"As a former educator, I have seen the benefits that internships can provide by giving students a firsthand look into the government process," said Loebsack. "I encourage all hardworking, motivated students and recent graduates to apply."

Interns will have the opportunity to learn about the legislative process and the federal government by working closely with the legislative, communications and constituent services staff members. Interested candidates should email their cover letter, resume, a short writing sample and a letter of recommendation to LoebsackInternship@mail.house.gov.

DAVENPORT, IA - On July 17, 2014, Delbert Lorenzo Sykes, Jr., age 34, and Darross Tyrese Sykes, age 30, both of Davenport, Iowa, were sentenced by United States District Judge Stephanie M. Rose for conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, cocaine, and marijuana announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Delbert Sykes, Jr. was sentenced to 108 months imprisonment. Darross Sykes was sentenced to 72 months' imprisonment. Both were also ordered to serve four years of supervised release following the imprisonment and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund. Judge Rose also ordered the forfeiture of all remaining property listed in the Indictment including $130,400 in United States Currency, a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro registered to Delbert Sykes, and a Ruger .40 caliber handgun and ammunition, all seized from Delbert Sykes, Jr.'s residence.

Over the course of many years, beginning in the early 2000's and continuing until about August 2013, Delbert Sykes, Jr. and Darross Sykes conspired with each other and other persons to distribute cocaine base, cocaine, and marijuana in the Davenport, Iowa area. Specifically, during the above-mentioned time period law enforcement completed numerous controlled purchases of drugs from the Sykes', including purchases of ounce quantities of crack cocaine and cocaine. In August 2013, law enforcement executed several search warrants for residences associated with the Sykes. At Delbert Sykes, Jr.'s residence agents located, among other things, $130,400 in U.S. Currency which included drug proceeds, a Ruger .40 caliber handgun and ammunition, a digital scale with cocaine residue, and packaging material. Items associated with drug trafficking were seized from the other searched residences, all of which were in Davenport.

This case was investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement; the United States Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Davenport, Iowa, Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

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Congressman: Decision represents a big win for Iowa seniors

Washington, D.C. - Rep. Bruce Braley's (IA-01) fight to prevent cuts to Social Security yielded results today after the Social Security Administration (SSA) told Braley that it would allow Iowa seniors to continue to receive benefit verification letters?a service requested last year by millions of Americans and tens of thousands of Iowans.

"Social Security is a promise, and part of that promise is the services and outreach that these offices provide," Braley said. "This decision represents a big win for the tens of thousands of Iowa seniors that depend on this service."

Beginning in October 2014, SSA field offices had planned to stop providing benefit verification letters.  Many seniors rely on these verification letters for a variety of services. Last year alone, millions of Americans used SSA offices to request benefit letters. Today's action by the SSA will delay this cut indefinitely.

In a letter today addressed to Braley from Carolyn Colvin, Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, Colvin wrote,  "I want you to know that I take your concerns about the proposed changes to our office services very seriously and have modified our proposals accordingly. After reviewing and considering your feedback, we have adjusted our plans."

The letter goes on to say that SSA will now take a more balanced approach of encouraging online and telephone services while still ensuring face-to-face services are available to people like Iowa seniors who rely on those options.

However, SSA stated their intention to move forward implementing their plan to eliminate the issuance of Social Security number printouts face-to-face in its field offices beginning August 1?a cut Braley continues to oppose.

"Until the administration shows me how this cut will save taxpayers money and how they'll prevent harm to Iowans who depend on this service, I'm going to continue to oppose it," Braley said.

In his effort to prevent these cuts, Braley recently called on Iowans to visit braley.house.gov and share their experiences with Iowa Social Security Administration offices.

Iowa's 19 SSA field offices are located in Cedar Rapids, Decorah, Dubuque, Marshalltown, Waterloo, Burlington, Coralville, Davenport, Ottumwa, Council Bluffs, Creston, Des Moines, Ames, Carroll, Ft. Dodge, Mason City, Sioux City, Spencer, and Storm Lake.

Over 450,000 Iowa seniors received Social Security benefits in 2013.

Earlier this year, Braley introduced the Seniors' Access to Social Security Act, which would prevent cuts for one year, during which time Braley would seek verification that the proposed service cuts will not adversely affect Iowa's seniors and will save taxpayers money. This bipartisan legislation quickly gathered the support of nearly two dozen lawmakers.

Colvin's response came after Braley wrote the SSA Commissioner asking her to provide a series of answers about the proposed cuts, including whether an analysis of cost savings has been done and if public input was solicited prior to the proposed cuts. Braley also sought information from Colvin on how Iowans seeking these services would be informed of cuts.

In June, Braley joined a Congressional push to prevent the elimination of the SSA services in a letter to the head of the SSA, noting that it's vital that seniors be able to receive these services in person especially given that telephone wait times for SSA services have risen drastically in the last year, and that many seniors lack internet access.

The letter to Braley from Commissioner Colvin can be found below:

The Honorable Bruce Braley

U.S. House of Representatives

Washington, DC 20515-1501

Dear Mr. Braley:

Thank you for your June 20, 2014 letter regarding our plans to discontinue providing benefit verification letters and Social Security number (SSN) printouts in our field offices. I completely agree that face-to-face communication continues to be critical to many of our customers, especially the most vulnerable of those we serve.

