Davenport, Iowa -- On September 6, Iowa State University Extension of Scott County, Lutheran Social Services of Iowa and Genesis Bright Beginnings will sponsor the parenting support and education program PACT (Parenting All Children Together) for an eight week series. The program is financially supported by Scott County Kids Early Childhood Iowa. The program is designed to educate and offer support to parents and caregivers of children age birth through five years old and reside in Scott County.

“Parenting is the most important job we will ever have. It is also the toughest! What we provide our children from birth through age five stays with them for the rest of their life. With this huge responsibility, we need to work together. This series will bring together parents and caregivers who want the very best for the children in their life,” said Jennifer Best, Extension Educator and PACT instructor.

The upcoming PACT series will be the second time the program has been offered to the Scott County community. The last series ending in June was very successful. “It was very rewarding to watch the families open themselves up to the learning process,” said Marisa Bloom, Families Program Assistant. “A lot of learning was happening and families were forming bonds and creating informal support systems with their peers. PACT is a needed resource for these very reasons.”

For participating in the PACT program member will receive a free meal at every session, free childcare while adults are learning, a free gift at each session, bus tokens to get to the sessions if transportation is needed, $40 worth of items chosen by the participant if they attend at least 5 of the 8 sessions, fun and friendship with other families, and great information to help parents and caregivers help their children be all they can be.

For more information about PACT or to register, contact Marisa at the Iowa State University Extension office at 563-359-7577 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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Washington, DC –Today, Congressman Bruce Braley (IA-01) released the following statement after the U.S. Postal Service released a list of proposed post offices closures in Iowa:  

"I’m incredibly disappointed and concerned to see so many post offices in Eastern Iowa on this list. All Iowa communities depend on their post offices, and I know how much this service means to my constituents. Post offices are important community fixtures and provide thousands of good-paying jobs to Iowans. That’s why I’ll keep fighting to protect these, and other post offices that are being considered for closure."

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Issa, Grassley release staff report focusing on impact of Operation Fast and Furious on Mexico

WASHINGTON – Findings in a second staff report released by Representative Darrell Issa and Senator Chuck Grassley show that ATF officials based in the United States Embassy in Mexico City were increasingly worried about the alarming rate of guns found in violent crimes in Mexico from a single ATF operation based out of the ATF’s Phoenix Field Division.   Issa is Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and Grassley is Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

"The consequences of arming Mexican drug cartels seem obvious.  But even guns turning up at crime scenes in Mexico wasn't enough for Justice Department officials to arrest straw purchasers and shut down their trafficking operations.  Tragically, it wasn't until Fast and Furious guns were found at the murder scene of a Border Patrol Agent that Justice officials finally ended this reckless and arrogant effort," said Issa.

“It’s incomprehensible that officials at the Justice Department, the ATF and the U.S. attorney’s office would keep their counterparts at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City in the dark about Operation Fast and Furious.  Keeping key details secret while straw purchasers continued buying weapons for gun traffickers jeopardized our relationship with our southern ally and put lives at risk,” Grassley said.

The report released today outlines several important findings, including:

• There was little to no information sharing from the Phoenix Field Division, ATF Headquarters and the Justice Department to their colleagues in Mexico City.  Every time Mexico City officials asked about the mysterious investigation, their U.S. based ATF counterparts in Phoenix and Washington, D.C. continued to say they were “working on it” and “everything was under control.”

• Lanny Breuer, the Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division at the Justice Department, was clearly aware of Operation Fast and Furious and touted the case during a visit to Mexico.

• ATF officials in Mexico City were incredulous that their agency would knowingly allow guns to fall into the hands of Mexican drug cartels, and they were incensed when they finally began to learn the full scope of Operation Fast and Furious and the investigative techniques used.

Issa and Grassley are leading a congressional inquiry into the ill-advised strategy known as Operation Fast and Furious. 

A copy of the report can be found here.

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Following is Senator Grassley’s schedule this week in Washington, D.C.  The Senate is in session.   

• Grassley will meet in Washington with Iowans from the American Trucking Association, the Appraisal Institute, Boys Nation/Girls Nation, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, the Iowa FFA, the Iowa Turkey Federation, Land O’Lakes, Missouri River Emergency Services, the Presidential Academy for the Teaching of American History and Civics, and the Professional Landcare Network.

Grassley will also meet with Iowans from Ankeny, Des Moines, Dike, Grimes, Grinnell, Indianola, Lawton, Marion, Mason City, North Liberty, Polk City, Robins, Van Meter, and West Des Moines.

Grassley will meet with a young Iowan from Gladbrook who is interning for the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service.  Grassley will also meet with Luther College students.

• On Tuesday, July 26, at 9:00 a.m. (CT), Grassley will attend a Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration hearing entitled “The Economic Imperative for Enacting Immigration Reform.”  Grassley will discuss the impact that fraud and abuse in the H-1B and L-1 visa programs have on Americans seeking employment.

• On Wednesday, July 27, at 9:00 a.m. (CT), Grassley will attend a Judiciary Committee hearing entitled, “Fulfilling our Treaty Obligations and Protecting Americans Abroad.”

• On Wednesday, July 27, at 9:00 a.m. (CT), there is a Finance Committee hearing entitled, “CEO Perspectives on How the Tax Code Affects Hiring, Businesses and Economic Growth.” 

• On Thursday, July 28, at 9:00 a.m. (CT), Grassley will attend a Judiciary Committee executive business meeting.  Grassley’s legislation to ban the chemicals used to make K2, permanently and nationwide, is expected to be considered.  The legislation is called the David Mitchell Rozga Act, named after a young Iowan who lost his life last summer after using K2 purchased at a shopping mall in Des Moines.

• On Thursday, July 28, at 9:00 a.m. (CT), there is a Finance Committee hearing on the nominations of: Janice Eberly, of Washington, DC, to be Assistant Secretary of Treasury; and Juan F. Vasquez, of Texas, to be Judge of the United States Tax Court for a term of fifteen years.

• On Thursday, July 28, at 1:15 p.m. (CT), Grassley will meet with Gen. McMahon of the Army Corps of Engineers Northwestern Division to continue discussing the Missouri River floods and ways to improve the Missouri River Master Manual.

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