06 Aug 2012

Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds release statements on Alliant Energy's announcement

By Rick Martin

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, today, issued statements commending Interstate Power and Light Company, a subsidiary of Alliant Energy Corporation for the announcement of their four-part energy resources strategy. The strategy includes reducing emissions, increasing efficiency, a new purchase power agreement, and construction of a new natural-gas facility in Marshalltown.

Governor Branstad released the following statement:

"In order to meet our goal of growing Iowa's economy and creating 200,000 new jobs in five years, Iowa needs a diversified energy portfolio that features low cost, reliable energy. Safe and reliable energy is a key point for economic development in Iowa and assists in attracting new businesses and jobs to the state. Today's announcement will benefit Iowans for many years to come," said Branstad.

"I applaud Alliant Energy for their commitment to the state of Iowa and choosing to construct a new $650 million facility in Marshalltown. This expansion helps drive Iowa's economy and creates good paying, quality jobs in our state."

Lt. Gov. Reynolds released the following statement:

"Alliant Energy has a smart and focused blueprint to provide safe and reliable energy for Iowa today and for future generations. A well-balanced energy strategy that includes a commitment to the development and use of energy efficiency programs is a key component to a business's decision to move to Iowa. The Alliant Energy announcement is yet another example of Iowa's growing economy through the creation of new and quality jobs."

 # # #

06 Aug 2012

Support for the wind-energy production tax credit

By Grassley Press
Thursday, August 2, 2012

Senator Chuck Grassley issued the following comment about the inclusion today of a one-year extension of the wind-energy tax credit in The Family and Business Tax Cut Certainty Act of 2012 reported by the Committee on Finance.  The overall package includes an amendment written by Senator Grassley and accepted this morning as part of the modified proposal of Committee Chairman Max Baucus.

Grassley comment:

"The wind-energy production tax credit is designed to level the playing field for this renewable resource against coal-fired and nuclear electricity generation.  The credit has been successful in developing clean, renewable, domestically produced wind energy and the jobs that go along with it.  The one-year extension approved today would make the credit effective for producers for one more year.  In the face of an effort to end this incentive, I persuaded committee leaders to include the extension in a way that keeps it at full value and that puts the wind-energy production tax credit in a strong position for the floor debate this fall.  No single energy tax incentive should be singled out over others, energy-related and not, before a broad-based tax reform debate.  Congress and the President need to take up tax reform to make American business more competitive with lower rates, a broader tax base, and a simpler code.  Until tax reform is undertaken, workers and employers need certainty in existing tax law."

Description of the Grassley amendment to The Family and Business Tax Cut Certainty Act of 2012:

Extend for one year, through December 31, 2013, the section 45 production tax credit for wind which expires on December 31, 2012.  Modify placed-in-service date for wind to a "begin construction" rule.

Background information:

Senator Grassley authored the legislation that created the wind-energy production tax credit in 1992 and has won passage of extensions a number of times.

Today, wind-energy production supports 75,000 American jobs and drives as much as $20 billion in private investment.  During the last five years, 35 percent of all new electric generation in the United States was wind.  There are nearly 400 wind-related manufacturing facilities in the United States today, compared with just 30 in 2004.

Conventional energy sources, including oil, gas and nuclear, enjoy countless tax incentives and many of them are permanent law.
06 Aug 2012

Braley Statement on Agriculture Disaster Program Extension

By Jeff Giertz

Legislation includes Protections for Crops and Livestock 

Washington, D.C. - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) released the following statement today after voting for a Republican-proposed extension of agriculture disaster programs to help farm and livestock producers suffering from the summer drought. The Agriculture Disaster Assistance Act extends several disaster relief programs from the 2008 Farm Bill that expired in the fall of 2011 and have not been renewed. The bill is similar to legislation first proposed by the five members of the Iowa delegation last week.

"The drought assistance bill passed today is a step forward for Iowa farmers struggling through this summer's drought, but it's no Farm Bill.

"It's a shame that politicians in Congress are behaving like little children.  Instead of taking another recess to go out and play politics, Congress needs to grow up, act like adults, and get the job done.  Iowa farmers aren't getting a recess from the drought and Congress shouldn't get one either until the Farm Bill is passed.  Rather than take a month long break, Congress should get to work."

The Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act will extend the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program (SURE), Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), Livestock Disaster Forage Program (LFP), Tree Assistance Program (TAP), and Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) temporarily through 2012.

