Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Bruce Braley (IA-01) released thefollowing statement after the vote on the debt ceiling:

"The simple truth is, today's vote is a symbol of everything that's wrong in Washington: partisan brinksmanship, broken promises, backroom deal making, and kicking the can down the road. Enough is enough. I've been demanding a balanced approach of shared sacrifice from both the President and the Speaker since the beginning of the year. I've listened to my constituents at multiple town halls. Iowans know that when times are tough, families don't just tighten their belts, they also take on extra jobs to increase their income. Today's vote squarely places the burden of deficit reduction on middle class families, while demanding nothing of millionaires, billionaires and corporations making record profits. My constituents don't agree with that, and neither can I."

In recent months, Rep. Braley voted to cut nearly half a trillion dollars from the current budget:

He called for an immediate withdrawal of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, which would save over $1 trillion dollars.

He opposed the invasion of Libya, which has cost taxpayers over $700 million dollars in our 5 months of involvement.

He fought for legislation to end waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare, which would save up to $700 billion.

He opposed the Bush tax cuts,which have already cost over $1.8 trillion dollars. And last December he opposed the extension of President Bush's tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans. By not ending tax cuts for the wealthiest, we will spend another $700 billion over the next decade.

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Center for Rural Affairs statement on debt ceiling and budget compromise

Lyons, NE - While President Barack Obama, Speaker of the House John Boehner, and other Congressional leaders worked to reach an eleventh hour compromise that would allow the national debt ceiling to increase in exchange for, potentially, as much as $2 trillion in long-term spending cuts, many in rural America continued to try to sort out what all the horse-trading will mean for their communities.

"Rural development funding for small towns and small business will face growing pressure under the federal budget agreement, which will reduce annual appropriations for all programs by nearly $1 trillion over the next decade," said Chuck Hassebrook, Executive Director of the Center for Rural Affairs. "But rural development funding has already been cut by more than one fourth, just since 2003."

According to Hassebrook, there is an alternative to reducing investments in the future of rural communities. "We should make the first cut by putting hard caps on subsidies to the nation's largest farms - subsides they use to drive mid-size farms out of agriculture," explained Hassebrook.

"The current policy of unlimited mega farm subsidies is so misguided that smart reforms could both save money AND strengthen rural America," Hassebrook argued. "It seems like a no-brainer for both parties - cut counter productive spending first."

A 2007 Center for Rural Affairs analysis demonstrated that USDA and Congress have severely over-subsidized the biggest and most powerful farmers while consistently under-investing in rural America's future, spending twice as much on subsidizing the 20 largest farms in each of 13 leading farm states as it invested in rural development programs to create economic opportunity for millions of people in thousands of towns in the 20 rural counties with the most out-migration in each respective state - (the full report - An Analysis of USDA Farm Program Payments and Rural Development Funding In Low Population Growth Rural Counties, a.k.a. Oversubsidizing and Underinvesting... can be viewed or downloaded at: http://www.cfra.org/node/603)

ROCKFORD, IL (08/02/2011)(readMedia)-- The following students attending Rockford College were named to the Dean's List for the spring 2011 semester, earning at least a 3.5 GPA with no grades below "C":

Kayla Norris, of East Moline, IL

Gregory Wilken, of East Moline, IL

Rockford College's Spring 2011 Dean's list includes those students who meet all requirements at the time the list is compiled. Students who have incomplete coursework as of the date the list is compiled would not be included in the current list. This list should not be considered an official confirmation of award. Official confirmation will be recorded on students' transcripts.

Rockford College is a four-year, co-educational institution founded in 1847 offering more than 70 majors, minors and concentrations in traditional liberal arts and professional fields. In addition, the college offers a Return-to-College accelerated program for a B.S. in Management Studies. Through its Graduate Studies department, degrees are extended to include the Master of Arts in Business Administration and Master of Arts in Teaching. Rockford College is home to one of only 11 Phi Beta Kappa (PBK) chapters in Illinois, the most prestigious honor society in the United States. Named by The Princeton Review as a Best Midwestern College and one of only 81 colleges in the nation as a "College with a Conscience," Rockford College currently serves approximately 1,300 full-and part-time students.

Law Requires Soccer Goals be Designed to Resist Tipping

CHICAGO - August 2, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today signed "Zach's Law" requiring all movable soccer goals manufactured and sold in the state of Illinois to be tip-resistant. House Bill 1130, the Moveable Soccer Goal Safety Act, will also require organizations that own moveable soccer goals to create soccer goal safety and education policies.

"Improperly secured soccer goals present a serious threat to our athletes, especially children," Governor Quinn said. "Illinois is leading the nation in recognizing and preventing these types of safety concerns. I'm proud to sign 'Zach's Law' today, and help improve soccer safety in Illinois."

