10 Dec 2013

Funding the Nation's Common Defense

By Rick Martin

by U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley

Among the objectives named in the preamble of the Constitution, the Founders specified one of the primary responsibilities of governance for the newly formed republic is to provide for the nation's common defense.  For more than two centuries, the United States of America has protected its borders, people, international commerce and national security backed up by a civilian controlled military funded by the taxpaying public.

Our system of checks and balances works to keep the military under civilian control.  The Constitution specifies the president serves as commander in chief.  The people's branch appropriates and the executive branch spends money to provide for the Armed Services.  This dual authority works to ensure the military serves, not subverts, we the people.

Since our nation's founding, policymakers have debated the merits of the size, scope and strategy of the nation's military. Between the White House and Congress, presidents and lawmakers have used the strength of the U.S. military to maintain peace, protect and defend the blessings of freedom and provide for national security.

Generations of Americans owe a debt of gratitude to those who have served in the Armed Forces, putting their lives on the line and often separating from their families to serve, defend and protect.

Although the U.S. military serves a critical role in upholding the nation's common defense, lawmakers should not issue blank checks to the Department of Defense.  In fact, my longstanding crusade to protect the taxpaying public has exposed serious financial mismanagement at the Pentagon that undermines military readiness and exposes cultural, systemic flaws that weaken this critical institution of the federal government.

Protecting the taxpaying public and providing for the nation's common defense are not mutually exclusive.  Too many people in Washington think that throwing more money at something will solve the world's problems.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

As Congress works to dial back the spending spigot that has created a $17 trillion national debt, I am working to hold the line on overspending.  As keepers of the public purse, lawmakers need to demand more accountability for each tax dollar, including defense spending. Although no one thinks the across-the-board sequester was the smartest way to hold spending to the level Congress agreed to live under, I reject the notion that there are no parts of the federal budget that can be cut and the only solution is to ditch the spending caps that have forced Uncle Sam to borrow and spend less of taxpayers' money.

For those who ballyhoo that the sky will fall if the Pentagon's budget is trimmed further, I would direct their attention to the apparent shenanigans of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS).  What's worse, the independent watchdog at the Pentagon may have schemed with DFAS and turned a blind eye to problems with the agency's financial statements to snow policymakers and the public.

One of my earliest crusades against government waste started at the Pentagon.  At that time, a Pentagon maverick reported serious fiscal mismanagement and an astonishing waste of tax dollars.  Remember the $500 hammers and $7,600 coffee pots?  It's been a few years since I drove my orange Chevette to the Pentagon from Capitol Hill to track down answers about bloated defense budgets.  Thanks to the courage and pursuit of the truth from a civil servant at the Defense Department, we succeeded in exposing fantasy financials that front-loaded the budget with massive, unaffordable programs.  At the time, the Pentagon was flushing tax money down the drain with $700 toilet seats.  His testimony at a joint congressional hearing helped lead to a freeze on the defense budget build-up at the height of the farm crisis in the mid-80s, sparing taxpayers billions of dollars.  Ever since, I've championed all means necessary through oversight and legislation to hold the Pentagon accountable for the money it spends to uphold the nation's common defense.

As Abe Lincoln discovered during the Civil War, there's no shortage of profiteers who troll federal spending for financial gain.  Or in the case of the DFAS, allegedly fudging the numbers to mislead policymakers and protect its funding stream.  It takes a tireless commitment to prevent the taxpaying public from getting fleeced. Sometimes it feels like paddling upstream, especially as the federal government has a record of using antiquated systems to track spending and prevent fraud.

Rooting out waste, fraud and abuse is hard enough even with proper auditing tools.  So if integrity at the auditing shop in the Inspector General's office is up for grabs, policymakers would have better luck finding a needle in an Iowa haystack than getting accurate numbers to make the right spending decisions.  If this episode is a reflection of widespread "financial delusions" the DFAS conducts throughout the Pentagon, then Congress needs to tighten, not loosen, the purse strings until the Department of Defense can right its fiscal ship.

Monday, December 9, 2013
10 Dec 2013

Grassley schedule this week

By Grassley Press
Monday, Dec. 9, 2013

Here is information about Senator Grassley's schedule this week.  The Senate is in session.

Senator Grassley will meet with Iowans in Washington from the Iowa Bankers Association and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Senator Grassley will meet with Iowa families visiting Washington from Waukee and Ankeny.

