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A Day in History

 

January 20, 2009, is a day for the history books.  It is a day that 10 years from now should evoke thoughts of where you were and what you were doing when the first African-American president took the oath of the highest office in the United States. 

 

What were you doing?  Were you in the break room at work watching on television?  Were you watching live coverage online at your computer?  Just maybe you were shivering with the massive crowds in Washington, D.C. 

 

I was watching the inauguration with my fellow Senators in a conference room behind the Senate Chamber on a small television.  We had a larger projector rigged up with a live feed from CNN.com, but the volume of people from around the world logging onto the CNN website was so great that the site bogged down, making it impossible to watch. 

 

That’s right, everyone is watching our nation right now, waiting to see what we do next with this great momentum that all started here in Iowa.

 

 

Disaster Relief for Iowans & Communities

 

Our neighbors in need will get additional help in their flood- and tornado-ravaged communities from two disaster recovery bills we recently passed.  One bill sets aside $56 million from the state’s Economic Emergency Fund, and the other bill allows the areas to expedite the approval of 1-cent local option sales tax in some disaster-affected Iowa communities that do not already have it. 

 

Both bills passed quickly through the Legislature.  Governor Chet Culver signed the $56 million disaster recovery bill on February 2.  The disaster recovery dollars will be allocated as follows:

 

▸       $24 million- JumpStart Housing Program

▸       $22 million- Cities and counties

▸       $10 million- Individuals and families

 

For more information, go to www.rio.iowa.gov.

 

 

Investment in Renewable Energy Pays Off

 

I recently met with three community college students who came to the state capitol to encourage lawmakers' continued support of Iowa’s community colleges and the Iowa Power Fund.  The students are part of a two-year program at Iowa Lakes Community College that trains students to build and maintain wind turbines.  This program will grow from 71 students this year to 102 next year.  Graduates typically receive 10-20 job offers upon program completion.

 

I have supported and will continue to support such programs, and we are already seeing results from our investments in alternative, Iowa-grown energy.  Just recently Iowa became the #2 state in the country for wind energy, surpassing California and second only to Texas.  (And, no, it wasn't the convening of the legislature that put us over the top!)  (Though I can see how you might think that some days.....)

 

You’ll see the proof just by looking out your window some night over eastern Story County towards the sea of red blinking lights atop 100 new wind turbines.  At $3 million per tower, that is a $300 million investment that will produce clean, green power and jobs for decades to come! 

 

For more information regarding the Iowa Power Fund visit www.energy.iowa.gov.

 

 

My Appointments to Statewide Panels

 

Iowa’s statewide boards and commissions are responsible for advising the Governor and Lt. Governor, the legislature, and state agencies. Most of the members are regular Iowans from all parts of the state.

 

As a legislator, it is part of my job to serve on boards and commissions as an ex-officio, non-voting member.  Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal and Senate President Jack Kibbie recently re-appointed me to three important statewide panels on which I have been serving for several years:

 

▸       College Student Aid Commission

▸       Commission on Tobacco Use Prevention & Control

▸       Local Government Innovation Commission

 

I encourage all people from my district who would be interested and willing to share their talents to apply for appointment.  To learn more about Iowa’s boards and commissions and to get an application, go to http://openup.iowa.gov/boards/. 

 

 

Making Bureaucracy Do Its Job

 

Late last year, I learned that the state agency tasked with helping kids get the financial support they need and are owed is not doing its job.  Under existing state law, if a support payment ordered for the support of a minor child is more than 30 days late, interest is by law supposed to be charged.  Incredibly, however, the state's child support recovery unit, whose duty it is to help the kids get that money, is not enforcing the law.  They say it's too complicated or too hard to compute the interest. 

 

I don't buy that excuse. If a late payment means the custodial parent hasn't enough money cover the credit card bill that month, the credit card company knows how to compute the interest. It's not too complicated for them. If that parent has to take out a payday loan to get by, those outfits know how to figure the interest--at up to 400%!!

 

Yes, everybody who wants to take money out of the pocket of the parent who is trying to feed those kids knows perfectly well how to compute and collect the interest. It is only the state's child support recovery unit--the ONE agency that is supposed to help put money into the family's account--that's the only agency that can't figure interest????

 

Computing interest payments is something any freshman accounting student can do. It's time some of our state bureaucrats quit making excuses and did their jobs. I am pursuing this matter with the governor's office and may offer legislation.

 

 

Recent photos

 

	I heard members of Iowa State University Statesmen Choir perform in the Capitol rotunda on February 17.
	I recently talked with  Ryan Agustine, SE State vice-president from Rose Hill and a Freshman in Agricultural Studies at Iowa State, and Michael Dolch, SW State vice-president from Villisca and a Sophomore in Agricultural Engineering at Iowa State. They were at the Statehouse to talk about the Future Farmers of America.
	I had the opportunity to meet with students from Youth and Shelter Services in Ames at the Capitol on February 4. They were representing the Elevate program, which provides guidance to youth who've aged out of the foster care system.
	Student Ambassadors from Iowa State University visited the Statehouse on February 4. We discussed the importance of maintaining funding for our universities and attracting students from across the country. We also talked about my bill to exempt college textbooks from sales tax.
	Three community college students visited the State Capitol on Wednesday to thank lawmakers who supported Iowa’s wind energy expansion efforts. The trio talked with State Senator Herman Quirmbach of Ames, encouraging him to continue supporting 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.
	I met with Jim Polish from Madrid at the Iowa Capitol on February 3. Polish works in the Des Moines office of Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance and was on hand for Insurance Day on the Hill.
	It's always great to have our Iowa veterans at the Statehouse.  On January 22, members of the Story County Commission on Veteran Affairs met with Representatives Lisa Heddens and Beth Wessel-Kroeschell and me to discuss veterans' issues.  I am proud of the steps we've taken in the Legislature to honor our veterans and meet their needs.  The Iowa Veterans Council reported that the 2008 Legislative session was “the most successful year for veterans in the Legislature since the 1950s.”  The council includes several organizations, including the Marine Corps League, Vietnam Veterans of America, the VFW, and Disabled American Veterans.
	Shortly after President Barack Obama's inauguration on January 20, we hung his portrait in the Senate Chamber. Among those who headed to Washington, D.C., for the inaugural festivities 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 duty.
	Mandy Rasmussen of Melborne is my clerk for the 2009 legislative session.
	Iowa State University student Greta Johnson was at the Statehouse January 15. Johnson serves on the Iowa Board of Regents.