Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack recently introduced legislation to address the importance of increasing access to critical services in schools to address the non-academic factors that affect students' ability to learn. His legislation, the Reducing Barriers to Learning Act, would increase student access to school counselors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, specialized teachers, and community partners such as mental and physical health providers.

"As someone who grew up in poverty, I know firsthand how important outside factors can contribute to the success of the student in the classroom. We have to promote learning in safe and supportive school environments. Knowing who is available to help struggling students and those in need of more specialized supports is critical," said Loebsack.  "The Reducing Barriers to Learning Act will increase student access to services to better address the non-academic needs of students and help them learn in the classroom by addressing issues such as depression, low-self esteem, and speech and language disorders. This will not only set our children up for success both in school and in their future college and career pursuits, but will also support our teachers' efforts in the classroom."

Loebsack's bill would improve specialized instructional support services in schools and clarify the roles of specialized personnel to ensure they are able to best serve students' needs. It would also create a grant program to develop programs and train personnel dedicated to removing barriers to learning.

"I have always fought to ensure the men and women serving our nation have had the support, equipment and training they need to safely carry out their mission. As a military parent and former member of the House Armed Services Committee, I take great pride in serving those who have served our nation. The bill that passed today addresses many of Iowa's priorities, including taking important steps to strengthen the Rock Island Arsenal by driving more workload to their facilities.

"At the same time, I have great concerns about how this bill came together. For example, it is paid for using an accounting gimmick, amounting to tens of billions of dollars, while undermining investments in education and infrastructure. Since the idea was first introduced, I have been opposed to the across the board cuts, known as sequestration. Congress must find a way to get rid of these cuts and replace it with a commonsense way to deal with our nation's fiscal issues. I look forward to working with Republicans and Democrats to strengthen this bill as it works its way through the Senate and during the Conference Committee to improve the final bill."

New Executive Director Seeks to Engage, Educate and Empower Iowans to Take Back Control of Their Government.

DES MOINES - A leadership change at Liberty Iowa came upon the announcement that current Executive Director, Adil Khan, accepted a position on presidential candidate Rand Paul's Technology Advisory Council.  Khan joins a distinguished group on Paul's council, including Google's (Public Sector) Chief Technology Officer, Michele Weslander Quaid; CEO of Overstock.com, Patrick Byrne; Scott Banister of PayPal fame and other thought leaders in the tech world. 

"I'm honored to be chosen for Senator Paul's Tech Council and also very excited about the incoming Executive Director at Liberty Iowa, Andy Curran.   Andy has a proven track record of making state government more transparent and accessible to the citizens of Iowa, exactly what is necessary to give the power of government back to the people," said Khan. 

Khan's successor at Liberty Iowa, Andy Curran, is also no stranger to innovating government with technology.  Curran is a co-founder of a non-partisan civic based social network, WeVoteProject.org, which specializes in engaging, educating and empowering voters through legislative transparency and providing direct lines of communication between citizens and their representatives in Des Moines. 

"I am thrilled and humbled to be asked to become the next Executive Director of Liberty Iowa.  Adil Khan has definitely set a high bar for excellence in advancing liberty here in Iowa and I will do all I can to build on it," Curran said. 

Curran will take over as Executive Director of Liberty Iowa effective immediately. 

About Liberty Iowa
Liberty Iowa was formed with the goal of empowering liberty minded voters in Iowa to take control of their government once again.  We believe that the status quo in Des Moines politics favors insiders and large political donors while average Iowans are largely removed from the legislative process.  We believe that a peaceful and prosperous Iowa is one that maximizes both economic and civil liberties.  
With this in mind, Liberty Iowa aims to return our state to the principles of limited government, free enterprise and individual liberty, and to make Iowa an example for the rest of the nation. 

Learn more about Liberty Iowa here: http://www.libertyiowa.com/about-us/

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Already among the most recognizable and popular trademarks in the game of baseball, the Quad Cities River Bandits' logo is in the field of only 32 logos selected for Baseball America's Logo Mania, which gives fans the chance to vote for their favorite logos online in a bracket format to decide the top logo in the Minor League Baseball over the next two weeks.

Each round of Baseball America's Logo Mania (#BALogoMania) will consist of three days of online voting, with the winner of each head-to-head matchup moving to the next three-day round until a champion is crowned. Voting for the first round goes through Thursday, May 14, with the second round beginning at 9 a.m. Central on Friday, May 15. A link to vote is at riverbandits.com, and there is no limit to the number of votes cast per day.

Placed in the "Creatures" quadrant of the bracket, the River Bandits' primary logo features the team's raccoon mascot, Rascal the River Bandit, and two arches of the Centennial Bridge that is a signature of the ballpark's backdrop and an iconic feature within the Quad Cities.

"The selection of the River Bandits logo for Baseball America's Logo Mania is a further celebration of the special identity of our team with our great community," said team owner Dave Heller. "The image of Rascal the River Bandit is a beloved symbol in the Quad Cities, as it represents a region that has so many special characteristics and has become emblematic for affordable, fun, family-friendly entertainment."

Released anew in November 2013, the primary logo clearly grounds the River Bandits within the club's home community of the Quad Cities, while the secondary logos complete the story of the River Bandits by showing just the raccoon's head (adorned with his trademark fedora and bandana). The raccoon is shown taking batting practice, riding the team's 110-foot tall Ferris wheel, and holding a baseball in his paw. The final secondary logo is an homage to the old River Bandits logo of the baseball with a bandana, by showing it splashing into the Mississippi River.

"When we introduced the new River Bandits logos, we are excited to tell more of the story of the River Bandits and our unique location in the Quad Cities," said River Bandits General Manager Andrew Chesser. "We are thrilled to see these logos are already considered among the very best in the game of baseball."

In recent seasons, fans across the baseball world have recognized the River Bandits and Modern Woodmen Park. The ballpark was voted the Best Minor League Ballpark in a fan vote by USA TODAY and 10Best.com, the River Bandits' home cap was voted the best in all of Class-A baseball, and the team's name was voted as one of the top eight in all of Minor League Baseball in a Sporting News contest. Also, as of Wednesday morning, fans voting on MiLB.com had ranked Modern Woodmen Park's R.I.A. Federal Credit Union Hon. Lane Evans Patriot Seats as the No. 2 "Best Seat in the House" in a contest to decide the best seating view in minor league ballparks.