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On May 26, State Senator Herman Quirmbach of Ames
visited local officials in communities throughout his Senate
district.
He was joined by State Senator
Tom Rielly of Oskaloosa.
Topics of discussion in Gilbert included road use funding,
pension issues for emergency service workers, school funding and
teacher professional development, water and sewer regulations,
reducing paperwork associated with tax filing, and removing barriers
to small business development.
Pictured in Gilbert, from left: Gilbert Councilman
Shaon Anderson, Senators Rielly and Quirmbach, and Gilbert Mayor Jon
Popp. |
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Topics of discussion Madrid focused on the impact on
local services of recent budget cuts forced by the recession, plans
for economic development and transportation infrastructure
improvements, and school funding.
Pictured in Madrid, from left: Senators Quirmbach and Rielly, Boone
Economic Development Director Darrel Rensink, Madrid Mayor Jeff
Gibbons, and Madrid School Superintendent Brian Horn. |
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Each year, thousands of workers are killed and
millions more are injured or diseased because of their jobs. The
lives of these workers are remembered and honored on April 28,
Workers Memorial Day. April 28 was chosen because it is the
anniversary of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Senators Tom Courtney of Burlington and Herman Quirmbach of Ames
attended the Workers Memorial Day ceremony in Des Moines, where they
talked with Iowa workers and families who are demanding that all
jobs be safe jobs. |
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I believe in equal pay for equal work. That’s why I
was proud this session to vote for Senate File 137, a bill that
mandates pay equity in Iowa’s workplaces. Governor Chet Culver was
joined by Lt. Governor Patty Judge, one of the most successful women
in the state of Iowa, when he signed the bill into law on April 28.
Iowa currently ranks 37th in Gender Pay Equity, and Iowa women earn
on average 62.5 percent of what men in their same industry earn.
This new legislation creates a level playing field for all Iowans. |
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State Senator Herman Quirmbach of Ames congratulates
Bill Fennelly, the Head Coach of the Iowa State University Woman's
Basketball Team, at the Iowa Statehouse on Wednesday, April 23. The
Iowa State Cyclones were honored for their outstanding performance
this season, making it all the way to the Elite Eight of the NCAA
Championships, and finishing third in the Big 12. |
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The fifth-grade classes from Gilbert Middle School were at the
Statehouse April 9 to tour the Iowa Capitol and meet
with legislators. |
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Students from Iowa State University visited with me at the
Statehouse on April 6 during Regents Day on the Hill. We
discussed several issues, including tuition increases and what the
Legislature can do to maintain Iowa's status as a leader in
education across the country. |
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The Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa were at the
Statehouse March 26 to meet their legislators, tour the building,
and learn how the Legislature works. I
met with Girl Scouts from Ames.
First picture: Taylor and Rachel Junck, fourth-graders at Sawyer Elementary School in Ames
Second picture: Brownie troop 28, which includes Lillian Montabon, Grace Kim,
Eileen Murray, Lara Murrey, and Kira Davis. Junior Troop 150,
including Kate Murray, Jordon Davis and Jana Kim. They were
accompanied by Melissa Murray, Kris August and Dixie Walljasper.
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April 1 was Advocating Change Day at the Statehouse.
Iowans
with disabilities and their families spent the day at the
Capitol talking with their state legislators and other elected officials.
I met with local advocates to talk about what the Legislature can do to support Iowans with disabilities. |
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YouTube |
State Senator Herman Quirmbach, chair of the Local Government
Committee, successfully floor-manages Senate File 343, legislation
which allows local regulation of certain lawn applications.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OUmYfYpOxw
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YouTube |
State Senator Herman Quirmbach successfully floor manages
legislation to protect victims and families from domestic abuse by
also protecting their pets from threats of violence. Victims of
domestic violence will be able to seek court protection for a family
pet to keep an abuser from causing harm to an animal or using a pet
to gain leverage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_pbCKbcBrY
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State Senator Quirmbach met with Angie Schreck and Monica Goedken
recently in the State Capitol during a touring exhibit on domestic
violence. Schreck is the assistant director of ACCESS women's
shelter and Goedken is an ACCESS volunteer coordinator for Ames,
Iowa. From left to right: Senator Quirmbach, Schreck, Godeken. |
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Senator Herman Quirmbach visited with the members of the ISU
Volleyball Team and presented them with a Certificate of Recognition
from the Iowa Senate for their appearance in the NCAA Women's
Volleyball Tournament. The team and their coach were later
introduced to the Senate by Senate President Jack Kibbie. |
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Sheila and Jeffrey Bright of Ames visited the Capitol
on March 17
with the Network of Iowa Christian Home Educators. I met with them
in the Senate chamber to discuss a variety of educational issues. They also had the opportunity to
meet with other legislators and tour the Statehouse. |
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Dr. Rick Elbert of Ames was at the Statehouse for the
Iowa Chiropractic Society's Day on the Hill. |
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On March 12, I talked with Roberta Milinsky and Jason Haglund
of
Youth & Shelter Services about their efforts to provide social
services to Iowa's young people and their families. |
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Groups from across the state of Iowa were at the
Capitol for the Resource Enhancement And Protection Day on the Hill
to advocate for legislators to continue to fund the REAP program.
REAP is an Iowa program that invests in the enhancement and
protection of the state's natural and cultural resources.
I met with members of the Iowa Native Plant Society in the rotunda
on Thursday afternoon. They were involved in the REAP coalition and
it's passing, and were again advocating for the continuance of
funding for the programs.
L to R: Deb Lewis of Ames, Inger Lamb of Polk City, Senator
Quirmbach, and MJ Hatfield |
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Wednesday was the Iowa Firemen's Association Day on the Hill, and I
had the opportunity to meet with Stuwart Fire Chief Cliff Ronslow. |
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The Iowa chapter of the AARP held a legislative breakfast at the
Capitol on Wednesday to advocate for a variety of issues affecting
Iowa's seniors, including healthcare and financial security.
I had the opportunity to talk with a few of the Ames and Boone
county volunteers on what
the legislature is doing to help Iowa's aging population. |
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Kenda Jochimsen, from the Iowa State Rehabilitation Council, points
out the new Ames Vocational Rehabilitation Office at 1525 Airport
Road in Ames to me at their legislative breakfast at the Statehouse
on March 5. The Ames Vocational Rehabilitation office serves
approximately 1,200 clients with disabilities by assisting them with
their education and preparing them for employment. |
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Iowa State University students traveled to Des Moines Thursday to
meet with legislators to push for a measure that would exempt
college text books from the state sales tax. They met with me to
discuss my legislation, Senate File 193, that would do exactly that.
L to R: Senator Quirmbach, Daniel Fischer (student body
president), Jessica Bruning, and Alyssa Staley. |
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I met with Amanda Martin at the Statehouse on Wednesday. She is the
Community Relations Manager of the Volunteer Center of Story County
and was at the Capitol for Volunteer Awareness Day. |
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Iowa State graduate, Laura Hannasch-Reis, now a teacher at Ankeny
High School, brought her students to the Capitol on February 24th to
discuss their coursework with state legislators. Hannasch-Reis met
her former professor, State Senator Herman Quirmbach, in the Rotunda
during the students’ presentations. Pictured here: Tyler Durbin,
Logan Broich, Senator Quirmbach and Laura Hannasch-Reis. |
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I heard members of Iowa State University Statesmen Choir
perform in the Capitol rotunda on February 17. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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.
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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. |
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Mandy
Rasmussen of Melborne is my clerk for the 2009
legislative session. |
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Iowa State University
student Greta Johnson was at the Statehouse January 15. Johnson
serves on the Iowa Board of Regents. |
