CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today issued the following statement on the anniversary of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the landmark law on June 25, 1938, which banned oppressive child labor, set a maximum hourly workweek and established the nation's first minimum wage at 25 cents an hour. If the minimum wage had kept pace with inflation, it would be at $10.75 today.

"When President Roosevelt signed the Wages and Hours Bill into law, he gave workers benefits and protections that no other country had seen before, and put Americans on a path toward a fair standard of living.

"What was landmark legislation then is common-sense today. We know that children shouldn't be abused and forced to work. We know there should be limits on how many hours a week someone works. And we know that no one should work 40 hours a week and live in poverty.

"If the minimum wage had kept pace with inflation it would be $10.75 today. Raising the minimum wage is good for workers and good for growth. It puts purchasing power back into the hands of hardworking Americans, helps reduce poverty and strengthens the economy.

"As we work to build a majority to raise the minimum wage in Illinois, let's remember this is about dignity and decency.

"The hardworking people of our state deserve the opportunity to earn a decent living. Building an economy that works for everyone makes our state stronger and more competitive, not the other way around."

Governor Quinn first proposed raising the minimum wage to at least $10 an hour in his 2013 State of the State address. Studies conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago show that an increase of $1 in the minimum wage generates approximately $3,000 in household spending per year, greatly improving purchasing power and strengthening our economy. Six out of every 10 minimum wage workers are female, including many single parents. Additionally, nearly two-thirds of small business owners support raising the federal minimum wage because they believe it will help the economy and in turn enable them to hire more workers, according to a recent survey conducted by the Small Business Majority.

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Illinois Becomes Third State in the Nation Allowing Clinical Psychologists to Write Prescriptions

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today signed legislation to improve access to mental health care by allowing certain clinical psychologists to write prescriptions for their patients. The new law requires clinical psychologists to meet high education and training standards before applying for a license to prescribe medicine. Illinois is now the third state, along with New Mexico and Louisiana, which allow patients to get necessary medication from a psychologist. Today's action is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to ensure all people have access to quality healthcare and improve the health and well-being of the people of Illinois.

"We have to make sure people across Illinois can be properly cared for by a medical professional they know and trust," Governor Quinn said. "If someone needs help and lives on a budget, they shouldn't have to make multiple appointments or travel far and wide to get a prescription. This new law will improve access to mental health care by cutting down the number of doctors that patients need to see in order to get their medicine."

Senate Bill 2187, sponsored by State Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) and State Representative John Bradley (D-Marion), creates a Prescribing Psychologist license that may be issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). This license may be issued to a licensed, doctoral level psychologist who has undergone specialized training, passed an examination and has entered into a written collaborative oversight agreement with a licensed physician. The psychologist may only prescribe medications to treat the mental illnesses of his or her patients who are between the ages of 17 and 65.

Under the previous law, clinical psychologists could provide mental health services to patients but were not able to write prescriptions. Typically, an individual sees a psychologist (a Ph.D.) for therapy and a psychiatrist (an M.D.) for their medication. The training requirements for prescribing psychologists under the new law mirror those of advanced practice nurses and physician assistants. The new is effective immediately.

"Southern Illinois has a limited number of psychiatrists, and allowing psychologists to prescribe certain medications only increases access to medical care and creates more opportunities for citizens to seek necessary treatment," Representative Bradley said.

"The unfortunate truth is that there aren't enough psychiatrists in Illinois to meet our state's needs," Senator Harmon said. "Giving psychologists limited authority to prescribe medicine, in consultation with medical doctors, should help us fill our system's current gaps."

Governor Quinn has long supported affordable and effective healthcare for all. He signed a law in 2010 to expand needed access to dental services by allowing licensed dentists to provide volunteer care at a nonprofit health clinic, which can then receive payments from the state. The clinics can use the Medicaid funding to pay for dental care costs such as equipment and supplies. The law will help encourage more dentists to treat low-income families throughout Illinois.