Senator Grassley will be a guest on public affairs programs hosted by Mike Savage on KBUR in Burlington and Scott Voorhees on KFAB in Omaha.

On Tuesday, December 10, at 10 a.m. (ET), Senator Grassley will participate in a Finance Committee hearing on the nomination of John Andrew Koskinen to be Commissioner of Internal Revenue.

On Wednesday, December 11, at 2 p.m. (ET), Senator Grassley will participate in a Judiciary Committee hearing on "Continued Oversight of US Government Surveillance Authorities."

On Wednesday, December 11, at 2:30 p.m. (ET), Senator Grassley will attend a members' only briefing on Iran.

On Thursday, December 12, at 10 a.m. (ET), Senator Grassley will participate in the weekly executive business meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee.  The committee may consider the nominations of John B. Owens to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit, Michelle T. Friedland to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit, Nancy L. Moritz to be United States Circuit Judge for the Tenth Circuit, David Jeremiah Barron to be United States Circuit Judge for the First Circuit, Matthew Frederick Leitman to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan, Judith Ellen Levy to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan, Laurie J. Michelson to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan, Linda Vivienne Parker to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan, Christopher Reid Cooper to be United States District Judge for the District of Columbia, Gerald Austin McHugh, Jr. to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, M. Douglas Harpool to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Missouri, Edward G. Smith to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Sheryl H. Lipman to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Tennessee, Stanley Allen Bastian to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Washington, Manish S. Shah to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois, Peter Joseph Kadzik to be an Assistant Attorney General, Robert L. Hobbs to be United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Texas, and Gary L. Blankinship to be United States Marshal for the Southern District of Texas.  The committee may also consider S.619, Justice Safety Valve Act of 2013, sponsored by Senators Patrick Leahy and Rand Paul; S.1410, Smarter Sentencing Act of 2013, sponsored by Senators Dick Durbin, Mike Lee and Patrick Leahy; S.1675, Recidivism Reduction and Public Safety Act of 2013, sponsored by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse; and S.975, Court-Appointed Guardian Accountability and Senior Protection Act, sponsored by Senators Amy Klobuchar and John Cornyn.

On Thursday, December 12, at 10 a.m. (ET), Senator Grassley will participate in a Finance Committee mark up meeting to consider an original bill to repeal the sustainable growth rate system and to consider health care extenders; and the Supporting At-Risk Children Act.

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10 Dec 2013

Loebsack Encourages Students to Apply for Spring Internships

By Joe Hand

Washington, D.C - Congressman Dave Loebsack today announced that his office is now accepting applications from Iowa college students to participate in a Congressional internship program in his Washington, D.C. office. The internship program is open to undergraduate students and recent graduates, regardless of major.

"As a former teacher, I have seen the benefits that internships can provide by giving students a firsthand look into the government process," said Loebsack. "I encourage all hardworking, motivated students and recent graduates to apply."

Interns will have the opportunity to learn about the legislative process and the federal government by working closely with the legislative, communications and constituent services staff members. Interested candidates should email their cover letter, resume, a short writing sample and a letter of recommendation to LoebsackInternship@mail.house.gov.

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09 Dec 2013

QCSO announced iPad winner

By QCSO
We thank those of you who came out to our concerts this past weekend to hear our Concertmaster Naha Greenholtz perform the music of Jennifer Higdon and Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2 led by Guest Conductor Alasdair Neale. We hope you enjoyed the show.

Even if you were unable to attend this weekend's concert, we'd love to hear from you. Please take a moment to fill out this brief survey. Your input is very important to us as we strive to improve our services at the QCSO.

And now to announce the winner of our drawing for the iPad Mini...
Congratulations to Carol Cather!

If you would like to enjoy the concert again, it will be rebroadcast by our media partner WVIK-Augustana Public Radio on December 15 at 7:00 p.m. Be sure to tune in at 90.3 FM or listen online at www.wvik.org.
09 Dec 2013

GOVERNOR BRANSTAD'S DECISION TO CLOSE THE IOWA JUVENILE HOME THE RESULT OF SECRETIVE, CLOSED GOVERNMENT

By Rick Martin

DES MOINES -Today, the Branstad Administration announced its secretive decision to close the Iowa Juvenile Home and outsource the services the Juvenile Home provides to some of Iowa's most troubled youth.

"We are shocked to hear the Governor's office has taken this course of action. Many groups have been working together to solve the issues at the Iowa Juvenile Home. Not only is this a sad day for the workers, but it is a sad day for the Iowa's troubled youth displaced because of the Governor's actions," said AFSCME Iowa Council 61 President Danny Homan.

