Congressman discusses issue faced by hundreds of U.S. families encountering needless delays in adoptions from the Congolese government

Washington, D.C. -Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) today met with Erin Peat of Dubuque to discuss stalled adoptions between American families and their children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).  Erin and her husband Michael Peat legally adopted two children from the DRC, however in the final stage of their lengthy adoption process, the DRC issued a moratorium on the 'exit letters' necessary to finalize their adoptions and bring their children home to the United States.

Braley also met with families from Clear Lake, Bettendorf, and West Des Moines who all face similar delays.

"Meeting with Erin and hearing first-hand about the red tape separating her family makes the issue even more important to me," Braley said. "I cannot imagine being separated from my three children, and I will continue doing everything possible to ensure families like Erin's are reunited as quickly as possible."

Last month, the State Department announced that the Congolese government would issue a total of 62 'exit letters'?15 of which would be issued to American families?but the overwhelming majority of U.S. families have received no update from the Congolese government and their adoptions remain in limbo.

Approximately 460 families have had their adoptions suspended, but the Peats are one of only about 50 families that have had it occur at such a late stage in the process. They were granted their adoption visa by the United States. However, the DRC suddenly refused to issue exit letters, which is the final step allowing families to bring their children to the United States.

Braley has written the Congolese Prime Minister, the Congolese Ambassador to the United States, and Secretary of State John Kerry calling for a resolution to this issue.

Congressman: Forcing Iowa's seniors to apply solely on online for services isn't fair

Washington, D.C. - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) today joined a Congressional push to prevent the elimination of services at Social Security Administration (SSA) offices around the country?including offices in Iowa.

Beginning August 2014, SSA will no longer issue Social Security number printouts in its field offices.  In addition, beginning October 2014, SSA  field offices will stop providing benefit verification letters, except in emergency situations.  Many seniors rely on these verification letters for a variety of services. Those requesting this information would be able to do so only online or over the phone. Last year alone, 11 million Americans used SSA offices to request this information.

"Iowa has one of the highest senior populations in the country and forcing seniors?many of whom don't have internet access?away from their trusted SSA offices and toward an online only environment isn't the right thing to do," Braley said.

In a letter to the head of the SSA, Braley urged the agency to continue allowing seniors to request this vital information in person, noting that telephone wait times for SSA services have risen drastically in the last year, and that many seniors lack internet access.

"It is critical that the Social Security Administration reverse its decision to discontinue in-person access to benefit verification statements," the letter to SSA Administrator Carolyn Colvin reads.

Braley has consistently supported maintaining benefits to Social Security recipients, recently urging the Obama Administration to oppose proposed cuts to the program.

A copy of the letter is available online HERE.

30 mayors from across Iowa sign letter to ensure Iowa has same resources as other states dealing with invasive beetle

Washington, D.C. - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) today wrote Secretary Vilsack to ask that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) allow Iowa to receive the same amount of funds that other states have received as they combat the emerald ash borer?an invasive species that could potentially cause billions of dollars in damage in Iowa.

Mayors from 30 Iowa municipalities, representing over 900,000 Iowa residents, have signed on to Braley's letter including mayors Bill Gluba of Davenport, Shane McCampbell of Burlington, and Bob Gallagher of Bettendorf.

"Communities all over our state are, or soon will be, dealing with costs associated with the ash borer?and these mayors know firsthand that these pests don't just harm trees, they harm city budgets as well," Braley said. "Resources were available to communities in other states when they were battling the ash borer infestation and I'm going to do everything possible to ensure that Iowa is treated fairly."

"The city of Davenport has aggressively begun surveying and treating ash trees across our city, but this preparation comes at a significant cost," Davenport Mayor Bill Gluba said. "Federal resources would ensure we can survey, treat, and remove infected ash trees to protect our city and its residents from the effects of the ash borer."

States that found cases of the beetle in years past were given resources to aid in the mitigation and removal of infected trees, but federal funding has since been drastically cut, leaving states like Iowa with limited resources to combat the problem.

"We hope that you will work to expand efforts to control and eradicate the emerald ash borer, and restore funding for this effort," Braley's letter reads.

Iowa is home to over 3 million ash trees. Each infected ash tree must be removed to maintain safety on public and private land, costing roughly $1000 for the removal and disposal of each tree.

The ash borer has now been confirmed in more than 20 states. Just days ago, Johnson county became the tenth Iowa county to identify the ash borer. The first infestation in Iowa of the emerald ash borer was found in Allamakee County in 2010 and has since spread to Des Moines, Black Hawk, Cedar, Jefferson, Union, Bremer, Wapello, Jasper, and Johnson counties. It is widely expected to spread to other parts of the state in the near future.

In February, Braley introduced legislation restoring funding to a program that helps combat the emerald ash borer. His legislation also funded two grant programs that would be available to communities facing significant costs from tree removal.

In March, Braley wrote a letter to congressional leaders urging that the funding be included in the 2015 appropriations bills.

The letter to Secretary Vilsack signed by Braley and the 30 mayors can be found HERE.

Congressman: It's not enough to complain, we have to offer solutions

Washington, D.C. - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) today is calling on Congressional leadership to pass his Veterans Access to Care Act in an attempt to make it easier to hire health care providers at VA hospitals and clinics around the country.

"Complaining about the problems at the VA on the sidelines isn't enough?we've got to get in there and offer solutions," Braley said. "We've seen recent reports from VA facilities in many parts of the country that it can be difficult to recruit medical providers?this bill is a commonsense solution that would help solve that problem and ensure our veterans are getting the care that they deserve."

In a letter to the Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Braley urges the committee to take up legislation that would make veterans' care facilities eligible to hire National Health Service Corps fellows, helping attract health care providers to careers helping veterans. 

The National Health Service Corps is a national scholarship and loan repayment program operated by the US Department of Health and Human Services that pays medical school expenses for future doctors, nurses, mental health professionals, and health practitioners who agree to work in medically underserved areas. Braley's bill would simply add Veterans Administration facilities and state veterans' homes as eligible "underserved areas" in which the Corps fellows would be eligible to serve.

"Given what we've discovered in recent months, it's nonsense that some of these VA hospitals and clinics don't qualify as 'underserved areas'," Braley said.

Recent reporting by the Des Moines Register indicated that initial wait times for appointments at the Iowa City VA facility were longer than the national average. Braley believes that the passage of this legislation could help facilities like Iowa City more easily recruit medical providers and reduce wait times.

"Iowa's veterans and all American veterans shouldn't have to fight when they come home to receive the care that was promised to them," Braley's letter reads.

Braley has consistently been a strong advocate for veterans. In 2011, Braley wrote the Combat Veterans Back to Work Act to provide employers with a payroll tax break if they hired recently returned veterans, including members of the Iowa National Guard. The bill was incorporated into new tax credits signed into law in November 2011.

A link to the letter can be found HERE.

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