Also under Governor Quinn's leadership, Illinois proposed a five-year plan to transform the state's healthcare system, including strengthening the state's healthcare workforce, to meet the needs of Medicaid beneficiaries. If approved, the proposal would allow the state to obtain $5.2 billion in federal matching funds over five years to implement the plan.

Governor Quinn has signed multiple pieces of legislation to clarify and expand the scope of practice for certain healthcare professionals in order to ensure that Illinois residents have access to the healthcare they need. He also supports efforts to streamline and expedite veteran applications for professional licenses to benefit military families seeking employment and consumers seeking access to qualified healthcare professionals.

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Bipartisan, bicameral legislation includes Loebsack's SECTORS Act

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement today urging Speaker of the House, John Boehner, to swiftly bring up and pass the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). This legislation, which would improve the nation's workforce development system, passed the Senate today by a vote of 95-3. It also includes large portions of Loebsack's SECTORS Act that links together businesses, labor organizations, local stakeholders, and education and training providers connected to a particular industry.

"The Senate did their part and now it is time for the House to do the same. Speaker Boehner needs to step up and allow a vote on the Senate passed Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act so that it can go to the President and be signed into law. From the overwhelming bipartisan passage in the Senate, it is clear that this legislation would have the votes to pass the House. It has been over 10 years since the Workforce Development Act has been reauthorized and now is the time to give workers the kind of skills they need and employers want."

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act represents a compromise between the SKILLS Act (H.R. 803), which passed the House of Representatives in March of 2013 with bipartisan support, and the Workforce Investment Act of 2013 (S. 1356). It has been over a decade since the Workforce Investment Act has been reauthorized.

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Davenport, Iowa (June 25, 2014) - The Figge Art Museum has received a major gift of $500,000 from the estate of Ruth Evelyn Katz gifted by son Marty Katz of Moline in honor of his late parents Isador and Ruth Evelyn Katz and his late sister Judith Katz.

The second floor Print Gallery will be renamed The Katz Gallery gifted in memory of Isador, Ruth Evelyn and Judith Katz by the Katz Family. A private invitation-only dedication will take place on July 3 when 200 guests will gather to honor the extraordinary contributions of the Katz family to the Quad Cities arts community.

"The Katz family is pleased to make this contribution to the Figge Art Museum," said Marty Katz, son of Isador and Ruth Evelyn. "My parents loved this country and the community. Though they were not immigrants, they were not far removed from the immigrant experience and realized how fortunate they were to have been born in a country which allowed them to prosper, to find their talents and to pursue their aptitudes. What finer date to celebrate this than the birthdate of a nation which gave them that opportunity."

The $500,000 has been gifted to museum and will be attributed to the endowment of the museum, which according to Director of Development Raelene Pullen, "is the lifeblood of our institution and ensures that the Figge will be here in perpetuity for children and adults in our community to experience. The Katz name and impact on the Quad Cities will always be remembered thanks to their generous contribution."

"The Katz Gallery is located at the heart of the museum, adjacent to our art studios and the Mary Waterman Gildehaus Community Gallery," said Figge Executive Director Tim Schiffer. "It hosts some of our most popular and important exhibitions. We are so grateful to the Katz family for helping us to fulfill our mission of 'bringing art and people together.'"

Grandson Matt Katz added, "It is such an honor for our family to be involved with the Figge. I think it would be an accurate reflection of my grandparents to say that a city without a foundation of arts and culture is merely just a "place". A spot on a map. The arts add a dimension of depth and social integrity to any community. My grandparents were two very different people from extremely different backgrounds.

They had two very different personas, but the one common thread that brought them together was celebrating culture. It is so exciting to know that even though they are not physically involved in the community anymore, that through the Figge they can be involved in spirit."

Isador and Ruth Evelyn were advocates for the arts dating back to the mid-50s when Ruth Evelyn joined the Rock Island Art Guild. Her Maka Gallery became the first serious art presence in downtown Rock island in 1966 bringing fine arts to the Quad Cities through gifts like the many public sculptures that now are an important part of the Quad Cities' urban landscape. Ruth Evelyn was devoted to numerous cultural and civic organizations and served as a member of the Acquisitions Commission of the Figge Art Museum and the Davenport Museum of Art, its predecessor.

