Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack today applauded Whittier Elementary School in Clinton for being named a 2015 Blue Ribbon School. Whittier Elementary was selected based on student performance and progress. Arne Duncan, the U.S. Secretary of Education, made the announcement this morning and representatives from the school will be invited to attend a ceremony in Washington, D.C. honoring their achievement in November.

"There is nothing more important than providing a world class, 21^st Century education to each and every child in Iowa," said Loebsack. "I would like to congratulate the students at Whittier Elementary School for their hard work, and the faculty, staff and parents for their commitment to ensuring these children receive the high-quality education necessary to compete in a global community."

The Blue Ribbon Schools Program honored 335 public and private elementary, middle and high schools this year. The Program honors schools whose students achieve at very high levels or have made significant progress and helped close gaps in achievement, especially among disadvantaged and minority students.

Loebsack to Attend QC Stand Down for Homeless Veterans

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack announced today that he will be speaking at the Quad Cities Stand Down for Homeless Veterans, TOMORROW, Saturday, September 19^th. While at the event, Loebsack will talk with veterans and vendors in order to hear their concerns and thank them for their service. The Stand Down will offer a "one-stop-shop" for homeless veterans to access services available to assist them. The event runs all day on Saturday. Media are invited to attend.

QC Stand Down 2015 for Homeless Veterans

QCCA Expo Center

2621 4th Ave.

Rock Island, IL

Dave will arrive and speak around 11:30am

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement after House Republicans adjourned early for the August recess, leaving many critical issues on the table. This is the earliest Congress has adjourned for its annual month-long district work period in over a decade.

"There are so many important issues the American people have sent us to address, and once again, Republicans are closing up the House and leaving town without acting on any of them. Everything from improving our roads and bridges to ensuring our children get the education necessary to prepare them for the 21^st Century economy remain untouched. It is unconscionable that Republicans are rushing Congress out of town without acting. It is time members from both sides of the aisle sit down and actually do the job the American people sent us to do."

Among the issues that have not been dealt with are:

·       Long-term highway bill,

·       Export Import Bank reauthorization,

·       Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization (No Child Left Behind),

·       Higher Education  reauthorization,

·       PTC/ITC tax credit extension,

·       Increase RFS volume outputs,

·       Sequestration/budget agreement,

·       Annual appropriations,

·       Comprehensive jobs package,

·       Comprehensive mental health reform,

·       Postal reforms,

·       Campaign finance reform.

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With U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley

Q: How has the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) shaped American society?

A: The landmark civil rights law this summer observes 25 years since President George H.W. Bush signed the bill on July 26, 1990.  Iowans will recall that one of the key architects of the legislation was my long-time Iowa colleague in the United States Senate. Throughout his years of public service, Sen. Tom Harkin built upon his advocacy to champion change for those living with a disability so that they may participate more fully in American society. In the last 25 years, the ADA has helped remove barriers to education, employment, transportation and access to public places and services. Perhaps the most influential change in the quarter century since passage of the ADA is a shift in expectations for the millions of Americans who live with a disability. For those who previously identified with the limits of their disability rather than embracing the potential of their skills and talents, the ADA has raised society's bar of expectations to foster integration and inclusion in our schools, communities and places of work. For individuals who live with a physical or mental impairment, the ADA affords equality under the law to enjoy the rights and responsibilities of citizenship like Americans who do not have a disability. An entire generation has grown up with the ADA as the law of the land. To the extent that the ADA has worked to erase a divide between those living with or without a disability, this 25^th anniversary of the ADA gives us reason to celebrate. It's good for America when public policy encourages Americans to dream big in their pursuit of happiness and prosperity.

Q: What is the Transition to Independence Act?

A: Just as the ADA has helped pave the way for millions of Americans to more fully participate in American society, policymakers can do more to help people with disabilities achieve integrated employment in the U.S. workforce. In communities across the country, a network of service providers helps to make it possible for people with disabilities to live and work alongside non-disabled peers. By far, Medicaid is the largest program that provides the financial framework that pays for services for people with disabilities, such as primary health care, community-based care, transportation, workforce training and residential support services. Just as the ADA served as a catalyst to help individuals with disabilities integrate more fully in their communities and achieve their God-given potential, the Transition to Independence Act seeks to build on that progress and give even more individuals with disabilities real opportunities to land a job in their local communities. The bipartisan bill I introduced this summer is a consensus proposal with broad support and includes valuable input from key advocacy groups that are committed to help individuals with disabilities achieve maximum success in their communities. The bill would create a five-year, 10-state pilot program within Medicaid. The participating states would qualify for bonus payments if reforms they adopt help drive better outcomes for people striving to become productive contributors and wage-earners in their local communities. The demonstration program would change the financial formula to give states incentives rather than disincentives to reform business-as-usual among the multi-disciplinary patchwork of service providers serving this community. States would be rewarded for improving outcomes and helping individuals with disabilities seeking to secure maximum participation in the local job market. For example, states could receive more funding for growing the workforce that provides support services for the disabled community. States could increase their revenue stream by implementing reforms that encourage collaboration among a mishmash of agencies and service providers. In a nutshell, participating states would be rewarded for achieving targets of integrated employment.

People living with disabilities have every right to pursue the American Dream. So many families and individuals with disabilities I have talked with tell me they want to earn money in a fulfilling job. I'm all for championing ambition and rewarding a strong work ethic. That's why I'm working to craft public policy that will help even more individuals with disabilities to join the workforce, earn a paycheck, pay taxes and contribute to their local economies. For those who are able to participate in an integrated work setting and maximize their potential in the local community, my bill would improve the policy tools to help drive inclusion and better outcomes for people with disabilities.