Harkin served as chair of original caucus

Washington, DC - Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) welcomed Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) to the Populist Caucus' meeting this morning. Harkin, a co-founder of the original Populist Caucus, discussed the history of the group, and the role of Populist values in today's economy.

"Senator Harkin did an outstanding job of addressing and motivating the caucus this morning," Braley said. "His words were a great reminder that the principles we fight for today are the same middle-class values the original Populist Caucus platform was founded upon. I'm very thankful to the Senator for taking time to visit us this morning, and for continuing to promote Populist ideals in his work."

"Populists throughout history have stood up for the struggling middle class and against deeply entrenched economic interests who use their power to impede progress.  That's why, on the cusp of meaningful health care reform, it is so important to have a strong populist voice in Congress," Harkin said. "I am proud that Congressman Braley has revitalized this movement, because Americans deserve someone in Washington who will fight for working people and their right to earn a fair wage, for health care as a right and not a privilege and for quality public schools for all of our children."

Senator Harkin served as co-chair of the first Populist Caucus in 1983. It consisted of 14 Midwest Democrats fighting specifically for fairer taxes, lower interest rates and cheaper energy.

Braley founded a new Populist Caucus in 2009 with the same underlying motivations. The caucus now has 29 members, united from varying backgrounds to fight for the same agenda of strengthening the middle class.

More information on the Populist Caucus, including their Health Care Principles can be found on Braley's website: http://www.braley.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=294&Itemid

Photos from this morning's meeting can be downloaded here: http://drop.io/uzxj5du

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Bill signed by Obama allows Pentagon to provide benefits to Iowa National Guard troops

Washington, DC - Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) today applauded President Obama's signing of his Guaranteed Benefits for Our Troops Act (HR 1222) into law. The Act was included in the final FY2010 National Defense Authorization Act.

Braley's fix will ensure that hundreds of Iowa National Guard members are provided benefits they were promised under the Department of Defense's Post-Deployment/Mobilization Respite Absence (PDMRA) program, commonly known as "Respite Leave."  Over 20,000 Army National Guard members across the country - including almost 800 members of the Iowa National Guard - did not receive benefits they earned due to delay between the announcement of the leave program by the Department of Defense and the implementation of the program by the individual services.

"As the Iowa National Guard prepares to send over 3,000 troops to Afghanistan in the largest single unit call-up since World War II, it is critical that troops receive the benefits they have earned and deserve," Braley said.  "That's why I'm thrilled that President Obama signed this important legislation into law today.  Now that the Guaranteed Benefits for Our Troops Act has finally been enacted into law, I'll be working to ensure that the Pentagon provides these benefits to National Guard troops in Iowa and across the country immediately."

Respite Leave was designed to provide service members deployed to places like Iraq and Afghanistan for longer than established rotation cycles additional help to reintegrate back to civilian life, as well as to improve the retention of service members who had experienced especially long tours of duty.

Once the Respite Leave program was announced, however, there were significant delays before its implementation.  The Department of the Army, for example, didn't issue its corresponding policy for implementing Respite Leave until more than six months after the Pentagon's January 2007 announcement of the program.

Because of this gap, thousands of soldiers from the Army National Guard did not receive proper Respite Leave compensation.

Braley first introduced the Guaranteed Benefits for Our Troops Act in July 2008.  The bill will allow the Pentagon to retroactively grant up to $200 per day to affected troops.

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