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HONORING DIANE HORN AS IOWAN OF THE WEEK
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HON. CYNTHIA AXNE
of iowa
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
Ms. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing Diane Horn, a Volunteer Income Tax Assistant with Lutheran Services of Iowa, as our Iowan of the Week.
As we enter a new tax filing season, I can't help but to think of all the Iowans out there who are looking for help getting their taxes filed. Every day, I hear first-hand accounts of the challenges that taxpayers in Iowa are facing. While many of the challenges they're facing arise after filing their returns, many Iowans still explain to me that their problems could have been avoided had they not had issues with filing in the first place. That is why I am so proud to honor Diane Horn today.
Diane volunteers with Lutheran Services of Iowa (LSI) in their Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. She started volunteering about six years ago with another organization in Iowa, greeting folks who were coming in for service appointments. Diane previously held a career as an IT Manager, but in her second year of volunteering, she decided to learn more about tax preparation. Diane took classes and eventually took the tests required through the IRS to earn her certification.
Diane then started volunteering with LSI, where she started helping folks file their taxes. She explained how rewarding this experience is, and how she genuinely feels the impact of the help she is providing to those in need. Diane describes everyone she works with as being so grateful. Many of the people who come to her are refugees or immigrants, and many of them cannot speak and/or read English.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every single industry in our nation's economy, and it also had an impact on the work that LSI could carry out. Diane explained that working remotely came with its own unique challenges, but most of all, she missed being able to see and chat with everyone who made appointments with her. She loves hearing everyone's story, no matter the circumstances. It makes the work she does that much more gratifying knowing that she is truly making a difference for those who are in need.
The work Diane does is so incredibly vital to communities across Iowa's third district. The tax process is one that many Americans feel is complicated and difficult to fully understand. Diane helps ease those concerns and anxieties. Her dedication to helping those in need is commendable, and it is why I am so honored to name Diane Horn Iowan of the Week.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 26
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
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