28 Jun 2011

Harkin Welcomes White House Federal Disaster Declaration

By Harkin Press Office
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today issued the following statement after receiving word that President Obama had approved a federal disaster declaration for Woodbury, Monona, Harrison, Pottawattamie, Mills and Fremont Counties.  This declaration allows federal aid to immediately supplement state and local response efforts.  Earlier this month, Harkin wrote the President, urging him to approve the Governor's request and has been pushing for an early declaration since then.  

"Traveling through Western Iowa today, I saw firsthand the rising waters, the damage - both known and unknown - that a flood can have on this area of the state and the real fears residents are experiencing," said Harkin.  "And that is why I personally called the White House to advocate for this declaration.

"State and local response efforts are underway, but with levees needing to hold through the summer, this federal declaration comes in the nick of time and will bring an urgent financial shot in the arm to these efforts.  I thank President Obama for his attention and quick action on behalf of Iowans."
24 Jun 2011

Harkin Announces Nearly $200,000 for Nurse Training at Iowa Universities

By Harkin Press Office
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), today announced that several Iowa universities will receive a total $192,189 for the creation and continuation of advanced nursing traineeship programs.  The funding comes from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

"Iowa's colleges and universities have some of the strongest health training programs and best health professionals in the country, and by making further investments in educating Iowa's healthcare workforce we will keep our state a leader for generations to come," said Harkin.  "Today's funding will not only open doors for Iowans who want to become nurses, but will ensure that when Iowans get sick or seek medical assistance, they will have highly trained health care providers to treat them.  This is truly a double-win for our state."

Senator Harkin is Chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee that funds HHS. He is also Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.

St. Ambrose University- $1,807.00
New funding for the creation of an Advanced Education Nursing Traineeship program.

Graceland College- $82,726.00
Continued funding for the Advanced Education Nursing Traineeship program.

Allen College- $54,002.00
Continued funding for the Advanced Education Nursing Traineeship program.

University of Iowa- $53,654.00
Continued funding for the Advanced Education Nursing Traineeship program.

###

14 Jun 2011

Harkin Aides Launch Summer Listening Tour to Collect Ideas on How to Rebuild the Middle Class in America

By Harkin Press Office

DES MOINES - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced today that his staff will visit all 99 counties this summer to hear directly from Iowans on how the economy is impacting families across the state.  The listening tour aims to collect ideas for rebuilding the middle class in America- from recent college graduates looking for employment to working Iowans needing to secure their retirement.  The tour, "Rebuilding America's Middle Class: Stories from Around Iowa," will begin next week

The Iowa tour builds upon Harkin's work in Washington, where he is examining the impact of economic policies on the middle class.  In mid-May, Senator Harkin, as Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, convened his first Committee hearing on this issue entitled, "The Endangered Middle Class: Is the American Dream Slipping Out of Reach for American Families?"  Archived video and testimony from that hearing can be found here.

"As I travel in Iowa and across the country, I hear from more and more hardworking middle class families who feel that the American Dream is slipping away," said Harkin.  "One thing is certain:  there can be no sustainable economic recovery without the recovery of our middle class.  This listening tour will collect ideas directly from the students, workers, near retirees, and all of those impacted by this economy."

Each summer, Senator Harkin's staff visits each Iowa County to talk to Iowans about the issues impacting them and their families.  Staff will then post information on their visits on Senator Harkin's web site (http://harkin.senate.gov/) Last summer's tour focused on the positive impact the Americans with Disability Act has had on Iowans as the nation celebrated the law's 20th anniversary.  To read staff accounts of that tour, click here.

A full list of events is still coming together, but all events will be advised to media by county.
15 Jul 2010

Harkin Applauds Health Information Technology Incentives Announced Today

By Harkin Press Office

Health Care Reform Continues to Benefit Iowans by Supporting Transition to Electronic Health Records

Washington, D.C. - July 13, 2010 - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today applauded Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius on the announcement of final rules that pave the way for the expanded use of electronic health records (EHR) in America.  In March of this year, Harkin joined 37 other Senators in commending a proposed rule to distribute Recovery Act funds for health information technology (HIT), and urged improvements to increase flexibility and encourage participation among providers.  Today's announcement includes those recommendations, and completes the ground work for an incentive-based transition program.  

