Joni
Ernst

Ernst has spent years focused on a few core fights. Each is tied to bills actually introduced or votes actually cast.

• 01
  Advocates for federal government accountability and transparencyErnst has sponsored multiple bills targeting federal government operations and spending disclosure. The DRAIN THE SWAMP Act (S.23) would limit federal employee relocation reimbursements, the Stop Secret Spending Act of 2025 (S.872) would require disclosure of certain federal expenditures, and the Audit the IRS Act (S.1427) would mandate an independent audit of the Internal Revenue Service. The SWAMP Act (S.22) addresses related federal accountability measures.
• 02
  Supports restrictions on IRS authority and resourcesErnst has sponsored legislation that would limit the Internal Revenue Service's law-enforcement resources and subject it to external audit. The Why Does the IRS Need Guns Act (S.1436) would address IRS possession of firearms, and the Audit the IRS Act (S.1427) would require an independent audit of the agency's operations and finances. Both bills have been reintroduced across multiple Congresses.
• 03
  Sponsors immigration enforcement and victim protection measuresErnst has repeatedly sponsored Sarah's Law (S.84), which would require federal immigration authorities to detain undocumented individuals charged with offenses against U.S. citizens and notify victims' families. The bill has attracted 34 cosponsors and has been reintroduced across multiple Congresses. She also sponsored the BE GONE Act (S.1517), which addresses deportation-related enforcement measures.
• 04
  Addresses agricultural land ownership and rural accessErnst has sponsored the FARMLAND Act of 2025 (S.886), which targets foreign ownership of American agricultural land, and the Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act (S.469), which would modify estate tax provisions affecting farm and small business transfers. She has also sponsored the Rural Housing Accessibility Act (S.1091), which addresses housing accessibility requirements in rural communities.
• 05
  Sponsors women's health and abortion data legislationErnst has sponsored the Protect Funding for Women's Health Care Act (S.177), which addresses federal funding streams for women's health services, and the Ensuring Accurate and Complete Abortion Data Reporting Act of 2025 (S.178), which would establish or strengthen federal requirements for states to report abortion data to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Both bills have been reintroduced across multiple Congresses.