 

# # #
06 Aug 2012

Loebsack: Republicans Fail Iowa Farmers

By Joe Hand

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement today after the House voted on an insufficient agriculture disaster package instead of bringing up a bipartisan farm bill.  Loebsack has called on Congress to stay in session multiple times to get critical work done.

"The worst case scenario came true for Iowa farmers - Republicans are playing politics and leaving early for their summer vacation while there is a historic drought gripping our state. The Republican Majority has refused to pass the single most important piece of legislation for Iowa Farmers - the farm bill.  While I was hoping it would not come to this point, I was afraid it would, which is why I led the delegation in introducing a disaster relief package for farmers and livestock producers.

"The bottom line is - we need a new farm bill and we need disaster aid.  There are bipartisan bills to do both in the House and Senate, but Republicans would rather play politics and pack up and leave for vacation a day early than do the difficult work of actually getting a reformed farm bill done. Unfortunately, today we were forced to take a vote on a bill that is dead on arrival in the Senate to give the Majority Members cover for their August vacation while Iowa farmers suffer and the fields whither."

 ###

06 Aug 2012

What Should Be Done When a U.S. Citizen Suspects a Case of Human Trafficking?

By Ginny Grimsley

This year marks the century-and-a-half anniversary of the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. On Sept. 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln set the date of freedom for the nation's 3 million slaves.

"As many of us know, slavery did not die when America abolished it in the 1800s," says Lucia Mann, author of Rented Silence (www.luciamann.com), which explores British Colonial slavery in South Africa, and the victims who survived the institutional brutality.

"The opening statement of the Declaration of Independence is, 'We believe these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal with the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.' Almost 100 years later, in 1865, the 13th Amendment extended this belief to 'Negroes.' To this day, involuntary servitude is outlawed, and yet, it still exists!"

Mann has a personal interest in slavery. Her Sicilian mother was a sex slave and a World War II concentration camp survivor. As a child, Mann was forced to live with her father, who was also her mother's master, in South Africa.

"According to the United Nations, there are more than 27 million slaves worldwide, which is more than twice the number of those who were enslaved over the 400 years that transatlantic slavers trafficked humans to work in the Americas," Mann says.

Many slaves today are forced into prostitution while others are used as unpaid laborers to manufacture goods bought in the United States, she says.

"It's almost impossible to buy clothes or goods anymore without inadvertently supporting the slave trade," she says.

Mann, a Canadian and British citizen who considers herself an "American at heart," says Americans should dedicate themselves to opposing modern human trafficking, both worldwide and within U.S. borders, since the nation was largely built on the backs of slaves.

Human trafficking has become the second fastest growing criminal industry worldwide, behind drug trafficking, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. It's a $32 billion industry, and half of those trafficked are children. Half of the billions spent come from industrialized nations, according to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center.

So, what should be done when a U.S. citizen suspects a case of human trafficking? Mann says the following organizations are a good start:

• Catholic Sisters congregations, 888-373-7888: Grand events, like this year's 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, are reportedly hot spots for prostitution rings involving trafficked slaves. The same was true for the 2012 Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, which is why nuns throughout the Midwest collaborated in an awareness campaign, which ultimately led to training cab drivers and hotel staff to recognize signs of modern slavery and how to report it.

• Victims hotline and on-line tips reporting: The Modern-Day Slavery Reporting Centre, created by Mann, is the first hotline - 1 (800) 610-7035, Ext. 227 -- in the United States and Canada for victims. It also provides volunteer translators (including Mann) for victims who don't speak English. The website, www.mdsrc.org, includes a section that makes it easy for third parties to report suspicious activity by clicking "File a Report." This section allows visitors to volunteer information.

• Federal Bureau of Investigation - report human trafficking, 1-888-428-7581: This number can be used 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST to report concerns to the FBI, which also offers plenty of information about human trafficking on its website.

• Various easy-to-find anti-trafficking organizations: Type in "human trafficking" on any online search engine and several sites will appear promoting various methods of combating modern slavery, Mann says. The important part is following through on an interest to help, she says.

"I have a firsthand account of dealing with national prejudice and human slavery, but I think many people are compelled to help victims of human trafficking because freedom is a universal desire," Mann says. "Any individual can make a difference in someone's life. That is the motive behind my books; I want victims to know that, like me, their tragedy can become their triumph."