On October 1, 2003, six-year-old Zachary Tran of Vernon Hills was at soccer practice when an improperly-secured 184-pound metal soccer goal fell, striking his head. He later died of his injuries. Zach's death was the 27th death reported in the United States from a falling goal post since 1979.

The legislation requires that soccer goals with inside measurements between 6.5 to 8-feet high and 18 to 24-feet wide must conform to tip-resistant standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials. Additionally, the Illinois Department of Public Health will post soccer goal safety guidelines from the American Society for Testing and Materials and the Consumer Product Safety Commission on its website by June 2012.

Illinois is the first state to ban the manufacture and sale of soccer goals that do not meet new tip-resistant standards. This is the most recent in a series of public safety laws signed by Governor Quinn. In June, the Governor signed HB 219 requiring all passengers in a vehicle to wear a seatbelt, and last week signed HB 200 to protect Illinois' student-athletes from concussions and other brain injuries.

Zach's parents, Michelle and Jayson Tran, created the Zachary Tran Memorial Fund, as well the 'Anchored for Safety' initiative to educate parents and organizations on proper anchoring of movable soccer goals.

House Bill 1130, sponsored by Rep. Carol Sente (D-Vernon Hills) and Sen. Terry Link (D-Lake Bluff) goes into effect immediately. The ban on the manufacture or sale of non-tip-resistant movable soccer goals begins Aug. 2, 2012.

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Senator Chuck Grassley issued the comment below regarding his vote against the deal with the White House to increase the federal debt limit.

"I voted against the plan because it delays meaningful spending reductions, fails to address entitlement spending in a way that will save the programs for future generations of retirees, and leaves open the possibility of tax increases.

"In fact, the White House said yesterday it will seek to increase taxes in the second part of the deal.  Tax increases are the wrong answer for a struggling economy, and recent history proves that higher taxes don't go to the bottom line.  Instead, they're a license for Washington to spend even more.  Since World War II, for every dollar in new taxes, the government has spent $1.17.

"The federal debt will continue to climb another $7 trillion under this deal, and the promise of cuts down the road, rather than making those decisions now, is more of the same from Washington.  Congress can always change the promises made in this deal, and the sad reality is that Congress has a record of abandoning fiscal responsibility when it's time for tough decisions.  Putting the decisions off, as this deal does, raises skepticism about whether the commitment to dollar-for-dollar reductions will be met along with this historically high debt-limit increase, especially considering the fact that until Memorial Day, the President wanted to increase the debt limit with no strings attached.

"Remember also that in February, President Obama submitted his budget proposal to Congress that refused to address looming deficits and debt.  His budget would have added another $13 trillion to the national debt over ten years.  Then the President delivered a speech in April that magically found $4 trillion in spending cuts.  So, in just a matter of weeks, President Obama found $4 trillion in spending that no longer needed to be spent.  The American people have to wonder how Washington can be serious about budgets and spending if the President, in a matter of weeks, can find $4 trillion of spending that was of national importance on February 14, but is no longer necessary on April 13.  It's this type of behavior that leads people to be cynical of Washington and the federal government.  It's little wonder that lofty commitments from Washington are most often received in Middle America as just more empty promises and political rhetoric.

"During the last five years, debt-limit increases have averaged $800 billion for six months, so this $2.4 trillion increase is an extraordinary expansion of government debt, just the opposite of what we ought to be doing.  I wish this plan was proportional to the size of the problems we face."

DES MOINES, IA (08/02/2011)(readMedia)-- State Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgerald announced today that a stop at the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt booth during the 2011 Iowa State Fair may be worthwhile, as fair goers could find their names among the hundreds of thousands of individuals with unclaimed property. "The Iowa State Fair is one of the most fun and successful ways we have to reach people who may have money in the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt," Fitzgerald stated.

"Computers will be set up for people to search for their names or someone they know at the state fair," Fitzgerald said. "Treasure Hunt staff members will be on hand to help treasure hunters print claim forms and answer questions on the spot. Over the years, we have had tremendous success in reuniting people with their lost treasures. Last year, over 7,500 people were successful in finding their name or that of someone they know."

The Great Iowa Treasure Hunt program has returned over $134 million in unclaimed property since Fitzgerald created it in 1983. Unclaimed property refers to money and other assets held by financial institutions or companies that have lost contact with the property's owner for a specific period of time. State law requires these institutions and companies to annually report and deliver unclaimed property to the State Treasurer's Office. The assets are then held until the owner or heir of the property is found. Common forms of unclaimed property include savings or checking accounts, stocks, uncashed checks, life insurance policies, utility security deposits, and safe deposit box contents.

