David Young

David Young was born in Van Meter, Iowa. Young graduated from graduated from Johnston High School in Johnston, Iowa, in 1986. He earned a B.A. from Drake University in 1991.[1] Young's career experience includes working as the chief of staff to U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley, a staffer and campaign manager for former U.S. Senator James Paul David Bunning, a development officer with Media Research Center, a legislative aide to former U.S. Senator Hank Brown, a manager loan trainee with Norwest Financial, and a paperboy.[1][2][3]

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Campaign website

Young’s campaign website stated the following:

Getting Iowa Back to Work

Our economy was thriving and growing until most small businesses and larger employers were forced to shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This hurt business owners, workers, entrepreneurs, investors, and consumers. While our economy is making its way back - we know what works to create a growing economy with low unemployment, high job participation, investment, increased revenues, and put more money in the pockets of hardworking Iowans.

We must keep taxes low and more of a worker’s paycheck in their own pockets. Now is not the time to pain to any families struggling to make their budget. I trust Iowans with their money. Iowans know how to spend their money better than the federal government. I voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 which helped Iowa’s economy by helping Iowa’s workers keep more of their paychecks.

Also, keeping a check on onerous, burdensome, one-size-fits-all federal rules and regulations will give businesses more freedom to bounce back, and is a priority of mine. While well intended, there are too many rules and regulations which cause more harm than good, are outdated, and can harm our economy, and more fundamentally, our liberties. The regulatory regime in any administration needs to be held accountable and transparent. I support requiring a Congressional vote on all rules and regulations, before they go into effect. Also, those who author and create rules and regulations must publicly reveal who they are by signing their names at the end of each proposed rule and regulation. Shouldn’t we know those who influence what we can and can’t do?

And finally, we also must have a robust free and fair trade agenda. We have the best workers in America. And we have incredible products and valuable services. We just need markets to sell them in. Low taxation, reduced rules and regulations, a robust trade agenda, and long-term certainty of what the economic playing field looks like will help ensure a strong economy for our Iowa families.

Energy

I’m for an “all of the above” energy strategy and policy, and for producing as much of our energy as we can right here at home. This will also allow us to export energy and fuels. Iowa has helped lead the way in the cutting edge renewable fuels industry. Our renewable fuels industry is great for Iowa’s economy, our consumers, and our families. It creates good paying jobs, helps Iowans save money on their energy bills, benefits the environment by producing cleaner fuels, and it’s good for our national security by helping us become more energy independent as a nation and not dependent on other countries for our energy and fuel needs. I will always look out for our renewable fuels industries - solar, wind, geothermal, bio-fuels - here in Iowa, and work to incentivize new technologies. I’m especially proud of our farmers and agricultural industry - they are not only helping to feed America, but they’re helping to fuel America, too. We need a consistent and level playing field so our producers and farmers can plan and expand their businesses and have certainty from year to year. I will oppose efforts to weaken the law for the use of bio-fuels and stand up to any administration trying to diminish the use of bio-fuels and favor the petroleum industry.

Veterans

We owe our safety and security as a nation to our veterans. They are our heroes and they and their families deserve accolades for their sacrifice. More than accolades, they deserve to be cared for by a grateful nation and her people. Veterans deserve and should receive the best healthcare for their physical, emotional, and mental health needs. And when they are not able to receive a needed service at one of our veterans hospitals or clinics, they should be able to choose the provider or specialist they need nearby at any given time. In Congress, I wrote the bipartisan bill to help fix the Veterans Crisis Line and bring accountability to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for our veterans with emotional and mental wounds. I will continue to push for accountability within the VA to ensure our veterans receive the attention and care they deserve. I am also proud to partner with veterans and community leaders in southwest Iowa to help in expediting the construction of the new Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) in Shenandoah.