Isador was a prominent attorney who received an individual award in philanthropy and served on the boards of the Rock Island Public Library Foundation, Rock Island Community Foundation and Trinity Health Foundation.

The two worked very hard to help make the Quad-Cities a more beautiful place through their philanthropic efforts and devotion to bettering the community. Grandson Steven Katz explained, "They believed strongly in the notion of philanthropy and in "giving back" to the community. With the establishment of this gallery it's nice to see them honored for their many contributions to the community. I hope that this gallery will be able to enrich the lives of people in the Quad Cities for many years to come and perhaps even serve as a source of inspiration for future dreamers and artists and offer people new insights and ways of looking at our world. If it does, then I think my grandparents would be very pleased."

As happy as the family is about this dedication, there is also an element of the bittersweet because this gift is also to celebrate the memory of Judith Katz. Judith was the daughter of Ruth and Isador who passed away on July 3, 1997. Brother Marty Katz said, "My sister was a physically beautiful person but it was surpassed by her intellect and artistic skills. To see her name along with my parents exactly 17 years after her death is going to be very special to our entire family."

The first exhibition that will be on display in The Katz Gallery will be Two Americans in Paris: Stuart Davis and Grant Wood opening July 12, 2014.

 

About the Figge Art Museum

The Figge Art Museum is located on the riverfront in downtown Davenport at 225 West Second Street. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday and Sundays 12-5 p.m. Thursdays the museum is open until 9 p.m. Admission to the museum and tour is $7. Admission is free to Figge members and institutional members and free to all on Thursday evenings from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. The museum is free for Active Duty Military members and their families all year round and free to seniors the first Thursday of every month. To contact the museum, please call 563.326.7804, or visit www.figgeartmuseum.org.

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MILWAUKEE (June 25, 2014) - Christopher Kingma of Davenport, Iowa, has graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis. Kingma earned a Masters of Science degree in Dentistry.

Kingma was one of about 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students who received their diplomas May 18, 2014 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.

Marquette University is a Catholic, Jesuit university that draws its more than 11,500 students from all 50 states and more than 75 different countries. In addition to its nationally recognized academic programs, Marquette is known for its service learning programs and internships as students are challenged to use what they learn to make a difference in the world. Find out more about Marquette at marquette.edu.

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Marquette University is a Catholic, Jesuit university dedicated to serving God by serving our students and contributing to the advancement of knowledge. Through our mission of Faith, Excellence, Leadership and Service we strive to graduate students who are not only better educated, but better people. We provide them with the necessary training to actively "Be the Difference" in our world.

Third annual series of veterans town halls to coincide with July 4th holiday

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack announced that he will host a series of veterans town halls on his Serving Those Who Served tour with stops across the Second District. These forums will give veterans and their families an opportunity to speak directly with Loebsack. Staff will also be on hand for veterans to seek assistance if they are having issues with the Veterans Administration, or any Federal agency. At each stop, Loebsack will be joined by representatives from local Veteran Service Organizations, County Veterans Affairs Officers and other groups.

"As Iowans come together to celebrate the birth of our nation, we must take time to remember those men and women who fought for the freedoms we treasure. As a military parent and member of the House Armed Services Committee, I take great pride in Serving Those Who Served. I strongly believe that there is no greater responsibility we have as a nation than to ensure our servicemembers have the support, equipment, and training they need to safely carry out their mission and that we care for our veterans with the same dignity and honor with which they served. I look forward to meeting with veterans and their families to discuss issues important to them and provide any assistance my office can help with."

Loebsack will hold forums in Muscatine, Iowa City, Ottumwa, Ft. Madison, Burlington, Newton, Knoxville, Davenport, Clinton and Washington. This is the third year that Loebsack has hosted town halls specifically for veterans around the July 4th holiday. Veterans, their families and media are invited to attend.

