WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that a total of $1,034,954 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will be coming to thirteen communities across Iowa.  These funds will provide assistance to public and private groups to enable participating families to increase earned income and financial literacy and to reduce or eliminate the need for welfare assistance that these individuals are now receiving. Harkin is a Senior Member of the Appropriations Committee that allocates funding for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

"I am pleased to see that so many Iowans will have access to assistance designed to help them become self-sufficient and no longer in need of government help," said Harkin. "It is very important for Iowans to know how to both spend wisely and be able to increase their incomes. This funding is designed to help individuals do just that."

The funds are provided by the HUD Housing Choice Voucher-Family Self Sufficiency Program. The FSS program and the FSS NOFA support the department's strategic goal of utilizing housing as a platform for improving quality of life by helping HUD-assisted renters increase economic security and self-sufficiency.    

Details of those receiving the grants are below.

• Central Iowa Region Housing Authority, $57,529
• City of Cedar Rapids, $138,000
• City of Des Moines Municipal Agency, $132,973
• City of Dubuque Housing and CD Department, $63,478
• City of Sioux City Housing Authority, $138,000
• Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Authority, $133,940
• Iowa City Housing Authority, $54,394
• Mid Iowa Regional Housing Authority $47,055
• Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs, $85,570
• City of Muscatine, $55,309
• Region XII Regional Housing Authority, $45,000
• Southern Iowa Regional Housing Authority, $43,850

Grassley is now asking Customs and Border Protection for information about reportedly stopping Blas Gutierrez and Miguel Carrillo near the Mexican border.  The two were recently indicted as part of a gun trafficking operation involving the mayor of Columbus, New Mexico.  Additionally, Grassley is asking about allegations that Customs and Border Protection stopped Jaime Avila, who was recently indicted as the straw purchaser of weapons found at the scene of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry's murder.  In both instances, Border Patrol agents allegedly found the gun runners to be in possession of multiple weapons, but let the suspects proceed for unknown reasons.

"No longer can this administration stand idly by and answer every question by saying that the Justice Department Inspector General is investigating.  There is too much at stake.  U.S. agents may have been killed because of a tragically ill-advised policy," Grassley said.  "The President said a serious mistake may have been made here, and that, if so, he would hold someone accountable.  It is clearer every day that serious mistakes were made.  Now it's time for accountability."

Grassley's letter to Customs and Border Protection (March 16, 2011) made a specific request for officials knowledgeable about the agency's involvement in Operation Fast and Furious be made available at a briefing that was already scheduled to take place with Grassley staff. Customs and Border Protection did not make officials available and there have been no attempts by the agency to schedule a subsequent briefing when officials would be available to answer the questions in Grassley's letter.  Click here to read Grassley's latest inquiry to Customs and Border Protection.

Grassley's letters to the administration about the policy of letting guns walk can be found on his website, Grassley.senate.gov.

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CHICAGO - March 25, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today called on homes and businesses throughout Illinois to participate in Earth Hour 2011, an international effort to encourage responsible energy practices by turning off non-essential lights for one hour during the last weekend of March.

"Protecting our environment today and for future generations is one of my top priorities," said Governor Quinn. "By turning out our lights for an hour on March 26, the people of Illinois will show their continued commitment to commonsense, sustainable energy practices."

The state of Illinois will participate in Earth Day by turning out the lights in the Executive Mansion in Springfield and the James R. Thompson Center and Michael A. Bilandic Building in Chicago from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 26th.

These actions coincide with other famous landmarks around the world also going dark, including Chicago's Willis Tower, Field Museum, Navy Pier and Wrigley Building.

Earth Day was first organized by the World Wildlife Fund in 2007 to support efforts to reduce light pollution, energy waste and climate change and has since gained hundreds of millions of participants around the world. For more information about Earth Hour 2011 and Illinois' other environmental initiatives, visit www.worldwildlife.org and www.green.Illinois.gov.

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I am Lillian Voss and I am 94 years old. My late husband, Burton Voss (also known as Michael Voss), and I have lived at 4336 S. Concord Street for nearly 60 years. My husband died in 1994. Our house was built above the 100-year flood plain. We experienced all the major flooding along the Mississippi river these past years. My husband fought very hard against the tactics of the Corps of Engineers regarding the water levels of the Mississippi river. With this new threat of major flooding and after reading the article in the QC Times "Ask the Times" titled "River's high level is a natural one" dated 2/17/2011 (enclosed), I feel I must come forward and again try to expose the tactics of the Corps of Engineers.

Do you realize the Corps of Engineers hold back the water on the Mississippi to artificially raise the river level to 9' so that the barge traffic can operate efficiently? In holding back this water and not allowing it to escape, the river level is not far from the flood stage when the spring thawing begins in the upper Mississippi valley. This high level of water on the Mississippi makes the flooding in the spring considerably worse. Each spring when a flood is predicted along the Mississippi, I have a friend call the Corps of Engineers to ask them to fully open the dams to allow the water to flow freely and naturally. Each time I would ask they would claim it would not make any difference if they did open the dams. Anyone could see that if you open the dams and allow the water to escape down the river, the water level would drastically drop. This would allow a cushion for drainage for the water coming down the river as the snow melts and the rains fall. You will find my husband's research information enclosed .