About Lucia Mann

Lucia Mann was born in British colonial South Africa in the wake of World War II and lives in West Covina, Calif., and British Columbia, Canada. She retired from freelance journalism in 1998 and wrote three books to give voice to those who suffered brutalities and captivity decades ago, and today.

06 Aug 2012

Braley Leads Bipartisan Coalition to Launch Farm Bill Discharge Petition Effort

By Jeff Giertz

Group of four urges colleagues to commit to signing discharge petition

Washington, D.C. - Rep. Bruce Braley (D-IA) today led a bipartisan coalition of Rick Berg (R-ND), Chris Gibson (R-NY), and Peter Welch (D-VT) to launch an all-out effort to recruit members to sign a discharge petition that could force a House vote on the 2012 Farm Bill in September.

Rep. Braley said, "Producers battered by this summer's drought are counting on the Farm Bill to help them through this tough time.  It's time to get this important bill moving forward.  Rural America is depending on the Farm Bill for our future and can't wait forever to know the path forward."

In a letter sent to House colleagues, the bipartisan group urged a commitment to signing the discharge petition as quickly as possible:

"Please join us in committing to sign a discharge petition to bring H.R. 6083, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management (FARRM) Act to the House Floor for a vote," the letter reads.  "As you know, the Farm Bill has yet to be brought up and it is unclear whether it will come up prior to the Farm Bill's September 30th expiration date."

A bill must receive an up or down vote in the House if at least 218 members sign a document known as a "discharge petition."  On July 24th, Braley took the first steps to initiate a discharge petition on the Farm Bill by introducing a resolution outlining a process to circumvent House leaders' hold on the bill.

Because House rules require a waiting period between the time a bill is referred to a committee and when members can sign a discharge petition on it, Braley's Farm Bill petition won't be officially opened for signatures until after members depart for an August recess.

The Farm Bill is critically important for America's farmers and the economy and would provide certainty and a safety net for farmers struggling through this summer's drought.  The hot weather and lack of rain have left farmers vulnerable to weak crops and struggling livestock.  Over half of the counties in the United States have been declared disaster areas due to the drought.

Text of the letter follows; a scanned copy can be downloaded at the following link: http://go.usa.gov/GXD

--

Commit to the Farm Bill; Commit to Discharge Petition

Dear Colleague:

Please join us in committing to sign a discharge petition to bring H.R. 6083, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management (FARRM) Act to the House Floor for a vote. As you know, the Farm Bill has yet to be brought up and it is unclear whether it will come up prior to the Farm Bill's September 30th expiration date.

The House Agriculture Committee approved the FARRM Act by a vote of 35-11 with bipartisan support, but it has yet to be reported. We have heard from various agricultural groups and their message is loud and clear - they want and need a five-year Farm Bill.

According to House Rules, for unreported legislation a discharge petition cannot be filed until 30 legislative days after it has been referred to the committee of jurisdiction. In the case of the House Farm Bill, it was referred on July 9th, so the discharge petition will be able to be filed on or around September 13th, since pro forma days during the August work period will count towards the 30 day requirement.

This petition will move to discharge the Committee on Rules from the consideration of H. Res. 739 entitled, a resolution providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 6083).

Because the discharge petition cannot be filed until after the August work period, we are taking the step of simply seeking commitments from those who are willing to sign it once it becomes available at the Clerk's desk.

The need to extend assistance for farmers gets more urgent every day, given the worsening drought that is blanketing more than half the country. Just like millions of small businesses across the country, farmers need certainty and confidence in the federal programs that affect their lives. Failure to provide certainty will have a devastating impact on the agriculture industry.

Please show your support to our nation's farmers by committing to sign on to this discharge petition. Feel free to contact todd.wolf@mail.house.gov in Rep. Braley's office if you have any questions or your boss would like to commit to signing this discharge petition. Thanks for your consideration.