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The multimillionaire's cutthroat ethics haven't changed, he just chooses slightly different rhetoric

The following is a statement from Neal Waltmire, Communications Director for Illinois Freedom PAC, in response to Bruce Rauner's comments yesterday showing the multimillionaire's continued opposition to raising the state's minimum wage:

Bruce Rauner thought that we'd forget his multiple statements supporting LOWERING the minimum wage and his "adamant" opposition to raising it.

 

We didn't.

 

He thought that if he talked about his opposition to the minimum wage in a different way, that we might mistakenly think he would do right by workers.

 

We didn't.

 

He thought we'd forget his business record shows a greedy multimillionaire who only cares about his own power and profit.

 

We didn't.

 

He thought we'd forget that his business holdings show companies with a pattern of putting profit before people's well-being, even if regular people - those who can't afford a $2.5 million donation - die as a result.

 

We didn't.

 

He thought we wouldn't notice that his 'support' for upping the national rate to ours wouldn't raise wages here in Illinois and that his blessing for a minimum wage referendum came only after a bill was signed placing one on the November ballot.

 

We did.

 

His record shows Rauner can't be trusted to help Illinois' working families.

 

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BETTENDORF, IA - After 20 years, Run with Carl organizers are lacing up their racing shoes one final time for the Labor Day Tradition.

"We've had a good run - no pun intended, and it's simply time for the race to come to an end," said Dick Schillig, race co-chair and father of Carl, who started the race to raise funds for a scholarship in his son's name.

Race organizers and the Schillig family would like to reach a record number of racers this year with a goal of 1,500 runners.

"It would be nice to finish on a high note as a special tribute to Carl and all of the community organizations, volunteers, sponsors and participants who have made the scholarship fund possible," said Juanita Schillig, race co-chair and mother of Carl.

The Carl D. Schillig Memorial Scholarship to assist Bettendorf and Pleasant Valley High School graduating seniors with college funding. The scholarship fund will continue thanks to many years of community support for the race. 2014 marks the 29th and 30th scholarships to be awarded.

The 2014 scholarship recipients are Kierstyn Feld, Pleasant Valley High School, and Tyler Henson, Bettendorf High School. Ms. Feld plans to attend Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, and Mr. Henson will attend Maryville University in St. Louis, MO.

Runners can participate in the 20th anniversary final Run with Carl on Labor Day in Bettendorf, IA.

About the 20th Anniversary Final Run with Carl

The Bettendorf Rotary's Run with Carl will be held on Monday, September 1st. The 5 Mile Run and the 5K run/walk and 1/2 and 1-mile fun runs for children 12 and under start and finish at the Bettendorf Life Center (2222 Middle Rd., Bettendorf). Awards will immediately follow the races. The course remains the same as in previous years. Early bird entry fees are good through August 1st. Fees are $20 for the 5K Run/Walk or 5 Mile Run for no t-shirt and $25 for the 5K Run/Walk or 5 Mile Run with a t-shirt. The youth entry fee for the ½ and 1-mile fun run is $10.

If registered before August 1st, participants will be entered into a drawing for a free bike from Healthy Habits.

Race Day registrants are not eligible for awards so pre-registration is encouraged. Participants may register online only at runwithcarl.com.

About Carl D. Schillig

Carl Schillig was 15 years old when he was killed in a car-pedestrian accident in 1994. Carl was active in a variety of community, school and church activities. In commemoration of his life, the Run With Carl Walk/Run attracts participants to the challenging, but scenic course following city streets, neighborhoods and the Bettendorf Recreation Path.

For more information or to register, visit the website at runwithcarl.com or find them on Facebook by searching for "Run with Carl."

About the Bettendorf Rotary: The Bettendorf Rotary Club was chartered in 1957. The group meets every Wednesday at noon at Fortune Garden Restaurant (2211 South Kimberly Road, Bettendorf). They are the Title Sponsor of Run with Carl.

About the Carl D. Schillig Memorial Fund, Inc.: The Carl D. Schillig Memorial Fund was established in 1995 in memory of Carl Schillig who was killed at the age of 15 in a car-pedestrian accident. The fund provides a $4000 college scholarship to graduates of Pleasant Valley High School - which Carl attended - and Bettendorf High School graduates. With Carl's philanthropy as its inspiration, the nonprofit also distributes proceeds from the run to organizations in which Carl was active, including the Bettendorf Pleasant Valley Aquatics, the Cornbelt Running Club, and Our Lady of Lourdes Church.

