(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry Branstad, Members of Congress, Board of Regents President Craig Lang, and Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Administrator Mark Schouten today released the below statements upon learning of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) recommendations to reverse previous Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) replacement decisions for the University of Iowa's Hancher Voxman Clapp and Art Building East facilities.  As outlined in the agency's initial response to the report, FEMA disagrees with the Office of Inspector General recommendations.

Governor Branstad and President Lang issued the following joint statement:  "The State of Iowa, the Board of Regents, and the University of Iowa remain committed to expediting a full recovery from the devastating flooding that occurred in the summer of 2008.  We are frustrated that different interpretations of internal FEMA policies are having real and negative impacts on the University of Iowa's recovery.  Although the waters have long receded, the impact of the flood continues to hinder University students. A cultural void persists that has impacted tens of thousands of Iowans. We believe the Federal government should be held accountable for flood recovery progress, especially as we mark the four-year anniversary of the historic flooding event. Project delays due to differing interpretations of Federal policy four years after the flood are unacceptable, unwelcomed and counterproductive."

Governor Branstad and President Lang continued:  "To prevent further recovery delays, we hope that FEMA's national leadership responds to the OIG report in a matter of weeks, not months. We are now more than four years after this disaster and the University of Iowa, its students, the Iowa City community and the State cannot afford to put its recovery on hold.  We expect FEMA to do the right thing and reaffirm its previous decisions to replace these buildings."

Mark Schouten, Administrator of the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division, stated the following: "An important element of an efficient recovery process is clear and consistent application of Federal policies. FEMA officials have repeatedly affirmed their decisions to replace the Hancher Voxman Clapp and Art Building East facilities and the University has relied upon FEMA's decisions since the first analysis was completed in December 2008. In addition, minimizing future flooding costs by effective floodplain management is a sound long-term risk management approach that protects precious taxpayer dollars. If FEMA is going to change the interpretation of its policy, it should be a prospective change, not a retroactive change that penalizes the University financially for previous FEMA decisions and guidance. Flood recovery is difficult enough and retroactive measures would insert unnecessary uncertainty into the recovery process for communities across the country. The State and University of Iowa look forward to working with FEMA to resolve this outstanding issue expeditiously as the University and the State do not have the financial resources to shoulder the replacement of these facilities on their own.  FEMA has the opportunity to officially respond to the OIG recommendations, and we will work with FEMA to add our perspective to the policy debate."

Senator Chuck Grassley stated the following:  "The effort by local and state leaders in Iowa to recover from the floods of 2008 has been extraordinary.  The circumstances merited the kind of federal assistance that has been given to disasters in other parts of the country where natural disasters have also caused such tremendous damage.  I've urged Administrator Fugate to give fair treatment to Iowa.  The inspector general has issues with the way FEMA has utilized its discretion on these projects.  The University of Iowa should not be penalized since it has followed FEMA's instructions."

Senator Tom Harkin stated the following:  "The inspector General's report is not about law or regulation, but about a policy dispute that should not result in a withdrawal of committed FEMA funds.  Should the IG prevail in this dispute, it would be wrong as a matter of policy and would require the University to repay significant already spent funds," said Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA).  "In addition, the Inspector General's view is not likely to save taxpayers the dollars claimed because FEMA will have to pay 90 percent of the actual costs of repairing the buildings.  If the decision to build outside the flood plain is changed and the buildings are repaired instead, such repairs could well cost far more than what is now projected.  Spending tens of millions of dollars to repair damaged buildings that may well flood again is neither in the interests of the University nor those of taxpayers.

Senator Harkin continued:  "I have spoken to Administrator Fugate about these issues and I will continue to request that he disagree with the Inspector General on the University of Iowa funds."

Representative Dave Loebsack (IA-02) said:  "Simply put, it's inexcusable that students, our community, and Eastern Iowa jobs are caught in the middle of a bureaucratic argument over policy interpretation by people in Washington D.C. It's unfathomable that almost two years after this project was approved, recovery funds could be taken back which is why I have already secured a commitment on the floor of Congress from the Chairman of Homeland Security Appropriations to work with us to ensure Iowa's recovery and economy moves forward and that Iowa communities don't pay the price for a bureaucratic disagreement.  Iowans shouldn't have the rug pulled out from us after the federal government already committed to partnering with us to recover and rebuild from the devastating Floods of 2008."

Representative Tom Latham (IA-04) stated the following:  "It's unfortunate that the Federal government appears to be sending mixed signals, wrapped up in the finest red tape Washington has available. As always, I stand ready to work with local and state leaders and with my colleagues in Congress to make sure all appropriate federal resources are made available to recover fully from natural disasters such as the flooding of 2008."

Representative Leonard Boswell (IA-03) stated the following:  "I am deeply disappointed by this sudden reversal from the Department of Homeland Security. It has been four long years and these buildings need to be replaced as soon as possible as this is hurting the recovery of the University. I urge them to do the right thing and reaffirm FEMA's original decision."

Representative Steve King (IA-05) said:  "It's disappointing that four years after flood waters ravaged the University of Iowa, the rules for rebuilding what was damaged may change. The University has already made significant investments in the recovery process in keeping with the guidance they've been given by FEMA. Injecting uncertainty into this process this late in the game will only serve to draw this four year effort out even further. I'm committed to working with the University, the state, and my colleagues in the delegation to ensure that the appropriate federal resources make their way to the University as soon as possible."