Visit the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt booth at the Iowa State Fair, August 11 - 21, in the Varied Industries Building. The building will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information about the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt, please visit www.greatiowatreasurehunt.com. Treasure seekers may also write to State Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgerald, Great Iowa Treasure Hunt, Lucas State Office Building, Des Moines, IA 50319 or correspond by email tofoundit@iowa.gov.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate voted 74-26 to approve the debt-ceiling deal.  Last night, Harkin delivered a floor speech in opposition to the measure. To view his video, click here.

"To say that this is the wrong policy at the wrong time is a gross understatement.  This deal will destroy millions of jobs in both the public and private sectors.  And by shutting off Federal funding and investment - a critical engine sustaining our sputtering economy - it could easily plunge America back into recession.

"I have advocated a balanced approach to deficit reduction, including both spending cuts and revenue increases.  But this deal expressly rejects a balanced approach.  It offends people's basic sense of fairness that Congress would slash funding for things like student loans and cancer research, essential funding for seniors, people with disabilities, and the most vulnerable people in our society but ask not one dollar of shared sacrifice from millionaires and billionaires, who have received huge tax breaks over the last decade.  

"Since the 1930s, Congress has routinely raised the debt ceiling 89 times, including seven times during the presidency of George W. Bush, and 18 times under President Reagan.  Yet, this time, Congressional Republicans held the economy hostage, threatening to default on our national debt and plunge America back into recession unless their demands were met.


"This deal was not about reducing the deficit; first and foremost, this deal was about preserving hundreds of billions of dollars in tax breaks for corporations and for the wealthiest people in our society."

 

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New Law Helps Protect Homeowners from Fraud After Natural Disasters

JOLIET - August 2, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today signed legislation that helps protect Illinois homeowners who are trying to recover following a natural disaster. He also signed a new law that ensures landlords are able to evict tenants who commit serious crimes on the rental property.

House Bill 3034 was sponsored by Rep. Ann Williams (D-Chicago) and Sen. A.J. Wilhelmi (D-Joliet) to help protect homeowners from contractors who prey upon individuals following natural disasters. Contractors known as "storm chasers" travel to towns after natural disasters and target homeowners, especially elderly citizens, through home repair scams. These contractors misrepresent themselves in order to persuade homeowners to sign contracts for home repairs. If the work is done at all, it oftentimes must be redone due to its poor quality.

"When disasters such as storms or flooding hit, the recovery process can be overwhelming, and some individuals use that as an opportunity to take advantage of vulnerable homeowners," Governor Quinn said. "It is important that we do everything we can to stop dishonest contractors so that residents can focus their energy on rebuilding their homes and communities."

"These "stormchasers" victimize consumers at the most vulnerable times," said Rep. Williams. "This bill will help to prevent unscrupulous contractors from taking advantage of homeowners desperate to pick up the pieces after a natural disaster."

The new law prohibits roofing contractors from allowing out of state roofing contractors to lease their license numbers for compensation. It also requires roofing contractors to include their license number on all contracts, bids and advertisements. Additionally, the law enables residents to cancel a contract and requires contractors to refund any payments within 10 days of the cancellation.

"When people are the victims of a natural disaster, the last thing they need to worry about is someone trying to take advantage of them in their time of need," said Sen. Wilhelmi. "This law will prevent contractors from using unscrupulous practices to take advantage of victims and win contracts over more honest competitors."

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) issues licenses to roofing contractors and recommends that local governments require a roofing contractor to provide proof of an active state license prior to issuing a local building permit or business license. Individuals can also visit www.idfpr.com to look up roofing contractor licenses to determine whether they are active and in good standing. HB 3034 goes into effect Jan. 1.

Governor Quinn also signed Senate Bill 1766, sponsored by Sen. Wilhelmi and Rep. Anthony DeLuca (D-Chicago Heights). The law will help fight crime by requiring rental contracts to include an provision stating  that tenants can be evicted for committing a felony or a Class A misdemeanor on the property. The new law goes into effect immediately.

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Michael Gelder Appointed Acting Director of the Department on Aging

CHICAGO - August 2, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today announced the appointment of Michael Gelder as acting director of the Illinois Department on Aging. He replaces Charles Johnson, who recently retired.

"Michael Gelder has shown time and again that he is able to bring people together to solve important and often-complex issues," Governor Quinn said. "His experience and commitment to public service will be valuable in this transition. I also thank Charles Johnson for his years of leadership at the Department on Aging."

Gelder had been serving as Governor Quinn's senior health policy advisor since 2009. In that role he led efforts to modernize and reform Illinois' healthcare and long-term care systems. His efforts have resulted in landmark Medicaid reform legislation that is expected to save the state hundreds of millions of dollars over the coming years. Additionally, he was chair of the Governor's Nursing Home Safety Task Force that produced historic reform legislation signed into law in 2010. He holds a master's degree in health administration from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and a bachelor's degree with honors from Michigan State University.