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Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack today welcomed Brianna Paup, the winner of the 2014 Congressional Art Contest to Washington. Brianna's drawing, Old Man, was selected in an online competition in which nearly 2,500 votes were cast to determine who would represent Iowa's Second District in the annual competition. Brianna, who is from Mechanicsville and just completed her Junior year at North Cedar High School, traveled with her mother to Washington to see her art work displayed and attend a reception held in her honor.

"Each year I am more and more impressed by the creativity, ingenuity, and talent of our local high school students and Brianna is no exception. It was a pleasure to welcome Brianna and her mom to Washington. I am glad they had the opportunity to visit our nation's capital and see her art work displayed."


Good morning, Chairman Rokita, Chairman Meehan, and Ranking Member Clarke. I'd like to thank you for holding today's hearing and thank our witnesses for being here.

More than ever before, technology plays an essential role in educating our children. Technology-based educational tools and platforms offer important new capabilities for students and teachers at both the K-12 and university levels.

The increasing number of educational iPad and iPhone apps, online study tools, and engagement programs illustrate the growing abundance of tech resources that are being used to meet students' individual learning needs.

These educational tools generate tremendous amounts of data that are instrumental in improving a student's learning experience. Data allows teachers to quickly identify and address gaps in student understanding before they fall behind.  And by making data available to parents, they can track their child's progress and participate more fully in their education.

Beyond addressing the needs of individual students, data aids schools in their institutional and administrative functions. School and district leaders rely on data to drive improvement and decision-making around curriculum, technology infrastructure, and staffing.

The availability of new types of data also improves researchers' ability to learn about learning. Data from a student's experience in technology-based learning platforms can be precisely tracked, opening the door to more accurately understanding how students move through a curriculum, and at greater scale, than traditional education research is able to achieve.

As data systems become more integrated into the learning and teaching process, we are seeing the impact that they can have on students, teachers, administrators, and policymakers. These systems enable teachers, schools, and districts to make more informed decisions to enhance student learning.

Meanwhile, a growing number of online educational services have the ability to enhance learning within the classroom and extend it beyond the school day. Edmodo, which is used by more than 20 million teachers and students worldwide, allows teachers to set up virtual classrooms and then post homework assignments and other content to extend lessons. Khan Academy has more than 5,000 instructional videos and assessments, which allow students of all ages to learn at their own pace in subject areas ranging from pre-algebra to differential equations, from art history to computer science.

With this explosion in online resources, there is a large amount of new data being generated by children using these services, which raises valid privacy concerns.

The privacy of student education records is protected under FERPA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. When those student education records are hosted or analyzed by private companies that are helping districts build data systems to drive improvement, those same FERPA protections still apply.

However, when students use online services like Khan Academy?in school or at home?or when teachers use grade and behavior tracking software on their iPads, all of that data are not necessarily covered by FERPA. In those direct interactions between students and software companies, data are being collected to build user profiles, individualize the learning experience, and track progress, but in the cases where FERPA does not apply, it is not always clear what protections exist to guarantee the privacy of those data and ensure companies are not using them to target advertisements at children.

This committee will hear important testimony today about the value that these tailored technological resources provide to students themselves and the importance of ensuring access to data for teachers and researchers seeking to improve education. We'll also hear about the need for consistent privacy policies and current efforts to guarantee the security and privacy of student data.

As we examine the privacy concerns prompted by the rapidly growing education technology sector and the information it collects, it's clear that we must strive to find a balance between privacy and innovation. We must ensure that companies involved in collecting and analyzing student data are not exploiting students' private information for marketing purposes or financial gain.

Data are an invaluable tool. Data empowers teachers, guides individualized learning, and informs policy. As we consider where improvements are needed in privacy regulations, we must be sure that we do not compromise the value of student data.

I look forward to hearing from our witnesses.

Thank you very much.

Committee on Education and the Workforce Democrats

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