"The troubled youth at the Juvenile Home deserved a truly open decision making process that sought a dialogue with all Iowans, including legislators. The students at the Juvenile Home deserved an honest and public discussion about how the students will receive assistance in the future. Governor Branstad's closed door decision making process failed to live up to these principles and the Governor's pledge for transparency in state government," added Homan.

Juvenile Home employees have and continue to be willing partners in addressing the failures of management policies at the Juvenile Home.

"Our members and our union will continue to advocate for troubled youth and for the state's responsibility to see them through their difficult times," said Homan.

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09 Dec 2013

Moline Foundation Supports 24-Hour Crisis Hotline

By Ann Ring

Rock Island, IL - The Moline Foundation recently awarded a $2,500 grant to Christian Care to help fund their 24-hour crisis hotline. "Part of our mission is to provide support and resources," said Dr. Elaine Winter, the organization's chief executive officer. "And one of the most effective ways to fulfill our mission every day is through our 24-hour crisis hotline, where we will receive over 1,000 phone calls this year from individuals who need safe shelter, food, and other community resources. We're grateful that the Moline Foundation is once again providing funds for this much-needed service."

Christian Care is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization operating two facilities?a domestic violence shelter for abused women and children and a rescue mission for homeless men. It serves homeless individuals, victims of domestic violence, veterans, men and women coming out of prison, and those with mental illnesses.

Christian Care's community meal site is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner on weekdays Monday through Friday, and for breakfast and dinner on Saturday and Sunday. Breakfast is served at 6:30 a.m., lunch at 12:15 p.m., and dinner at 6:30 p.m. If you know of someone in need, call Christian Care's crisis hotline any hour of the day at (309) 788-2273 or visit online at christiancareqc.org.

09 Dec 2013

Governor Quinn Announces More than 1,470 Affordable Apartments to be Built or Rehabbed

By Brooke Anderson

New Round of Funding to Spur Housing Construction and Preservation, Support 2,400 Jobs in Communities Across Illinois

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today announced more than 1,470 affordable apartments will be created or preserved for working families, seniors and people with disabilities in communities across the state. Today's announcement is part of the Governor's agenda to ensure quality affordable housing for working families, seniors and people with disabilities across Illinois.

"Easing the cost of housing for hard-working families, seniors and people with disabilities is a priority in Illinois," Governor Quinn said. "We must do everything we can to both increase and preserve quality affordable housing to help working families achieve housing stability and create thousands of jobs."

Financing for the apartments was approved from two sources - the federal low-income housing tax credit (Housing Credit) and the Illinois Housing Development Authority's (IHDA) Preservation Now program. A new round of Housing Credit financing will support the construction and rehabilitation of 1,021 units in 16 developments in the areas of Chicago, Metro East, Springfield and Peoria. Under the state's Preservation Now program, more than 450 units of affordable housing for hard-working families and seniors will be preserved in six developments located in Southern Illinois, Peoria and the Quad Cities. This combined financing will support an estimated 2,400 jobs statewide and local real estate tax and revenue will be generated to spur economic activity. Under Governor Quinn, the IHDA has financed the creation and preservation of more than 17,800 rental homes statewide.

As the state's housing finance agency, the IHDA allocates the federal Housing Credits through a competitive process to finance qualified affordable housing developments. With the recent approval of the IHDA board, developers will now seek private investment for the new developments. Work to build new housing or rehabilitate existing multifamily developments will generate construction and post-construction jobs. Construction is expected to begin by next spring.

In 1986, Congress created the federal tax credit program to spur the development of affordable housing. It is widely considered the most productive affordable housing financing tool in the nation. The sale of federal housing credits to private investors generates equity, and this equity reduces the need for the developer to borrow money for the new development. This savings results in lower rents.

This was the second round of funding under the Preservation Now program, which Governor Quinn launched this year. Last month, the IHDA approved financing to preserve an additional 600 affordable rental units for seniors and people with disabilities in Chicago and Peoria, creating more than an estimated 500 jobs. Approximately $245 million in project-based rental subsidy will be preserved over the next 20 years as a result of Preservation Now, which provides funding through the Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Fund and other resources. Trust Fund revenue is generated from half of the state real estate transfer fee.

