Braley running for Congress to continue work to create jobs, stand up for veterans

Waterloo, IA - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) formally announced today that he is running for re-election in the new First Congressional District of Iowa in his hometown of Brooklyn, Iowa.  

Braley made the announcement on the first day of a three-day, six-city "Works for Iowa" tour that will take him to Brooklyn, Cedar Rapids, Decorah, Dubuque, Marshalltown, and Waterloo.

"I learned about Iowa common sense from my parents growing up in Poweshiek County," Braley said.  "They taught me to work hard, to spend money wisely, and to help other people when they needed help.  

"To me, being a representative means working as hard as the people who elected you - to create jobs, stand up for our veterans, and get this economy back on track.  

"I'm running for re-election because there's still work to do.  The only way that we're going to fix the mess in Washington is by sending people there who have the experience to bridge the divide and get things done."

Braley was born in Grinnell and grew up in nearby Brooklyn, Iowa.  He took his first job in 2nd grade and has been working ever since.  Braley worked his way through college at Iowa State and law school at the University of Iowa waiting tables, bartending, and building roads and bridges for the Poweshiek County Roads Department.  Braley worked as an attorney in Waterloo for 23 years, representing people against some of the most powerful corporations in the world.  Braley also volunteered for years in the Waterloo community, as a football coach, with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, with the Waterloo Historic Preservation Commission, and more.

Bruce lives with his wife Carolyn in Waterloo, Iowa.  They have three children - Lisa, David, and Paul - who all graduated from West Waterloo High School, where Carolyn works as a social studies teacher.

Braley was joined in Brooklyn and Cedar Rapids by his mother, Marcia, who still substitute teaches in Poweshiek County.

Braley will mail petition to US postmaster general

Waterloo, IA - Rep. Bruce Braley today launched an online petition urging US Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe to stop the Postal Service's proposed closures of 178 small town post offices across Iowa.

The petition, which Braley will send - via postal mail - to the postmaster general, can be viewed and signed at the following link: http://www.brucebraley.com/post-office.

"Washington bureaucrats want to close thousands of post offices across the country, including almost 200 here in Iowa," Braley wrote in an email to Iowans.  "This is the wrong move, and I need your help to make sure Washington gets the message that our post offices must stay open.

"The Postal Service is in financial trouble, but closing post offices in Iowa isn't the answer," Braley continued. "One single post office is just a drop in the bucket for the massive Postal Service bureaucracy.  But it can be everything to a small town." 

The Postal Service has released a long list of post offices in Iowa being studied for potential closure.

Earlier this month, a US House committee endorsed a controversial bill that would, in part, allow the Postal Service to move forward with its plans to those post offices.  Braley is a member of the panel, and opposed the bill.  The bill, known as the Postal Reform Act, now must be approved by the full US House.

The full text of Braley's email to Iowans can be viewed below:

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From: Congressman Bruce Braley

Subject: Help Save Your Post Office

Dear Susan -

I grew up in Brooklyn, Iowa, and our post office was incredibly important to our small community. Back then, before cell phones, text messages and emails, the post office was our way of reaching folks in the outside world.

And still today in many small towns in Iowa, post offices are part of the economic life-blood of our rural communities.

But Washington bureaucrats want to close thousands of post offices across the country, including almost 200 here in Iowa.

This is the wrong move, and I need your help to make sure Washington gets the message that our post offices must stay open.

Will you sign my petition urging Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe to keep Iowa post offices open?

I will send your name, along with everyone who signs the petition - via Postal Mail - to Postmaster General Donahoe.

Here's the text of the petition:

We the undersigned urge you to stop the proposed closure of nearly 200 post offices throughout Iowa. Closing small town post offices jeopardizes the economic health of countless Iowa communities, and deals a blow to towns struggling to survive.

The Postal Service is in financial trouble, but closing post offices in Iowa isn't the answer. One single post office is just a drop in the bucket for the massive Postal Service bureaucracy. But it can be everything to a small town. And I worry that closing post offices could effectively close small towns in Iowa to business.

And that's why I'm fighting to keep post offices open here in Iowa.

Sign my petition and tell the Postmaster General to keep Iowa's post offices open.

Together, we'll make sure Washington gets the message loud and clear: Don't close Iowa's post offices!

Thanks for all you do,

Bruce

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