In 1962 over 1000 petitions were submitted to Congressman Fred Schwingal requesting the Corps of Engineers to open the dams. At that time we were facing a major flood as the snow started to melt in the upper Mississippi. Congressman Schwingal had enough influence to order the dams opened. In that year we avoided a major flood. This is certain evidence that opening the dams fully does have an effect or influence on the flooding on the Mississippi. As a result of opening the dams that year, the current of the river increased dramatically as the water level fell. Many barge accidents occurred and the dams were never opened fully again in the following years.

By opening the dams fully this would allow the water level to drop drastically so the river could receive the tremendous amount of snow melting off and the spring rains. Flooding would not be nearly as severe.

A meeting was held with the Corps of Engineers on 3/18/2011. These were the major concerns of Corps of Engineers about opening the dams fully. I expressed my opinion after each concern:

1. The barges could not operate if the dams were opened fully.

My Comment: There is no excuse to leave the dams closed just to allow the barge traffic to come through when a serious flood is most likely to occur. We The People along the Mississippi have to suffer through these damaging floods. Is the barge traffic more important than preventing a catastrophic flood or at least making it less severe? I believe the barges can operate at a lower water level.

2. The law states the Corps of Engineers have to maintain a 9' river channel for the barges.

My Comment: What kind of a person would make up a law that would take superiority over the victims of a catastrophic flood? This is totally irresponsible. Did the barge companies make this law? A law like this would most certainly have an exception with regard to a major flood looming.

3. By keeping the water level high we are protecting the fish and wildlife. If we lower the water level, we won't be able to protect the fish and wildlife.

My Comment: How do the fish and wildlife get along when the river is low at other times of the year? Many times in the past 10 years the water gauges measure one or two feet, sometimes not even a reading. How do the fish and wildlife manage then? We are talking maybe one week of low water level, if that long.

4. These water dams were not constructed for flood control. They were constructed for commerce.

My Comment: At the time of getting support (public opinion and financial), to build the locks and dams, flood control was a major reason as well as commerce. We are not now talking about flood control use. At this time the dams are causing floods, not preventing them. By holding back water to raise the water level on the river, this is contributing to the flooding. Let the water go naturally by fully opening the dams. What harm could it do? We would certainly have a less severe flood.

5. Fully opening the dams might cause flooding down the Mississippi.

My Comment: If opening the dams might cause further flooding down-river, then why are you saying the dams were not built for flood control. You are damming up the water. Open the last dam first and let the water run and start opening the next dams in sequence as you go north. If you open the dams at the lower locks and dams (the last dam first) and carefully move up the river opening each dam while doing it, carefully timed, not all at once, you should prevent flooding down-river. With careful coordination and planning there would not be any flooding when the dams are fully opened.

6. Our college experiments show that opening the dams and lowering the water levels would not make any difference on the severity of the floods.

My Comment: It sounds logical to me that if the river is low at the beginning more water can run down the river before the water goes over its banks. In 1962 it did make a difference. They opened the dams, the water went down the river and we did not have a severe flood. A great volume of water would run down the river before it would ever go out of its banks because it would not be restricted by the dams. What harm would it do just to open the dams and let the water run naturally. After all, this was the way it was before the dams were built. We were getting the 100-year floods then. Now we are getting the 100-year floods every three or four years. We are only talking about the dams being opened for one to two weeks, at most, before the full force of the water comes down.

7. The lower water level will prevent municipalities from getting clean water out of the Mississippi.

My Comment: Iowa American Water Company tells me they can get adequate clean water out of the Mississippi at one and two foot water levels. After all, what did they do when the water level was at the one or two foot readings in the past? Many times in the past years the water level has been below the two foot water stage.

8. If you can get Congress to tell us to open the dams, we will gladly open the dams.

My Comment: As we were getting ready to close the meeting, this statement was one of the last statements made by the engineers. This statement tells me the Corps of Engineers are not entirely to blame for these dams being closed to hold back the water.

It appears that the barge companies have more power over the Corps if Engineers and our Federal politicians than We The People along the Mississippi river. I must ask- Why is that???

I am calling on our Senators and Representatives to order the Corps of Engineers to fully open all the dams up and down the Mississippi river to allow the water to flow freely for this short period of time. Allow the river level to drastically fall so the river can receive the tremendous amount of water that is now starting to melt off. River traffic must be restricted until the major snow melt is over. Without a doubt, this action would reduce the severity of the flood.

Open the gates and let the river flow naturally as it once did for this short period of time. Try it once, if it does not work, then there would be no need to try it again. What harm is there in trying it? In 1962 it worked.

Sincerely,

Lillian Voss