Events highlighting Harkin's investment in Iowa: Clinton, Keokuk, Burlington, Jewell, Mason City, and Davenport

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced several events in Iowa this week designed to complement a legacy tour announced earlier this summer.  A full list of his public events follows.

Wednesday, August 13 – Clinton

9:30 A.M.       Clinton Community Health Center Event

The Canticle, Sisters of St. Francis

843 13^th Avenue North

Clinton, IA 52732

Senator Harkin will meet with members of the health care community as well as local officials and supporters to encourage their ongoing commitment to the future success of the clinic. Over the years, Harkin has worked to secure $3.2 million to build the Clinton Community Health Clinic.

3:00 P.M.        Burlington Community Health Center

1706 W. Agency Road

West Burlington, IA 52655

Senator Harkin secured $1,825,000 to construct Burlington's Medical and Dental Clinics.  These clinics are housed on the grounds of Southeastern Community College, which provides hands-on training for nursing and health aide students studying at the college. The Burlington Community Health Center provides services to a five county area (Iowa-Des Moines, Lee, Henry, Louisa and Illinois-Hancock).

Thursday, August 14 – Keokuk and Burlington

9:15 A.M.       Tour of Lock and Dam No. 19

Lock 19

525 N. Water Street

Keokuk, IA 52632

Senator Harkin will meet with local officials and Colonel Mark J. Deschenes, Commander and District Engineer of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District at the Army Corps Lock and Dam 19 to discuss how federal funding has helped improve the Lock and Dam system along the Mississippi River. From 2004 to 2007, as a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, Harkin helped to secure more than $23 million for rehabilitation and maintenance of projects at Lock and Dam 19.

11:30 A.M.      Iowa Army Ammunition Plant Picnic

Burlington Memorial

200 Front Street

Burlington, IA 52601

Senator Harkin will attend the annual Iowa Army Ammunition Plant (IAAP) Picnic in Burlington to meet with local officials and current and former IAAP workers. In 1997, Harkin received a letter from Bob Anderson, a constituent in Iowa who wrote about how he and many of his former co-workers at the IAAP had become ill with various types of cancer after working at the plant. Although the U.S. Army initially denied these accusations, Harkin continued to investigate the situation and discovered that Department of Energy workers were in fact exposed to massive doses of radiation at the Burlington plant from 1948-1974. The primitive safety measures in place at the time meant that these workers were exposed to unmonitored and excessive levels of radiation and other chemicals that led many to develop various types of cancer and other illnesses. Harkin has continued to work to get compensation to Bob Anderson and thousands of other sick workers across the United States, including the passage of the bipartisan Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Plan Act of 2000. To date, the U.S. Department of Labor has paid out almost $300 million in compensation to workers and survivors in Iowa, including both the Burlington workers and former workers at the Ames Laboratory.

Friday, August 15 – Jewell and Mason City

1:00 P.M.        Hamilton County Main Street Investments Tour

632 Main Street

Jewell, IA 50130

Senator Harkin will tour a portion of Main Street in Jewell to see firsthand the impact that Harkin Main Street Grants have had on the community. Since 2004, Hamilton County has received four Harkin Main Street Grants totaling $240,000 for restoration of historic areas in the downtown district. These Grants have leveraged over $650,000 in private funds for the projects. On the tour, Harkin will see projects completed as a result of these funds, including the Shorthorn Building that was reconstructed in 2007 as well as three residential and commercial properties that have been completely renovated after long-term vacancies.

3:45 P.M.        Mason City Water Treatment Plant Tour

Senator Harkin will tour the Mason City Water Treatment plant to learn about how investments for the facility have helped to protect the public health and provide access to clean water for Mason City residents. From fiscal years 2003 to 2004, Harkin worked to secure $4.9 million to help the treatment facility construct the world's third largest electrodialysis reversal technology system to remove increased levels of radium from the local water. Over the years, Harkin has worked to maintain federal assistance for the water treatment plant, including $492,000 in 2008 to expand the facility's operating capacity and $220,000 for self-chlorination services following Hurricane Katrina.

Sunday, August 17 – Davenport

1:15 P.M.        Quad City River Bandits' "Tom Harkin Day" Game

Modern Woodmen Park

209 S. Gaines Street

Davenport, IA 52802

Senator Harkin will throw out the first pitch at the Quad City River Bandits' game as part of "Tom Harkin Day" at the Modern Woodmen Ballpark. The Bandits, along with the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce will host the event to honor Harkin's years of dedicated service to the region through securing federal funding for local projects and investing in programs that benefit all generations of the community. Spectators will receive a Tom Harkin bobblehead and the Bandits will present Harkin with an honorary jersey for his work to support the Quad Cities region.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate voted 74-26 to approve the debt-ceiling deal.  Last night, Harkin delivered a floor speech in opposition to the measure. To view his video, click here.

"To say that this is the wrong policy at the wrong time is a gross understatement.  This deal will destroy millions of jobs in both the public and private sectors.  And by shutting off Federal funding and investment - a critical engine sustaining our sputtering economy - it could easily plunge America back into recession.