Sincerely,                    

Bruce Braley               

Member of Congress                      

 

Rick Berg                          

Member of Congress

Chris Gibson                        

Member of Congress                      

 

Peter Welch

Member of Congress

# # #
06 Aug 2012

Governor Quinn Takes Bill Action Thursday, August 2, 2012

By William Palmisano

CHICAGO - August 2, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today took action on the following bills:

 

Bill No.: HB 3915

An Act Concerning: Human Rights

Deletes the word "handicap" and replaces it with the word "disability" in various acts.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Bill No.: HB 3960

An Act Concerning: Civil Law

Removes life insurance premiums as a deduction from an obligor's net income for purposes of determining the amount of child support.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Bill No.: HB 4447

An Act Concerning: Agriculture

Provides that the Department of Agriculture will receive appropriations for funding research at Illinois' public and non-public institutions of higher education.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Bill No.: SB 639

An Act Concerning: Education

Allows for the rehabilitation of aging school buildings and facilities.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Bill No.: SB 1127

An Act Concerning: Corporations

Codifies right to indemnification of employees of corporations and not for profit entities.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Bill No.: SB 2536

An Act Concerning: Civil Law

In counties with populations greater than 1 million, the public administrator will retain his or her records pursuant to the Local Records Act.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1

 

Bill No.: SB 2579

An Act Concerning: Transportation

Allows trailer and semi-trailer length limits to be expanded to accommodate livestock transportation.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1

 

Bill No.: SB 2824

An Act Concerning: State Government

Prohibits the comptroller from offsetting payments to be distributed from the Child Support Enforcement Trust Fund of the Illinois Public Aid Code.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Bill No.: SB 2897

An Act Concerning: Business

Creates the Benefit Corporation Act, which allows corporations organized under the Business Corporation Act of 1983 to elect to become benefit corporations.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1

 

Bill No.: SB 2941

An Act Concerning: Regulation

Provide that a dentist may not have more than four dental assistants working under the dentist's supervision.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Bill No.: SB 2947

An Act Concerning: Safety

Prohibits the ownership or operation of municipal solid waste landfill units by anyone other than the state, its agencies and institutions, or a unit of local government.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Bill No.: SB 3292

An Act Concerning: Animals

Allows the Department of Agriculture to establish and collect fees for services performed in the state's animal disease laboratories.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Bill No.: SB 3423

An Act Concerning: Drugs

Promotes the rehabilitation of individuals convicted of non-violent, first-time possession of methamphetamine by making them eligible for probation with drug treatment and supervision by Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC) as an alternative to prison.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1

 

Bill No.: SB 3508

An Act Concerning: Local Government

Requires specified governmental units to electronically submit financial reports to the comptroller's office. Requires all counties to electronically submit to the comptroller annual audit and financial reports. Requires the comptroller to post all such reports on the Internet.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

 

###
06 Aug 2012

Leahy, Grassley Introduce Legislation to Implement Patent Law Treaties That Will Help U.S. Businesses Obtain Patent Protections Overseas

By Grassley Press

WASHINGTON (Thursday, August 2, 2012) - U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) introduced legislation today to implement two patent law treaties that will help American businesses expand into foreign markets by reducing obstacles for obtaining patent protection overseas.

"In this global economy, it is not enough to have an effective domestic patent system; we must also help American inventors and businesses to protect their inventions and thrive in markets around the world,"  said Leahy following the bill's introduction.

The Hague Agreement Concerning International Registration of Industrial Designs allows American industrial design creators to apply for design protection in all member countries by filing a single, standardized, English-language application at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.  The Patent Law Treaty limits the formalities different countries can require in patent applications, removing barriers that currently burden U.S. patent holders.  The treaties, which were signed under President Clinton and submitted to the Senate by President George W. Bush, received unanimous support when the Senate voted to approve ratification in 2007.  Enactment of the legislation will allow the State Department to ratify the treaties so they can go into effect.

"American businesses and inventors will benefit from harmonized applications, reducing the cost of doing business and encouraging U.S. innovators to protect and export their products internationally," said Leahy. "I urge the Senate to act quickly on this final step so that the treaties can be ratified and American innovators and businesses can benefit from them as U.S. products continue to thrive on the global stage."

"The patent system needs to keep up with the 21st century, global economy," said Grassley.  "This legislation will help facilitate protection of American inventors' research, engineering and creativity in the international arena."

A copy of the Senate legislation can be found online.

#####
06 Aug 2012

HUD Secretary Donovan and Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller Unveil First Public Service Announcement for $25 Billion Mortgage Servicing Settlement

By Derrick L. Plummer

Television PSAs, Homeowner Help Website, New Mortgage Assistance Guide Launched to Educate Homeowners about Resources Available to them through Historic Mortgage Servicing Settlement

WASHINGTON - U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan and Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller announced today the launch of the National Mortgage Servicing Settlement's first public service announcement (PSA) television ad titled "Homeowner Help."  The PSA, which can be viewed at www.hud.gov and www.nationalmortgagesettlement.com, is designed to educate homeowners about the resources available to them through the mortgage servicing settlement.