"Governor Quinn is a strong advocate for leveraging public-private partnerships to meet the affordable housing needs of the state's low- to moderate-income residents," IHDA Executive Director Mary R. Kenney said. "The Housing Credit and Governor Quinn's Preservation Now program effectively safeguard the affordability of these developments for decades."

To qualify for the affordable units, residents must earn at or below 60 percent of the area median income (AMI), or $35,340 in the Chicago area, $32,280 in the Springfield area, or $33,240 in Madison County for a two-person household.

Developments approved for financing include :

·         Nehemiah Homes in Springfield - A new construction family development of 30 rental single-family homes will be built on various sites in Springfield's Eastside neighborhood. Developed by the Calvary Mission Baptist Church, this is the third phase of the Nehemiah Homes development initiated to provide decent affordable housing after storms ravaged the area.

·         Aurora Impact Initiative in Aurora - Forty units of vacant single-family homes will be acquired and rehabilitated to return to the market as rental housing in Aurora. All units will receive rental assistance through the Aurora Housing Authority.

·         Wisdom Village of Oak Street - An abandoned building and unused tennis courts on Chicago's Near North Side will be replaced with a 106-unit new construction mixed-income development for seniors.

·         Bloomington-Normal Scattered Site - In the Bloomington-Normal area, 26 vacant single-family homes will be acquired and rehabilitated to return to the market as rental homes. Work will include upgrades to add more energy-efficient features.

·         May Apartments in Edwardsville - An existing independent living development serving seniors and people with disabilities will be rehabilitated, and a new wing will be built in Edwardsville - creating and preserving 70 affordable apartments.

·         Shawnee Village in Marion - The 120-unit Shawnee Village for working families and seniors in Marion will be equipped with new flooring, roof and HVAC replacements, energy efficient appliance and lighting upgrades.

·         Sandburg Village Apartments in Galesburg - New flooring, windows, roof and HVAC replacements, energy efficient appliance and lighting upgrades will be added to the 128-unit Sandburg Village Apartments in Galesburg.

For a full list of approved developments, please visit www.ihda.org/about/news.

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09 Dec 2013

ONE MILLIONTH CARE PACKAGE CELEBRATED BY THOUSANDS.

By Operation Gratitude
It's official! We celebrated our historic One Millionth Care Package on Saturday, December 7, when it rolled off the assembly line to the cheers of thousands of volunteers, supporters, Military Brass, Elected Officials and Hollywood Celebrities. Adding to the excitement was the reveal of the special gift for the recipient of the milestone package: A Ford F-150 Pickup Truck donated by 5-hour ENERGY®.

  Under a large tent adjacent to the California Army National Guard Armory, Event Emcees Fritz Coleman, Andy Chanley and Joe Garner welcomed active duty Service Members and Military Veterans throughout the day. Many of these men and women were past recipients of Operation Gratitude care packages, and wore specially designed pins saying "I Serve" or "I Served."  Three previous Operation Gratitude Milestone Package recipients were in attendance: Sgt. Shaun Gallagher (300,000th package); Sgt. Eric Rodriguez (750,000th package) and Sgt. Samuel Mancilla (800,000th package). 

Six World War II Veterans were honored guests, including Lt. Colonel Bob Friend, a Tuskegee Airman, and Bea Cohen, the oldest living female World War II Veteran at 103-years-old.

To the delight of their fans, celebrities Leah Remini, Joe Mantegna, Stelio Savante, Bill Jones, Kevyn Major Howard and cast members from the new TV show, Enlisted, joined the festivities, as did Dodgers great Al "The Bull" Ferrara, and radio host and author, Michael Reagan. 

Making a very popular debut as the keepsake item of the Event was the "Gratitude Journal," a beautiful 148-page retrospective, chronicling Operation Gratitude from its humble beginnings to its One Millionth Package celebration. This classic "cocktail table-style" Tribute Book will be available to order online this week.
Two Assembly Lines were in full swing, producing 3,000 care packages in just two hours. In addition, the activities  included Military and First Responder Booths, fun games with prizes for young children, a letter writing area with custom printed holiday cards for the troops, a paracord bracelet workshop, and a photo booth.

Attendees were served a complimentary lunch courtesy of several community organizations and local businesses. Adding a holiday touch, Santa Claus was on hand giving out gifts to all the children.


"This is an extraordinary day in the life of Operation Gratitude," said Penny Alfonso, Volunteer and Community Service Coordinator. "I was at the very first Assembly Day in 2003 and it is breathtaking to witness this accomplishment by caring and patriotic Americans all across the country, whose goal is to say 'Thank You' to our Military."