Representative Bruce Braley (IA-01) said: "Sadly, this isn't the first time that confusion over FEMA policies have jeopardized Iowa's recovery from the 2008 floods.  Retroactively penalizing the University of Iowa for internal policy disputes is simply unfair and unacceptable.  I'm committed to working with Governor Branstad and Iowa's Congressional delegation to protect recovery funds that have been committed to Iowa and keep FEMA from reneging on their promises."

Iowa City, Iowa - Riverside Theatre in the Park will present a free Green Show of As You Like It on Saturday, June 30 at 11 a.m. at the Iowa City Farmers Market in Chauncey Swan Park.

At Riverside Theatre in the Park, the Green Shows are performed one hour before curtain. These 20-minute story theatre versions of the evening's play allow the audience to brush up on the plot in advance of the evening performance.

The nightly Green Show?and this preview performance?showcases the work of the Riverside Theatre in the Park Apprentice Company.

Green Shows are filled with humor and are family friendly.

Riverside Theatre in the Park runs now through July 8, featuring The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, directed by Kristin Horton and As You Like It by William Shakespeare, directed by Theodore Swetz.

For more information about Riverside Theatre in the Park, please call the Riverside Theatre Box Office at 319-338-7672 or visit www.riversidetheatre.org.

Child trafficking, particularly for sexual exploitation, has increased dramatically in the United States over the past 15 years, and the numbers of victims continue to rise each year.

"The average age keeps getting younger and younger -- for girls, it's now 12," says activist and novelist Heather Huffman (www.heatherhuffman.net), whose newest book, Devil in Disguise, aims to raise awareness of the problem.  "The rise of the internet is a huge part of the problem, and society has found no effective way to address it."

In fact, she says, those who profit from the internet seem determined to thwart safeguards. Social media giant Facebook, she notes, is working on technology that would allow it to circumvent federal law by allowing children 13 and younger to become members. And in June, a website that advertises escort services successfully sued to stop Washington state from enforcing its new law requiring publishers to verify the ages of people in sex ads.

"The law was intended to help prevent trafficking children," Huffman says. "Other states have similar laws either soon to take effect or in the works, and this ruling threatens that potentially effective preventative measure."

The plaintiff in the Washington suit was Backpage.com, the second-largest online classified ad service in the country. Such websites, including the biggest, Craigslist, regularly post ads for escort services and the like, Huffman notes. They make it easier than ever for traffickers to appeal to a mass audience for paying customers.

They, along with social media sites where children freely chat and post photos of, and information about, themselves, account for much of the growth in domestic child trafficking, she and others say.

"When we place our children's pictures on sites like Facebook, or allow them to do so, we're adding them to a human trafficking catalog," Huffman says.

Whether you're a parent, an educator, a law enforcement or another adult who deals with children, she offers these suggestions for helping prevent, recognize and stop the trafficking of children.

• Watch for repeated unexplained absences from school. Children being used for prostitution often don't attend school regularly and seem to have no control over their schedule or personal identification papers. They may talk of frequently traveling to other cities. People working in shelters, courts and law enforcement should strive to identify whether children detained as runaways, truants or for drug-related offenses are actually trafficking victims. They are often too afraid or ashamed to volunteer the information.

• Be alert to physical problems. These children tend to be underfed and inappropriately clothed. They may have bruises and other evidence of trauma. They're often fearful and/or withdrawn, and may show signs of drug addiction.

• Lobby for legislation in your state to make all minors immune to criminal prostitution charges. Some states, including Illinois and Tennessee immunize anyone younger than 18 from prostitution charges. Connecticut immunizes children 15 and younger, and requires a presumption by law enforcement that 16- and 17-year-olds are victims. Huffman and other experts say that charging and jailing trafficking victims compounds their trauma and prevents them from seeking help, since they feel they can't trust law enforcement. It also unfairly burdens them with an arrest record for being a victim! Find out the status of your state and lobby for change, if necessary.

• See if your city's mayor has joined an ad boycott of Village Voice Media. In 2011, the mayor of Seattle asked Village Voice to protect the city's children by ensuring they were not being advertised on its website, www.backpage.com. When the corporation failed to respond, he pulled city advertising from all its publications. Other mayors have since followed suit. At www.sharedhope.org, you'll find a list of mayors who have yet to take action. If yours is on the list, click to send him or her a letter. Get to the list by clicking the "Get Involved" tab, and then "Join the campaign."

"Solving this problem is the responsibility of all adults," Huffman says. "If you don't believe it can happen in your family, be aware that runaways are now targeted, on average, within 48 hours of leaving home. And even 'normal' kids sometimes get mad and run away, if only for a day. It's horrifying to imagine the disastrous results a momentary pique of childish temper might have."

About Heather Huffman

Heather Huffman is a writer, former human relations specialist and mother of three, whose 12-year-old son has started his own group to fight human trafficking, 61 Strong. She is the author of six previous books in the romance fiction genre, including "Throwaway" and its prequel, "Tumbleweed." A portion of proceeds from sales of "Devil in Disguise" will benefit groups fighting human trafficking.