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3), Organization
Issue Areas: Labor Policy, Healthcare Policy
Website: www.fairnessforiowa.org
Location:

Iowa

Political Leaning:

Left-of-Center

Issue Areas:

Taxes, Healthcare, Energy

Contents

    The Fairness for Iowa coalition is run by the Iowa branches of the AFL-CIO and American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). 3 It supported the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 1 and opposed the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023. 4

    Legislative Advocacy

    Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023

    The Limit, Save Grow Act aimed to repeal some environmentalist energy tax credits including credits for electric vehicles and weather dependent electricity investment and production. 5 It also intended to expand eligible work requirements for the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) and to expand the program’s purpose to “assist low-income adults in obtaining employment and increasing their earnings.” 5 Fairness for Iowa stated that by supporting this proposed legislation, U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn (R-IA) was “supporting wealthy corporations over…Iowan jobs and voting to raise grocery store prices” as well as “voting to give Big Oil billions in tax breaks.” 4  The legislation was not enacted. 4

    American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act of 2023

    The American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act is an amendment to Internal Revenue Code of 1986. This act would allow businesses to claim research and experimental expenditures as tax deductions every year those expenditures occur instead of just a five-year amortization. 6 Fairness for Iowa claims that by supporting this act, Congressman Nunn was supporting a “tax break that would help Big Pharma.” 4

    Coalition Members

    Fairness for Iowa is a coalition made up of labor unions including the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the AFL-CIO and advocacy groups including Progress Iowa, Iowa Citizen Action Network (ICAN), Health Care for America Now (HCAN), Lower Drug Prices Now, and Iowa Main Streets and Country Roads. 3

    Progress Iowa

    Progress Iowa is an advocacy organization which focuses on getting progressive legislation passed and progressive politicians elected in Iowa. 7 Progress Iowa was founded as a nonprofit in 2012 but filed its last tax document as a nonprofit in 2023. 8 It operates as the Iowa state arm of the national left-wing advocacy organization ProgressNow. 9

    Iowa Citizen Action Network

    The Iowa Citizen Action Network (ICAN) is a public interest group which advocates for progressive interest such as expanding Medicaid, raising the minimum wage, and maintaining tax incentives for wind energy.  10

    Health Care for America Now

    Health Care for America Now is an advocacy organization which focuses on giving all Americans health care. Specifically, it supports the Affordable Care Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, the expansion of Medicare and Medicaid, and abortion access. 11 It is a project of the Sixteen Thirty Fund.  12

    Lower Drug Prices Now

    Lower Drug Prices now is an advocacy organization which focuses on reducing the cost of health care and medicine. It suggests the best way to achieve this is through taxpayer funded health care programs, expansion Medicare and Medicaid, price ceilings on medicine and tighter regulation on the medical pharmaceutical industry. 13 It is a project of the Sixteen Thirty Fund. 12

    Iowa Main Streets and Country Roads

    Iowa Main Street and Country Roads is the Iowa branch of the Main Street Alliance. Main Street Alliance is a network of small businesses which advocate for left-of-center economic regulations such as reducing access to business tax deductions, progressive taxation, and greater investment in federal agency grants. 14

    AFSCME Council  61

    AFSCME Council 61 is the Iowa branch of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Labor Union. 15 It is the largest member of the state AFL-CIO and advocates on liberal issues such as expanding Medicare and Medicaid, taxpayer funded higher education, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. 16

    Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO

    The Iowa Federation of Labor is the Iowa state branch of the AFL-CIO labor federation. It advocates for the expansion of labor unions and the election of liberal politicians. 17

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    References

    1. “Speak Out.” Fairness for Iowa. Accessed April 7, 2025. https://www.fairnessforiowa.org/speakout. 
    2. “Report: Congressman Zach Nunn’s First Year in Office Fails Iowans.” Fairness for Iowa, January 2024. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/649c3f2f1426027e4015982a/t/65b29e84df35a4188bfce52b/1706204805161/Report-Congressman+Zach+Nunn%27s+First+Year+in+Office+Fails+Iowans.pdf. 
    3. “Our Coalition.” Fairness for Iowa. Accessed April 7, 2025. https://www.fairnessforiowa.org/our-coalition. 
    4. Progress Iowa. “Fairness for Iowa Launches Ad Campaign to Hold Rep. Nunn Accountable.” Progress Iowa, August 17, 2023. https://progressiowa.org/2023/08/fairness-for-iowa-launches-ad-campaign-to-hold-rep-nunn-accountable/. 
    5. Congress.gov. “H.R.2811 – 118th Congress (2023-2024): Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023.” May 4, 2023. https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/2811. 
    6. Congress.gov. “Text – H.R.2673 – 118th Congress (2023-2024): American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act of 2023.” April 20, 2023. https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/2673/text. 
    7. “About.” Progress Iowa. Accessed April 7, 2025. https://progressiowa.org/about/. 
    8. “Progress Iowa 990 Report.” Progress Iowa. Accessed April 7, 2025. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/progress-iowa-50f16484-7cc4-4478-aacb-75e12166378f. 
    9. “Iowa.” ProgressNow. Accessed April 7, 2025. https://progressnow.org/iowa/. 
    10. “Campaigns.” Iowa Citizen Action Network. Accessed April 7, 2025. https://iowacan.org/campaigns-ican/. 
    11. “About Hcan.” Health Care for America Now. Accessed April 7, 2025. https://www.healthcareforamericanow.org/about/about-hcan/. 
    12. “Focus Areas.” Sixteen Thirty Fund. Accessed April 7, 2025. https://www.sixteenthirtyfund.org/focus-areas/. 
    13. “About Us.” Lower Drug Prices Now. Accessed April 7, 2025. https://www.lowerdrugpricesnow.org/about-us/. 
    14. “Our Work.” Main Street Alliance / Main Street Action. Accessed April 7, 2025. https://mainstreetalliance.org/our-work#block-f3625c4487f0d4f17315.
    15. “About Us.” AFSCME Council 61. Accessed April 7, 2025. https://afscmecouncil61.org/about-us.
    16. “Our Issues.” AFSCME. Accessed April 7, 2025. https://www.afscme.org/priorities/issues. 
    17. Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO Vote for Workers’ Rights Elections 2024. Accessed April 7, 2025. https://voteunioniowa.org/vote-union-iowa-2024/.