Seniors

Social Security and Medicare are sacred promises made between the federal government and our great seniors. I will always protect and work to strengthen those important promises and programs for our seniors. And I will join my colleagues across the aisle in a bipartisan and transparent way to preserve and strengthen Social Security and Medicare. Over a lifetime of labor, Americans have paid into these programs and are relying on them to be there when they retire. It’s also important to note, these are not ‘entitlements’. These are funds owned by, and owed back to, Americans in their golden years. Trustees of Social Security and Medicare have reported underfunding in these programs. If nothing is done to strengthen them and shore them up, by 2034 beneficiaries will only receive 75% of the benefits owed to them. That is simply unacceptable. I have been, and will continue to be, a strong ally for our seniors in Washington, D.C., to ensure they receive all the benefits they were promised and guaranteed.

Agriculture

Agriculture is a major part of Iowa’s heritage and history, as well as a major part of Iowa’s economy. Farmers and producers need the freedom to farm and access to many trading partners and markets, under a policy of low taxation and commonsense rules and regulations. We need to honor, encourage, and incentivize family farming. This can be done by eliminating the death tax, so a family farm can be passed down from generation to generation without part of it being sold off, split apart, and reduced. I support expanding loan assistance to the beginning farmer for land purchase, conservation enhancements, and machinery. Farming and producing can be a stressful job, and we must address the reality that mental health and other health care needs for many farmers can be many miles away, making access to care a real challenge.

Healthcare

Healthcare is a serious and personal issue to Iowans and their families. Politicians should never play politics with the health of our families. Our healthcare system is struggling. It’s broken. It’s too expensive, bureaucratic, complex, and confusing. Our doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers spend more time filling out government paperwork and dealing with insurance companies than they do with what they ventured into the field for - to help people and try to improve their health and lives.

Those with pre-existing conditions should not be discriminated against and denied healthcare, nor should those with pre-existing conditions be priced differently. Unfortunately, there are those who want to demagogue this issue. Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and everyone in between, support access to affordable and quality care for those who have pre-existing conditions.

Iowans have a right to pursue options and have choice with their healthcare coverage and providers. Choice come from a marketplace. A marketplace brings price transparency. Price transparency brings competitive pricing. And overall, this competition brings quality, affordable, and accessible healthcare. This is especially effective when Iowans are empowered with their health care dollars through a Health Savings Account or should those on the Affordable Care Act be personally empowered with their subsidy dollars instead of the insurance companies. This can also apply to helping to bring down the price of prescription drugs, especially by protecting and encouraging generic drugs as an alternative to name brands in the marketplace.

I oppose a one-sized fits all government run healthcare system where private insurance is abolished and made illegal and the government instructs Iowans where and when they can receive medical attention. This invites rationing of healthcare and giving preferential treatment to those in better health. Most Iowans receive their healthcare through their employer, and they do not want to lose it. And veterans don’t want their Veterans Affairs coverage taken away. Nor do seniors want Medicare to go away or do those most vulnerable on Medicaid want to see it abolished. All lives, whether they have a disability or are in good overall heath, deserve choice in care and coverage.

Conservation

We have an obligation to be good stewards of the land, air, and water and ensure future generations can prosper in a clean environment. And we can do it without a massive government intervention, such as the Green New Deal, which would absolutely decimate our economy and hurt the livelihood of our families. Our farmers and producers understand the need of protecting our soil and water, and we can help create an environment where best practices are shared and improved among everyone. Water conservation and quality is important to all Iowans. I have a record of promoting bipartisan water quality solutions and bringing players to the same table, from Des Moines Water Works to the Iowa Farm Bureau to support the same goals and solutions. And by incentivizing new practices or technologies, such as carbon sequestrations, we can promote cleaner burning renewable fuels. And Iowa can play a lead in this new economic engine, while helping the environment, creating new jobs, and making us more energy independent.