The "Homeowner Help" PSA, amplified through three key components - 30 second television and radio spots, customized for both national and local media markets, a HUD Homeowner Help website and a new Mortgage Assistance Guide - is aimed at educating homeowners about the various options and opportunities they can seek for assistance to find out if they are eligible to benefit from the settlement.

"The National Mortgage Servicing Settlement represents the single largest-scale principal reduction effort we've seen since this housing crisis began and the PSAs and online tools announced today will create an extended opportunity for homeowners, across the country, to gain  access to information, options and opportunities that could help to keep them in their homes," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "Already the servicing settlement is helping homeowners and making a difference, and our goal is to ensure every eligible family is aware of the help it provides."

In addition to being televised, "Homeowner Help" will also be broadcast in both English and Spanish language radio formats for national and localized markets. The launch of the national PSA and new online tools will remind people who are in mortgage trouble, to call the their servicer, Homeowner's HOPE Hotline at 888-995-HOPE or visit the national settlement website at NationalMortgageSettlement.com to seek out available help.

"If we learned anything from the housing crisis, it is that that there is no one solution," said Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller. "We want homeowners to know the possibilities that they have with this settlement. PSAs are already running in Iowa and we're hopeful that information shared helps people in a substantial way."

In April, a Federal District Court approved the landmark $25 billion agreement between the Justice Department, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, 49 state attorneys general and the nation's five largest mortgage servicers - Ally/GMAC, Bank of America, Citi, JP Morgan Chase, and Wells Fargo - to address mortgage loan servicing and foreclosure abuses. The settlement will provide up to $25 billion in relief to borrowers and direct payments to the states and federal government and it is the largest multi-state settlement since the Tobacco Settlement in 1998.

To view the new PSA "Homeowner Help," click HERE:

Script (.30):

Announcer:     Are you a homeowner who's facing mortgage trouble?

A government settlement with the nation's biggest mortgage servicers provides help and hope for many people fighting to save their homes from foreclosure.

If you're behind on your home loan, call your mortgage servicer–that's who handles your mortgage.

See if this settlement affects you and if maybe there's other help available.

Contact your state attorney general, click on NationalMortgageSettlement.com, or call the Homeowner's HOPE Hotline at 888-995-HOPE.

###

HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and  transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and http://espanol.hud.gov. You can also follow HUD on Twitter @HUDnews, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HUD, or sign up for news alerts on HUD's News Listserv.
06 Aug 2012

Ali Sareini Graduates from Lawrence Technological University

By Debbie Faes

SOUTHFIELD, MI (08/02/2012)(readMedia)-- Ali Sareini from Davenport, IA graduated Saturday, May 12th at Lawrence Technological University's 80th Commencement Exercises. Ceremonies were held at Ultimate Soccer Arenas at 1 p.m. Lawrence Tech's class of 2012 included some 900 graduates. About 5,000 students, their families and guests attended the event.

Sareini was awarded a Master of Engineering Management.

Lawrence Technological University, www.ltu.edu, was founded in 1932. Bloomberg BusinessWeek lists Lawrence Tech among the nation's upper third of universities for return on undergraduate tuition investment, and highest in the Detroit metropolitan area. Lawrence Tech is also listed in the top tier of Midwestern universities by U.S. News and World Report and the Princeton Review. Students benefit from small class sizes and experienced faculty who provide a real-world, hands-on, "theory and practice" education with an emphasis on leadership. Activities on Lawrence Tech's 102-acre campus include over 60 student clubs and organizations and a growing roster of NAIA varsity sports.

Pages

more

Subscribe & Listen to Reader Podcasts

On Stands Now

 

Tagged Content

Two Ways to Subscribe

1. Subscribe to free weekly e-mail content updates.

You'll get both the current official narrative challenge and What's Happenin' in the Quad Cities.
(Did you know we publish a new Amy Alkon Advice Goddess, Real Astrology, Red Meat cartoon and RCR Crossword every week?) 

* indicates required

View previous campaigns.

2. Get 12 monthly issues mailed first class for $48

Get 12 issues mailed monthly for $48 per year.

Get the printed Reader edition mailed to you (or anyone you want) first-class for 12 months for $48.
$24 goes to postage and handling, $24 goes to keeping the doors open!

Click this link to Subscribe now.

 
 

Meetings Calendar

Kids Calendar

Eat & Drink Calendar