"This news is nothing short of a breakthrough in strengthening health information technology in this country," said Harkin.  "It draws on the best advancements across the full spectrum to improve Americans' health, increase safety and reduce health care costs -- all of which are critical steps to improve the quality and efficiency of patient care.  I am encouraged that the Secretary worked with us to allow physicians and hospitals to qualify for incentives as they make incremental investments in adoption and use of this technology and that the rule allows physicians working in hospital outpatient settings to qualify for the incentives. I will continue to monitor the implementation of these incentives to ensure that providers have sufficient flexibility as they take steps to adopt this important technology."  

Under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009, eligible health care professionals and hospitals can qualify for Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments when they adopt certified EHR technology and use it to achieve specified objectives.  One of the two regulations announced today defines the "meaningful use" objectives that providers must meet to qualify for the bonus payments, and the other regulation identifies the technical capabilities required for certified EHR technology.
As much as $27 billion may be expended in incentive payments over ten years. Eligible professionals may receive as much as $44,000 under Medicare and $63,750 under Medicaid, and hospitals may receive millions of dollars for implementation and meaningful use of certified EHRs under both Medicare and Medicaid.

Today's regulations contain two specific rules that will have a direct effect on Iowa providers. One defines the minimum requirements that providers must meet through their use of certified EHR technology in order to qualify for the payments. This rule provides more flexibility for providers in meeting these requirements, and allows physicians and hospitals to qualify for the incentives as they make incremental investments in adoption and use of HIT.  The second rule allows physicians working in hospital outpatient settings to qualify for the HIT incentives.  

A CMS/ONC fact sheet on the rules is available at http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/

Technical fact sheets on CMS's final rule are available at http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/

A technical fact sheet on ONC's standards and certification criteria final rule is available at http://healthit.hhs.gov/standardsandcertification.
15 Jul 2010

Harkin Announces More Than $9 Million in Housing Assistance for Iowa

By Harkin Press Office
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced today that a total of $9,225,998 has been awarded to Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Iowa City, Sioux City and Waterloo under the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership (HOME), Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) programs. Harkin is a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which funds housing initiatives.

"In these tough economic times, these funds go directly where Iowa families with modest incomes need it the most: to obtain quality housing and pursue economic opportunities," said Harkin. "It gives me great pleasure to announce this funding and applaud these cities for receiving these necessary and vital grants."

CDBG funds develop viable communities by providing housing and a suitable living environment and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income.

HOME funds provide formula grants to fund a wide range of activities that build, buy and rehabilitate affordable housing for rent or homeownership or provide direct assistance to low-income people.

The ESG program provides homeless persons with basic shelter and essential supportive services.

Details of the annual formula grants are below.

Davenport
CDBG- $1,883,503.00
HOME- $713,195
04 Jan 2010

SENATOR HARKIN ANNOUNCES OVER $1 MILLION IN EMERGENCY FOOD AND SHELTER ASSISTANCE FOR IOWA

By Harkin Press Office

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced today that Iowa has been awarded $1,153,346 through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to fund the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP).  Senator Harkin is a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

"This program has proved to be an essential social safety net, providing basic food and shelter for Iowans in times of need," Senator Harkin said. "I am pleased that we will have this funding available to assist victims in the critical moments following an emergency."

EFSP funds were first authorized by Congress in 1983 and are appropriated annually under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.  EFSP funds are used to supplement food, shelter, rent, mortgage and utility assistance programs for people with non-disaster related emergencies.

The EFSP is administered by a national board of voluntary agencies and chaired by FEMA.  Member agencies of the National Board include a diverse cross section of social service organizations.  The National Board qualifies local jurisdictions for annual EFSP awards based on criteria involving current population, unemployment and poverty levels.  Awards are then disbursed to local nonprofit organizations and government agencies in the eligible jurisdictions.  The state set-aside allows Iowa to address pockets of homelessness or poverty particularly to help areas that undergo economic changes like plant closings, or assist communities where levels of unemployment or poverty do not quite rise to the required threshold for a direct allocation.

A full list of Iowa's funding follows.

Appanoose County               $7,002
Black Hawk County             $58,925
Cass County                         $6,765
Clinton County                     $26,673
Crawford County                  $5,771
Davis County                         $4,792
Des Moines County              $22,460
Johnson County                     $44,728
Marshall County                    $20,161
Page County                         $8,857
Polk County                         $190,778
Scott County                         $80,851
Story County                         $28,661
Union County                        $5,949
Wapello County                    $21,570
Webster County                    $18,855
Woodbury County                 $41,019
State Set-Aside Committee, IA     $559,529

Iowa Total                          $1,153,346

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