Education

Education standards and the best decisions for our children in our classrooms must remain at the local level and not be made in a building in Washington, D.C. While those at the U.S. Department of Education may have good intentions for Iowa’s children, many of those working there have never even been in a classroom. And they see Iowa’s kids as a statistic and datapoint rather than a child with a smile and personality. This is why I supported the bipartisan repeal of the “No Child Left Behind” law and returned power and decisions about what was taught in the classroom back to the state and local levels where parents and teachers can have more input.

Simply put, the most impactful decisions on a child’s education should be made as close to that child as possible with parents, teachers, and local school administrators making the decisions for the classroom. This is where there is more accountability - where a teacher knows the child’s name and hears that child’s voice.

Student Debt

Above K-12, I have and will continue to support funding for higher education loans and grants to provide educational assistance to those wishing to continue their education past high school. And I will seek to find workable solutions to the student loan debt issue, such as loan forgiveness in return for college graduates working in unserved or underserved geographic areas with needs in a certain career field; such as a teacher, nurse, or doctor. We must also ensure this student loan crisis doesn’t happen to future generations, and find ways to bring down the costs of higher education through better education of student loan requirements, increased use of community colleges for affordable college credits, and greater transparency and accountability for how tuition dollars are used.

Child Care

We need to find ways to address the lack of quality and affordable childcare for working parents. Parents work hard, and it’s not always easy coming up with the funds for childcare or even seeing the point of working if they can’t get ahead of the costs. I support giving families relief through the tax code - whether it’s dealing with tax credits or tax deductibility - relating to the cost of childcare. There are already different proposals and options addressing childcare through this manner and I will work with my future colleagues and parents to find the best proposal to help families financially. And with a proposal set into law to help families, it will also help incentivize the formation or expansion of childcare provider services and businesses. This is a win-win for everyone.

Immigration

Our immigration system is broken and desperately needs to be addressed. We must acknowledge respect for the rule of law and enforce the laws. America is the land of opportunity with offers to economically provide for one’s family. Yet, there is a right way to come here, and a wrong way to come here. But we can’t have an open border. And if we don’t like the laws, then Congress needs to work to legislatively change it. I have supported and continue to support efforts to decrease illegal immigration. A lot of this has to do with securing the border, including enhanced border security from wall construction to increasing fencing, more help from the Coast Guard and drone surveillance, ground-penetrating radar and increased monitoring at ports of entry, and much more.

I do not support blanket amnesty and citizenship for those in our country illegally. I do support a strict pathway to citizenship for those identified under Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals - known as ‘Dreamers’ - who arrived in some way as a minor and not necessarily under their own control or choice - and who are non-felons. Today, some of these ‘Dreamers’ are our neighbors, co-workers, teachers, nurses, small business owners, laborers, firefighters, police officers, preachers. They go to our houses of worship and contribute to the betterment of our communities. They are even serving in the military having sworn an oath to defend the Constitution, the United States, and her people. I have supported this pathway for ‘Dreamers’ in the past when it was incorporated in a larger bill which also included ending the visa lottery, tightening chain migration to the nuclear family, establishing an E-Verify system, and providing funding and resources for the border (including wall funding).

[6]

—David Young’s campaign website (2020)[7]

Campaign website

Young's campaign website stated the following:

American Optimism

Optimism is at the center of America’s continued greatness, and it is the defining character of David’s public service and of his campaign to represent Iowa’s Third Congressional District. David spent the last 7 years working for the people of Iowa shoulder-to-shoulder with Senator Chuck Grassley as his Chief of Staff. David knows how to tackle tough issues and get results for Iowa.

Balancing the Budget & Controlling Spending

David is courageous in his stand against the waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement rampant in the federal government. He is not afraid to blow the whistle on government officials who act irresponsibly with the taxpayer’s dollars or trust.

Oversight of our government is one of the most important duties of a member of Congress. The federal bureaucracy is plagued by scandal. It has to stop. We need to shine a spotlight into the darkness of Washington, D.C. – because sunshine is the best disinfectant. David will hold government accountable in order to restore trust in our democracy.