The backdrop to the entire Event was the elegant and moving replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall, presented by American Veterans Traveling Tribute. A special memorial program in front of The Wall opened with a rousing  rendition of the National Anthem by the St. Francis de Sales Choir, and an inspirational invocation by Captain Brenda Threatt, a chaplain with the California State Military Reserve. Veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan, joined Gold and Blue Star Mothers and War Dog, Cpl. Breezy, USMC (Ret.) to lay wreaths in honor of the Fallen.


In a powerful and moving display, the Condor Squadron Officers and Airmen Association touched the crowd with three flyovers of vintage World War II North American AT-6 airplanes. The final flyover performed the "Missing Man" formation in honor of fallen pilots.

In poignant remarks, The Adjutant General of California, Major General David Baldwin and John Barron, COO of American Veterans Traveling Tribute spoke of the sacrifices made by our Military and their families. Also in attendance representing their respective branches were Vice Admiral David Buss, Commander, Naval Air Forces, Brigadier General Vincent Coglianese, Commanding General, 1st Marine Logistics Group (1st MLG); and Command Sergeant Major William Clarke, the Senior Enlisted Soldier in California.

 

Steve Politis, a 96-year-old B-17 fighter pilot who was shot down over Yugoslavia in World War II, was visibly moved by the outpouring of respect for America's Veterans. "I think about the many Operati  on Gratitude volunteer 'hands' that have touched these one million care packages--either by assembling the boxes or making one of the items inside," he offered. "There is no more beautiful way to express appreciation and let our Military know that people care."

 

Always a highlight of Operation Gratitude milestone package celebrations, the reveal of the special gifts for the One Millionth Care Package brought gasps and cheers from the audience of more than 4,000 attendees. Upper Deck,
producer of sports cards and authenticated sports memorabilia, presented a poster hand-addressed to the One Millionth Package Recipient, signed by Tiger Woods.

 

Best Buy, the consumer electronics giant, revealed two Home Entertainment Systems--one each for the Millionth and the One Millionth & One packages. The systems included 55 and 32-inch Insignia TVs, Rocketfish wireless speakers, Insignia digital cameras and picture frames,a plethora of Rocketfish accessories, plus iPads.

 

 Catching the crowd completely off-guard, Living Essentials, LLC, the distributor of 5-hour ENERGY® shots, unveiled the major gift for the recipient of Operation Gratitude's One Millionth Care Package: a Ford F-150 pickup truck. The vehicle will be delivered to the soon-to-be-revealed service member upon returning home from deployment next Spring.

"Our One Millionth Care Package represents the enormous generosity and support of patriotic Americans and businesses all across the country," said Carolyn Blashek, founder of Operation Gratitude."We are thrilled that Upper Deck, Best Buy and 5-hour ENERGY® donated such extraordinary gifts to the milestone package recipient, who today represents all the members of the greatest Military on earth."

 

An exciting secret overseas delivery of The One Millionth Care Package, containing symbolic keys to the Ford F-150 and certificates for the other gifts, will be revealed to the public through social and traditional media in the coming week.

 

Looking ahead, Blashek noted that even as America's longest war is coming to an end, our troops continue to  deploy to "hot-spots" far from home for long periods of time, and 40,000 Wounded Warriors, 23 million Veterans and their families wonder whether they have been forgotten. "Operation Gratitude's goal remains the same: Lift the spirits and meet the evolving needs of our Active Duty and Veteran communities, and provide volunteer opportunities for all Americans to express their appreciation to members of our Military," she said, adding, "Today we have started our March to the Second Million."

To see great photos from the day, please visit:

March to a Million Event -- Album 1
March to a Million Event -- Album 2

For additional information about Operation Gratitude's programs and activities, follow us on these sites:

www.OperationGratitude.com
www.facebook.com/OperationGratitude
www.twitter.com/OpGratitude


Help us continue to support our Military. Please make a tax-deductible donation today: Donate Now


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About Operation Gratitude: Operation Gratitude annually sends 100,000+ care packages filled with snacks, entertainment and hand-made items and personal letters of appreciation addressed to Veterans, First Responders, Wounded Warriors, Care Givers and to individually named U.S. Service Members deployed in hostile regions. Our mission is to lift the spirits and meet the evolving needs of our Active Duty and Veteran communities, and provide volunteer opportunities for all Americans to express their appreciation to members of our Military. Each package contains donated product valued at $75-100 and costs the organization $15 to assemble and ship. Since its inception in 2003, Operation Gratitude volunteers have shipped more than One Million care packages.