Charles Johnson led efforts to strengthen state and federally-supported client services, protect elder rights, and streamline operations. The department has also worked to rebalance the state's long term care system to enhance in-home and community-based services for older persons. Other service enhancements include adding flexible senior services, emergency home response service, comprehensive care coordination, and new demonstration projects to improve community supportive services that seniors need and prove more affordable than institutional care.

The Illinois Department on Aging serves and advocates for older Illinoisans and their caregivers by administering quality and culturally appropriate programs that promote partnerships and encourage independence, dignity and quality of life.

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Red Cross Blood Donations at Seriously Low Level; Blood Donors Needed

Blood donations nationally have been declining this summer and supplies are at seriously low levels. Though the American Red Cross issued a national appeal for blood donors on July 11, blood products are going out to area hospitals just as quickly as donations are coming in.

All blood types are needed - especially type O negative, B negative and A negative - to ensure blood supplies do not drop to emergency levels.

"Summer blood donors can mean the difference between an adequate blood supply and a shortage," said Shelly Heiden, CEO of the Heart of America Red Cross Blood Services region. "We are asking eligible donors to make appointments in the coming days to reverse the downward trend in donations that we have seen this summer."

With many donors busy or traveling and school out of session, donations have dropped dramatically. In fact, during May and June 2011, while the need for blood products remained steady, donations were at the lowest level during this time frame in 12 years. More recently extreme heat experienced throughout the region may be contributing to fewer donations.

The Red Cross needs blood donors - now more than ever - to roll up a sleeve and give as soon as possible.

To show appreciation to those who help save lives near the upcoming Labor Day holiday (August 29 to September 7), all presenting donors at Red Cross blood drives and blood donation centers in the Heart of America region will automatically be entered for a chance to win a $500 gas card. This is a part of the Red Cross' summer-long Good to Give. Good to Go. promotion that features holiday-themed raffles and a chance for one lucky donor (21 and older) in the Mid-America Blood Services Division to win a trip for four (4) to Orlando, Florida.

 

How to Donate Blood

Simply call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information.

A blood donor card or driver's license, or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are generally in good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

About the American Red Cross

Governed by volunteers and supported by giving individuals and communities, the American Red Cross is the single largest supplier of blood products to hospitals throughout the United States. While local hospital needs are always met first, the Red Cross also helps ensure no patient goes without blood no matter where or when they need it. In addition to providing nearly half of the nation's blood supply, the Red Cross provides relief to victims of disaster, trains millions in lifesaving skills, serves as a communication link between U.S. military members and their families, and assists victims of international disasters or conflicts. 

 

Blood Donation Opportunities

 

CARROLL COUNTY

8/18/2011, 1:30 pm- 6:30 pm, American Legion Hall, 221 Calvert St., Chadwick,

8/19/2011, 12:00 pm- 6:00 pm, St. Wendelin's Catholic Church, 102 S. Linn, Shannon

8/22/2011, 12:00 pm- 5:00 pm, First Presbyterian Church, 502 3rd Street, Savanna

8/26/2011, 1:00 pm- 6:00 pm, Church of God, 816 S. Clay, Mount Carroll

8/30/2011, 8:00 am-11:30 am, Elkay Manufacturing, 105 N. Rochester St, Lanark

CLINTON COUNTY

8/18/2011, 10:00 am- 4:00 pm, Lyondell Chemical Company, 3400 Anamosa Road, Clinton 

 

SCOTT COUNTY

8/26/2011, 10:00 am- 1:00 pm, Hy-Vee, 2200 W. Kimberly Rd., Davenport

WHITESIDE COUNTY

8/16/2011, 1:00 pm- 5:15 pm, Old Fulton Fire Station, 912 4th Street, Fulton

8/17/2011, 2:00 pm- 6:00 pm, Rock Falls Blood Donation Center, 112 W. Second St., Rock Falls

8/23/2011, 1:00 pm- 5:15 pm, Old Fulton Fire Station, 912 4th Street, Fulton

8/24/2011, 3:00 pm- 7:00 pm, Abiding Word Church, 806 E Lynn Blvd., Sterling

8/24/2011, 10:00 am- 2:00 pm, Rock Falls Blood Donation Center, 112 W. Second St., Rock Falls

8/25/2011, 4:00 pm- 7:00 pm, Rock Falls Blood Donation Center, 112 W. Second St., Rock Falls

8/31/2011, 2:00 pm- 6:00 pm, Rock Falls Blood Donation Center, 112 W. Second St., Rock Falls

 

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