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I was honored to be recognized by the Iowa
Health Care Association and Iowa Center for Assisted Living
during their annual statewide convention on September 29.
IHCA and ICAL represent 559 nursing facilities and assisted
living programs across the state, and I'm committed to
helping them continue to provide top-notch long-term care to
Iowa's frail and elderly.
Pictured with me are ICAL Government Relations
representative Jen Kingland, ICAL Director Cindy Baddeloo
and ICAL Past President Jean Palmer. |
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Iowa’s nurses are an essential part of our
health care system. Experts say there are good reasons to be
concerned about a shortage of nurses in our rural
communities.
On September 1, I visited the outstanding nursing program at
Iowa Lakes Community College in Emmetsburg to learn more
about what Iowa is doing to increase the number of nurses
while providing Iowans with good job opportunities. I talked
with nursing students and faculty about their desire to work
in a field where they really make a difference in the health
of Iowans.
At the state level, we are encouraging more Iowans to go
into nursing by improving and expanding student loan
forgiveness programs. You can learn more about state,
federal and private loan forgiveness programs for nurses at
www.iowacollegeaid.gov/commission
central/loanforgiveness/nursing.html. |
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Governor Chet Culver signed House File 311 at
the Statehouse on April 24. This new law will help Iowans
with disabilities by making sure insurance covers their
prosthetics. In recent years, insurance coverage of
prosthetics has declined, leaving many Iowans to pay
substantial costs entirely out of pocket. This legislation
will reverse that trend, and ensure prosthetic coverage for
all Iowans who need it. On hand for the bill signing were,
from left: Governor Chet Culver; Senator Pat Ward; Rod
Cheney of American Prosthetics & Orthotics;
Senator Bill Dotzler; Drew Wall, a 12-year-old from Cedar
Rapids who lost his leg last year due to cancer; Gary Cheney
of American Prosthetics & Orthotics; Representative Bob
Kressig; Representative Janet Peterson; Representative Dave
Jacoby; Senator Steve Warnstadt; Senator Bill Heckroth; and
Senator Amanda Ragan. |
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I spoke recently with one of
my heroes at the Iowa Statehouse, former Iowa Governor Bob Ray.
Ray was at the Capitol in support of the Iowa Natural Heritage
Foundation. The organization is celebrating its 30th
anniversary as a member-supported, nonprofit group. During that
time, it has helped protect
more than
100,000 acres of Iowa's prairies, wetlands, woodlands,
greenways, trails and river corridors.
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State Senator Bill Dotzler talked with ABATE
members on Wednesday at the Iowa Statehouse. Senator Dotzler
helped require that the "Share the Road" motorcycle awareness
program be a part of every Iowa driver's education class. |
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On March 25, Governor Chet Culver signed Senate
File 197, making Iowa the first state in the nation to enact new
federal guidelines modernizing our unemployment insurance
system. As a result of this legislation, Iowa’s Unemployment
Insurance Fund stands to receive $71 million in federal aid to
make these changes. Iowa is the first state in the nation to
fully comply with the law. The bill provides for more unemployed
Iowans to claim benefits in the quarter they first become
unemployed; provides for an additional 26 weeks of benefits for
workers who enroll in high-demand or high-tech training
programs; and makes it easier to rehire returning veterans.
Senate File 197 passed House and Senate with broad bipartisan
support. |
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On Tuesday, March 24, Timothy Orr was unanimously confirmed by
the Iowa Senate as the new Adjutant General of the State of
Iowa. |
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YMCA held their annual legislative breakfast at
the Statehouse on March 11. The YMCA serves thousands of Iowans
through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body. I met
with YMCA volunteer Kirk Alexander about the importance of
maintaining these programs, especially in such tough economic
times. |
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The Iowa chapter of the American Association of
Retired People was at the Statehouse on March 11 to advocate for
a variety of issues affecting Iowa's seniors, such as healthcare
and financial security. I talked with Stephan Kaftan about what
the Legislature can do to better help our seniors meet their
needs. |
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I talked with Sauer-Danfoss
employee Rick Lopez at the Statehouse on March 3. The Institute
for Physical Research and Technology (IPRT) held a legislative
event to highlight the assistance they give to companies in
Iowa. Sauer-Danfoss in Ames is one such company helped
by IPRT's scientific and technical staff. |
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The Multiple Sclerosis Society hosted a
legislative breakfast at the Statehouse on March 4 as part of
National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week, March 2-8. Jennifer
Kline and Doug Schull, a former state legislator, were on hand
to lobby on behalf of the 4,500 Iowans affected by M.S. |
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I talked with the dean of Iowa State University's College of
Design to discuss what the program can do to help area
communities with their Great Places projects. |
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U.S.
Representative Bruce Braley spoke to our caucus on February 17. He discussed the opportunities for Iowa in the
recently passed federal stimulus bill. He said the
legislation will create 37,000 Iowa jobs by rebuilding
crumbling roads and bridges, investing in passenger rail and
putting people to work on aviation, water and flood control
projects.
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I talked with Pat Higby of UNI on February 10 in the rotunda of
the Capitol. She is with the Center for Energy & Environmental
Education and was on hand for the Iowa Environmental Council Day on
the Hill. |
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Three community college students visited the
State Capitol on February 4 to thank lawmakers who supported
Iowa’s wind energy expansion efforts. Student Grant Erickson
talked with me about continuing support for Iowa’s community
colleges and the Iowa Power Fund. A two-year program at Iowa
Lakes Community College in Estherville to train students to
learning to build and maintain wind turbines will grow from 71
students this year to 102 students next year. Graduates
typically receive 10 to 20 job offers when they complete their
courses. |
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On February
2, Governor Chet Culver signed a bill recently approved by
the Legislature to provide $56 million for disaster relief.
The money will come from the state’s Economic Emergency
Fund.
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Shortly after President Barack Obama's
inauguration on January 20, we hung his portrait in the Senate
Chamber. This is a tradition in the Legislature when a new
President takes office.
Iowans played a key role in making Barack Obama the 44th
President of the United States, and thousands from around the
state headed to Washington, D.C. for the inaugural festivities.
Among them were members of the Iowa National Guard. In fact, of
the 7,000 Guard members activated nationwide for inauguration
duty, 1,000 were from Iowa. They assisted with security,
transportation, traffic control and other activities. Thank you
to our men and women in uniform for always answering the call of
their Commander in Chief. |
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Senator Bill Dotzler of Waterloo was named
the Iowa Legislative Friend of Tourism during the 2008 Iowa
Tourism Conference in Sioux City on Oct. 21.
Pictured, from left: Kathy Dirks, president of the Travel
Federation of Iowa; Dotzler; Kim Burger, Cedar Falls Convention
& Visitors Bureau; Aaron Buzza, Waterloo Convention & Visitors
Bureau; and Nancy Landess, manager of the Iowa Tourism Office. |
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Senators Bill Dotzler and Roger Stewart talk with Microsoft
General Manager Mike Manos at the Statehouse Aug. 21. The
software giant announced it will create a $550 million data
center in West Des Moines that will employ approximately 75
workers at an average salary of $75,000 a year. As chair
of the Economic Development Budget and floor-manager of the
legislation that lured Microsoft, Dotzler played an integral
part in bringing these high-quality good-paying jobs to Iowa. |