"I have advocated a balanced approach to deficit reduction, including both spending cuts and revenue increases.  But this deal expressly rejects a balanced approach.  It offends people's basic sense of fairness that Congress would slash funding for things like student loans and cancer research, essential funding for seniors, people with disabilities, and the most vulnerable people in our society but ask not one dollar of shared sacrifice from millionaires and billionaires, who have received huge tax breaks over the last decade.  

"Since the 1930s, Congress has routinely raised the debt ceiling 89 times, including seven times during the presidency of George W. Bush, and 18 times under President Reagan.  Yet, this time, Congressional Republicans held the economy hostage, threatening to default on our national debt and plunge America back into recession unless their demands were met.

"This deal was not about reducing the deficit; first and foremost, this deal was about preserving hundreds of billions of dollars in tax breaks for corporations and for the wealthiest people in our society."

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WASHINGTON D.C.–Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that 48 Iowa Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) will receive a total of $5,049,415.  The funding comes from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Capital Fund Program, which provides for the financing, development and improvement of public housing in communities across the country. Harkin is a senior member of the Appropriations subcommittee that funds HUD.

"I have always believed that access to quality, affordable housing is the foundation of economic stability for a family, and in turn, communities as a whole," said Harkin. "In these tough economic times, this funding will give Iowa a needed shot in the arm to ensure that needy Iowans have the access to housing they need."

Details of the funding are below.

$31,136--Afton Housing Commission

$43,435--Albia Housing Agency

$103,820–Area XV Multi-County Housing Agency

$108,495–Centerville Municipal Housing Agency

$172,464–Central Iowa Regional Housing Authority

$69,194–Chariton Housing Authority

$147,648–Charles City Housing and Redevelopment Authority

$125,886-City of Iowa City Housing Authority

$72,721-Clarinda Low Rent Housing Agency

$43,361-Corning Housing Commission

$57,291- Davenport Housing Commission

$547,201- Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency

$443,471- Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency

$11,843- Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency

$ 189,051- Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Authority

$14,187- Essex Low Rent Housing Agency

$50,145- Evansdale Municipal Housing Authority

$150,526- Fort Dodge Municipal Housing Agency

$149,198- Fort Madison Housing Authority

$244,227- Keokuk Housing Authority

$27,293- Lenox Low Rent Housing Agency

$18,196- Lone Tree Housing Commission

$28,909–Low Rent Housing Agency of Bancroft

$220,177- Low Rent Housing Agency of Burlington

$76,548- Low Rent Housing Agency of Clinton

$19,825- Low Rent Housing Agency of Farragut

$23,391- Low Rent of Housing Agency of Hamburg

$68,222- Low Rent Housing Agency of Knoxville

$35,398- Low Rent Housing Agency of Leon

$48,538- Low Rent Housing Agency of Missouri Valley

$24,253-- Low Rent Housing Agency of Mount Ayr

$58,215- Low Rent Housing Agency of Onawa

$47,638- Low Rent Housing Agency of Red Oak

$18,318–Low Rent Housing Agency of Sidney

$76,793–Low Rent Housing Agency of Sioux Center

$43,954-- Low Rent Housing Agency of Waverly

$41,850–Low Rent Housing Agency of Winterset

$18,196–Malvern Low Rent Housing Agency

$290,779-- Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs

$26,383–Municipal Housing Agency of Manning

$171,006–Muscatine Municipal Housing Agency

$146,585–North Iowa Regional Housing Authority

$415,606–Ottumwa Housing Authority

$46,609–Rock Rapids Municipal Housing Agency

$75,028–Shenandoah Low Rent Housing Agency

$141,883–Southern Iowa Regional Housing Authority

$18,836–Stanton Housing Commission

$20,129–Tabor Low Rent Housing Agency

$43,852–Villisca Low Rent Housing Agency

$50,825–Waterloo Housing Authority

Talent Search Program Providing Funds to Eight Iowa Schools

WASHINGTON D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced today that eight universities and colleges in Iowa have been awarded funding from the TRIO Talent Search Program, administered through the U.S. Department of Education.  The goal of the Talent Search Program is to increase the number of disadvantaged youth who complete high school and enroll in postsecondary education. The program helps identify and assist individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who have potential to succeed in high school and continued education. The program provides financial information, career and educational advice including educating students about the availability of financial assistance for postsecondary education. The program also provides support to students who have dropped out of school and hope to enter or re-enter the education. The colleges and universities selected will use the funds to pinpoint communities in their area in special need and provide the needed assistance to potential students.

Senator Harkin is Chairman of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that funds the TRIO Talent Search Program and Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee.

"Providing access to educational and financial information to less advantaged students in Iowa is critical for our state's continued economic improvement and the improvement of Iowans' quality of life," said Harkin. "It is important we help those who wish to, and have the potential to succeed in high school and postsecondary education by giving them the information to improve themselves academically and financially."

The following schools were provided the corresponding funds:

Briar Cliff University                     $295,598.00
Central College                        $363,832.00
Graceland University                     $331,500.00
Iowa Lakes Community College                        $354,067.00
Iowa State University of Science and Technology    $337,333.00
Southwestern Community College                        $230,000.00
University of Northern Iowa                           $404,867.00
Western Iowa Tech Community College                   $237,039.00