June 14, 2010

Today the Obama Administration issued new rules that govern whether individual and employer-sponsored health insurance plans can remain exempt - or "grandfathered" -- from the new health care requirements passed by Congress and signed into law by the President in March.  The New York Times wrote, "... in some respects, the rules appear to fall short of the sweeping commitments President Obama made while trying to reassure the public in the fight over health legislation."  Sen. Chuck Grassley, ranking member of the Committee on Finance, made the following comment on the new rules.

"My goal in health care reform always is to fix the parts of our health care system that are broken, but still allow people to keep the things they like.  Today's new rules from the federal government on 'grandfathering,' which were crafted without any opportunity for public input, are just more proof that despite all of the promises made by the President and other supporters, you actually can't keep what you like under the new partisan health reform law.  Change is coming for a lot of people, whether they want it or not."

DES MOINES, IA (06/14/2010)(readMedia)-- This year's deadline is quickly approaching for the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation's Iowan of the Day program. Sponsored by the Blue Ribbon Foundation and Cookie's Food Products, Iowan of the Day program honors Iowa's most dedicated volunteers each year at the Iowa State Fair.

The Blue Ribbon Foundation seeks to honor those in your community who personify the greatness of Iowa with a strong work ethic, loyalty to helping others and an outstanding sense of Iowa pride. With your nomination, the Blue Ribbon Foundation can celebrate the hard work these people do to better our state and give them the recognition they deserve.

Iowan of the Day winners will receive their own day of recognition during the Iowa State Fair complete with an introduction on the Anne & Bill Riley Stage, VIP parking, gate admission, use of the Iowan of the Day golf cart and Grandstand show tickets for the evening of their award day. In addition, all winners will receive $200 in cash, accommodations at the Des Moines Downtown Marriott Hotel, and one-year subscriptions to Iowan and Iowa Gardening magazines.

Help us celebrate the people who do so much for our state! Download a nomination form from www.blueribbonfoundation.org/iotd or stop by your local post office to pick one up. Nomination forms are also available upon request by calling the Blue Ribbon Foundation at 1-800-450-3732. Note that all nominees must currently be Iowa residents. Nominations must be received by July 1, 2010.

The Blue Ribbon Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Since 1993, the Foundation has generated more than $80 million for renovations and improvements to the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

Permalink: http://readme.readmedia.com/Remember-to-Nominate-Iowas-Shining-Stars-for-the-Iowa-State-Fair/1416860

Attachments:

Nomination Form: http://app.readmedia.com/news/attachment/16412/Iowan_of_the_Day___Nomination_Form.pdf

Informational Sheet: http://app.readmedia.com/news/attachment/16413/Iowan_of_the_Day___Quick_Facts.pdf

Former Iowan of the Day - Lori Sherling: http://app.readmedia.com/news/attachment/16414/Lori_Sherling.JPG

Washington, DC - June 11, 2010 - Congressman Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) introduced the "Securing Protections for the Injured from Limitations on Liability Act" (SPILL Act) yesterday, a comprehensive bill addressing legal liability issues arising from the Gulf Coast oil spill. Braley visited Louisiana last weekend to participate in a Congressional field hearing on the local impact of the BP oil spill. Braley introduced the bill with Reps. John Conyers (D-MI) and Charlie Melancon (D-LA).

"As we continue working to stop the BP oil spill and clean up the disaster in its wake, we must also ensure the victims of this spill are fairly compensated for their trouble," Braley said. "At our field hearing in New Orleans, we saw firsthand that this spill is having a devastating impact on the families of the workers killed in the explosion, local fisherman and small businesses in the Gulf Coast.  BP keeps saying they will make this right and this bill will make sure they do just that. One of the few requests made by Natalie Roshto and Courtney Kemp, the widows who testified at our hearing, was that Congress take the necessary steps to strengthen these laws and ensure their husbands did not die in vain."

The SPILL Act amends grossly outdated legislation, clarifies rules for class action suits, prevents corporations from silencing victims and strengthens bankruptcy rules to ensure corporations are held accountable for their actions for both pending and future claims.

The SPILL ACT will:

· Amend the Death on the High Seas Act and the Jones Act, dating back to 1920, to ensure the families of those killed in maritime accidents, like the widows who testified in Rep. Braley's field hearing earlier this week, can recover damages such as pain and suffering and loss of care, comfort, and companionship

· Repeal the Limitation on Liability Act, dating back to 1851, which limits the liability of vessel owners to the value of the vessel and its cargo

· Clarify the class action rules so that impacted States can seek legal remedies in their own courts

· Specify that victims cannot be forced to waive their legal remedies or limit their right to speak out.  In previous hearings Braley discovered Transocean made these types of attempts following the Deepwater Horizon explosion

· Strengthen bankruptcy rules to prevent multibillion-dollar corporations responsible for widespread damages under the Oil Pollution Act from seeking to sever their assets in order to avoid compensating innocent victims

June 11, 2010

(Des Moines) -- Today the Iowa Civil Justice Foundation and the Iowa Bicycle Coalition announce a joint Safe Cycling project promoting bicycle helmet use for Iowa kids. The groups will collaborate to outfit children with new bike helmets at community events across the state. This bicycle helmet project is a continuing commitment for the Iowa groups, who are currently accepting event requests.

If you are interested in organizing a bike rodeo or bike ride in your community, the Safe Cycling project may provide free bike helmets for the event. For more information please contact the Iowa Bicycle Coalition at 515-309-2867 or at mark@iowabicyclecoalition.org.

The Iowa Civil Justice Foundation is the education and community service arm of the Iowa Association for Justice - an organization of nearly one thousand Iowa attorneys who fight for justice in courtrooms and communities across the state. The Association serves the legal profession and the public through its efforts to strengthen our justice systems, promote injury prevention, and foster the transparency of information critical to the health and safety of all Iowans.

"Bicycles are associated with more childhood injuries than any other consumer product except the automobile," said Brad Lint, executive director of the Iowa Civil Justice Foundation. "Our members are often called into service after a child has been terribly injured, or worse, while riding his or her bicycle, and those cases are truly tragic. That's why attorneys across the state are working so hard to outfit kids with the helmets that can save their lives and prevent terrible injury."

The Iowa Bicycle Coalition is a state-wide bicycle advocacy organization with 1,150 members and over 5,000 partners through affiliated organizations. The Coalition works to build partnerships, educate Iowans, and help to establish safe and enjoyable bicycle transportation and recreation networks throughout Iowa.

"Bike helmets save lives," said Mark Wyatt, executive director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition. "We encourage cyclists of all ages to wear a well-fitted helmet every time they ride, and the Safe Cycling project helps instill that practice at a young age."

The single most effective safety device available to reduce head injury and death from bicycle crashes is a helmet. Bicycle helmets have been shown to reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent and the risk of brain injury by as much as 88 percent. It is estimated that 75 percent of bicycle-related fatalities among children could be prevented with a bicycle helmet.

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