09 Dec 2013

USDA Overhauls Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program

By USDA Office of Communications
Changes will strengthen rural housing markets; encourage new construction

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2013 - U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a series of sweeping changes to a popular loan program for rural homebuyers. The changes are part of an extensive overhaul that will strengthen rural housing markets, increase the availability of rural home loans and spur the construction of new homes in rural areas.

"These improvements will help create jobs and enable more people to participate in the rural home loan guarantee program," Vilsack said. "The changes will add significant capital to rural areas and give rural Americans more opportunities to make financing decisions that lay the groundwork for the future prosperity of their families."

The changes are published in today's Federal Register. They take effect Sept. 1, 2014 and make several improvements to USDA Rural Development's Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program. Among other things, they expand the types of lenders who are eligible to participate. With the rule change, any lending entity supervised and regulated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the National Credit Union Administration, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve Banks, or the Federal Housing Finance Board may underwrite loans guaranteed by Rural Development. This will enable many small community banks and credit unions to participate in the guaranteed loan program. Currently, these entities are not eligible lenders.

In another policy change, for the first time, borrowers will be able to choose home loan terms shorter than 30 years. This will result in a significant cost savings for borrowers who qualify for the higher payments and who want to pay off their loan faster and pay less interest on their loan.

Collectively, these changes will make housing loans more readily available to residents in underserved communities, such as those targeted by USDA's StrikeForce initiative. Through StrikeForce, USDA staff work with state, local and community officials to increase awareness of USDA programs that help rural residents, businesses and communities.

As part of the overhaul, Rural Development has begun a series of enhancements to automate processes, reduce paperwork and reduce loan approval times.

Additional program improvements are:

  • Lenders may consider a home's energy efficiency as a compensating factor when underwriting a mortgage application. Energy efficiency is an attractive feature for homebuyers and sellers. Energy efficient homes help the nation lessen its dependence on foreign oil and result in lower utility costs for homeowners. Lower utility costs also improve the local economy by directly increasing consumers' disposable income.
  • Lenders and borrowers no longer will be required to initiate separate construction and permanent loans for new homes. Instead, there will be one closing for one loan, known as a construction-to-permanent loan.
  • Lenders will be required to consider foreclosure prevention techniques such as loan modifications and short sales. Currently, lenders are "encouraged" but not required to do so.

These changes will be fully outlined in a new handbook to accompany program regulations. The handbook will provide a single reference point on program rules for borrowers and lenders. It will replace more than 20 administrative notices that are written separately and must be updated annually.

For additional details, see page 73927 of the December 9 Federal Register. USDA welcomes public comment on the changes. The deadline to submit comments is January 8, 2014. See Page 73927 for information on how to submit comments.

Since the start of the Obama Administration, more than 700,000 rural residents have bought homes with mortgages guaranteed by USDA Rural Development. In many rural areas, the majority of homes are financed with loans underwritten through this program.

Vilsack said that today's announcement is another reminder of the importance of USDA programs for rural America. A comprehensive new Food, Farm and Jobs Bill would further expand the rural economy, Vilsack added, saying that's just one reason why Congress must get a comprehensive Bill done as soon as possible.

President Obama's plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President's leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way - strengthening America's economy, small towns and rural communities. USDA's investments in rural communities support the rural way of life that stands as the backbone of our American values.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay).

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09 Dec 2013

Brucemore Announces Election of New Board Members

By Tara Richards
Brucemore announces the election of three new members to three-year terms on the Board of Trustees: Larry Helling, CEO of Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust; Jim Lee, CEO of Shive-Hattery; and Kyle Wilcox, attorney with Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman. Officers for 2014 are: President Brenda Duello, University of Iowa Department of Medicine; Vice President Echo Batson, Rockwell Collins; Secretary Tom Peffer, Senior Vice President at Shuttleworth & Ingersoll, P.L.C.; and Treasurer Craig DeWulf, Partner at RSM McGladrey.

Experience Brucemore, an unparalleled blend of tradition and culture, located at 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At the heart of the historic 26-acre estate stands a nineteenth-century mansion filled with the stories of three Cedar Rapids families.  Concerts, theater, programs, and tours enliven the site and celebrate the heritage of a community.  For more information, call (319) 362-7375 or visit www.brucemore.org.

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