David is a watchdog, he learned from the best – Senator Grassley. He is he ready to dismantle the parts of DC that don’t work and rebuild the parts that need to work better. David will hold government from both parties accountable as he fights for a transparent government that works better for Iowa and for America.

Holding Government Accountable

David has proposed a set of Better Budget Principles rooted in Iowa common sense, which will put the United States on a path toward getting our fiscal house in order.

Balanced Budget Amendment – The concept here is simple: never spend more money than you have revenue. In Iowa, this concept is just common sense.

Zero Based Budgeting – this solution simply means that each year, the funding level for all government programs and agencies will begin at $0. This is a better budgeting practice than giving every program the same amount as last year, plus a raise.

Sunset Legislation – attaching a sunset clause to every law enacted by Congress means policies will no longer outlive their usefulness. When the sunset date arrives, Congress will examine the program anew and determine if it should continue for another finite period of time.

Full Federal Audit – the budget of every government department and agency should undergo a thorough outside audit to ensure taxpayer funds are being used in the most effective manner possible.

Strengthening Our Economy & Creating Jobs

Iowa’s manufacturing and agriculture industries are important to the American economy. David knows Iowa has what it takes to help make America’s economy stronger than ever. To be successful as a nation, to give job creators and families certainty for our future, we need to enact and promote common sense federal policies just like we have in Iowa.

We need financial security as a nation and as individuals. Our country’s economic policies should encourage investment in America to spur innovation and job creation. These policies should also encourage saving for the future and for uncertain times. We do this at the state level in Iowa through our “Rainy Day” fund and we do the same thing as inviduals. Iowans have the lowest credit card debt per capita of any state in the country. We need some more Iowa style fiscal responsibility in Washington because that is the best way to get our economy rolling.

The current U.S. tax code is 74,000 pages. David will fight for tax reform as a way to spur job creation. Our current tax system devastates the family budget and goes straight to the bottom line of businesses that are trying to create jobs and hire more hardworking Americans. The tax code should be fairer, flatter and simpler.

Improving Healthcare & Lowering Costs

Trying to fix our healthcare system by a one-size-fits-all bureaucratic approach does not work. All Americans deserve the benefits of lower healthcare prices and better access to providers. Sadly, that is not what we have received from Obamacare. We need to enact market-based solutions that work for all Iowans and all Americans. These solutions should focus on you, the patient, not the government.

David believes Obamacare should be dismantled and replaced by solutions such as allowing individuals to purchase insurance across state lines, price transparency, and reducing hospital readmissions by improving follow-up care. These are a few commonsense ideas of market-based solutions which can bring down the cost of health insurance and of medical services. We must ensure coverage is provided to individuals even if they have preexisting conditions and that young people still struggling in the job market are able to continue to receive coverage under a parent’s plan.

Keeping America's Promise to Seniors

Obamacare raided $700 billion from Medicare. No reform to our healthcare system should be paid for on the backs of America’s seniors. David will be sure we keep our promises to seniors. We need to protect and preserve Medicare because it provides needed security to older Americans. One of the ways we can work to protect and preserve the integrity of Medicare is by taking an aggressive approach to combating fraud and abuse within the program.

Here are a few solutions David is offering to reduce fraud in Medicare and protect benefits for Iowa Seniors:

Prevent Identity-Theft by removing social security numbers from Medicare cards.

Improve Oversight and Detection of improper billing and fraudulent claims.

Encourage Better Use of Technology to reduce errors in billing and eliminate unnecessary paperwork.

Strive to Reduce Overtesting and the incentive to perform duplicate tests.

Invest In Fraud Prevention because, on average, $1 dollar invested in oversight returns $10 to the taxpayer.

Defending Those Who Have Defended America

America’s commitment to our men and women in uniform and to our veterans should never waiver. David will always work to be sure our troops in battle have the resources needed for safety and to complete their missions.

When soldiers return home they deserve the best medical care available. Period. What has gone on in Veterans Administration hospitals around the country is inexcusable. David believes veterans should receive timely care either in a VA hospital or at a hospital of the veteran’s choosing. David is a proponent of an exhaustive investigation into the poor practices of VA healthcare so we can be sure no more veterans are subjected to long waiting lists and sub-par treatment.[8]

Campaign advertisements

"Fighting for Veterans" - released September 17, 2018

The following issues were listed on Young's campaign website. For a full list of campaign themes, click here.

American Optimism: Optimism is at the center of America’s continued greatness, and it is the defining character of David’s public service and of his campaign to represent Iowa’s Third Congressional District. David spent the last 7 years working for the people of Iowa shoulder-to-shoulder with Senator Chuck Grassley as his Chief of Staff. David knows how to tackle tough issues and get results for Iowa.

Balancing The Budget & Controlling Spending: David is courageous in his stand against the waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement rampant in the federal government. He is not afraid to blow the whistle on government officials who act irresponsibly with the taxpayer’s dollars or trust.

Holding Government Accountable: David has proposed a set of Better Budget Principles rooted in Iowa common sense, which will put the United States on a path toward getting our fiscal house in order.

Strengthening Our Economy & Creating Jobs: Iowa’s manufacturing and agriculture industries are important to the American economy. David knows Iowa has what it takes to help make America’s economy stronger than ever. To be successful as a nation, to give job creators and families certainty for our future, we need to enact and promote common sense federal policies just like we have in Iowa.

Improving Health Care & Lowering Costs: Trying to fix our healthcare system by a one-size-fits-all bureaucratic approach does not work. All Americans deserve the benefits of lower healthcare prices and better access to providers. Sadly, that is not what we have received from Obamacare. We need to enact market-based solutions that work for all Iowans and all Americans. These solutions should focus on you, the patient, not the government.

[6]

—David Young's campaign website, http://youngforiowa.com/solutions/

Young's website highlighted the following campaign themes:[9]

Government Accountability

Excerpt: "Oversight of our government is one of the most important duties of a member of Congress. The federal bureaucracy is plagued by scandal. It has to stop. We need to shine a spotlight into the darkness of Washington, D.C. – because sunshine is the best disinfectant. David will hold government accountable in order to restore trust in our democracy."

Budget and Spending

Excerpt: "David has proposed a set of Better Budget Principles rooted in Iowa common sense, which will put the United States on a path toward getting our fiscal house in order."

Jobs and the Economy

Excerpt: "We need financial security as a nation and as individuals. Our country's economic policies should encourage investment in America to spur innovation and job creation. These policies should also encourage saving for the future and for uncertain times. We do this at the state level in Iowa through our "Rainy Day" fund and we do the same thing as inviduals. Iowans have the lowest credit card debt per capita of any state in the country. We need some more Iowa style fiscal responsibility in Washington because that is the best way to get our economy rolling."

Healthcare

Excerpt: "David believes Obamacare should be dismantled and replaced by solutions such as allowing individuals to purchase insurance across state lines, price transparency, and reducing hospital readmissions by improving follow-up care. These are a few commonsense ideas of market-based solutions which can bring down the cost of health insurance and of medical services. We must ensure coverage is provided to individuals even if they have preexisting conditions and that young people still struggling in the job market are able to continue to receive coverage under a parent's plan."

Seniors

Excerpt: "Obamacare raided $700 billion from Medicare. No reform to our healthcare system should be paid for on the backs of America's seniors. David will be sure we keep our promises to seniors. We need to protect and preserve Medicare because it provides needed security to older Americans. One of the ways we can work to protect and preserve the integrity of Medicare is by taking an aggressive approach to combating fraud and abuse within the program."

Veterans

Excerpt: "America's commitment to our men and women in uniform and to our veterans should never waiver. David will always work to be sure our troops in battle have the resources needed for safety and to complete their missions."