I assure you that we have no plans to close any additional field offices at this time. However, considering our increasing workloads, future budget uncertainty, and changing expectations of the public, we must use technology and employ alternatives to face-to-face interactions wherever possible. We believe this balanced approach of encouraging use of our online and telephone services while ensuring face-to-face service is available for those who need it makes the best possible use of our limited resources and allows us to provide our customers service options that are convenient, cost-effective, and secure.

I want you to know that I take your concerns about the proposed changes to our office services very seriously and have modified our proposals accordingly. After reviewing and considering your feedback, we have adjusted our plans. Reflected below are our current plans.

Benefit Verification Letters

We will continue to provide benefit verification letters in our field offices at this time. We believe that agencies with existing data exchanges with us should not send members of the public into our offices when those agencies have the information they need readily available. We further believe that the public will find the convenience of obtaining the information online much easier and faster than visiting one of our offices. However, we also realize that change does not come quickly or easily. Therefore, we will continue to expand our extensive outreach and education with the public, as well as our local, state, and federal partners, while continuing to provide the public with the information they need. This approach will enable everyone to become more familiar with and accustomed to using our online tools and data exchanges. We will revisit implementation of this change periodically as we assess the impact of our outreach activities.

SSN Printouts (Numi-Lites)

For security and privacy reasons, we will move forward with implementing our plan to eliminate the issuance of SSN printouts in our field offices on August 1; however, we have modified our proposal to provide safeguards to ensure service to those with a dire need.

As you note in your letter, we must continue to find solutions that protect the Americans who rely on us for help. The Office of the Inspector General has repeatedly urged us to address the vulnerabilities of the SSN printout, which does not have security features and is easily duplicated, misused, and counterfeited. By eliminating SSN printouts, we safeguard our customers and the integrity of the SSN by ensuring that we do verifications only through secure means, using the actual Social Security card or through a secure electronic verification system.

Many options are available to meet the public's needs in this area. For example, members of the public can apply for a replacement Social Security card in any of our field offices or Social Security Card Centers. When applying for a replacement card, individuals will receive a receipt showing that they have applied for a replacement card, and this receipt is often acceptable documentation for the requesting organization. In most instances, individuals will receive the card within 3-5 business days.

For employers, governmental agencies, and organizations who often request the SSN printout from the public, we provide convenient SSN verification in real-time or overnight via our online business services. Employers have access to SSN verifications through the online Social Security Number Verification System free of charge. If an employer does not have Internet access, he or she can contact our Business Services Hotline at 1-800-772-6270 for assistance with registration and verification. We also have existing data exchanges with many government agencies such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as with mortgage and insurance agencies, which eliminates the need for members of the public to visit our offices to obtain this verification.

Because some may not be aware of these options, we will continue to conduct extensive outreach to educate members of the public and our organizational partners on these alternatives and on why we are making this change, similar to the activities that we are planning for the benefit verification.

We do realize, however, that there are times when members of our community will need immediate assistance because data exchanges do not yet exist or there is an urgent need. To address those situations, in each of our offices, we will designate a point of contact who will work with local organizations to assist with providing SSN verifications during immediate dire need circumstances, or when an existing data exchange does not exist or meet the need of the requestor (e.g., additional information is needed). Additionally, victims of certain disaster situations can obtain an SSN printout to assist them in an emergency. We believe these procedures will meet the needs of the public and eliminate the security concerns of the printout.

I appreciate you sharing your concerns and recommendations, and I am committed to working with each of you as we move forward with these efforts. We will continue to monitor the implementation and adjust as needed to ensure we are meeting the public's needs while protecting their personal information.

I hope you find this information helpful. If I may be of further help, please contact me, or your staff may contact Scott Frey, our Deputy Commissioner for Legislation and Congressional Affairs, at (202) 358-6030. We also have sent this information to the other undersigned members.

Sincerely,

Carolyn W. Colvin

Congressman urges President to engage with Congolese government

Washington, D.C. - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) today joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in urging the United States government to address the issue of stalled adoptions with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, ahead of the Congolese Prime Minister's attendance at a summit in the United States next month.

"The United States can and should speak with one voice when it comes to resolving this issue and uniting these families," Braley said. "Iowa families have made the courageous decision to bring a child into their homes and are being prevented from doing that by red tape–and that's not right."

Recently, a resolution introduced by Braley calling on the Congolese government to resolve the issue passed unanimously in the U.S. House.

Over 900 U.S. families have had their adoptions suspended by the DRC. Some, including Erin and Michael Peat of Dubuque were granted their adoption visa by the United States. However, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) suddenly refused to issue exit letters, which is the final step allowing families to bring their children to the United States.

In June, Braley met with Erin Peat and Kevin and Dawn Schafer of West Des Moines, along with other families who are facing delays in their adoptions from the DRC.

Braley has written the Congolese Prime Minister, the Congolese Ambassador to the United States, and Secretary of State John Kerry calling for a resolution to this issue.

The Letter to President Obama can be found below.

June 16, 2014

The Honorable Barack Obama

President of the United States

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Obama,

We write to ask for your personal engagement to resolve over 900 international adoption cases of Congolese children who either have been or are in the process of being adopted by American families, yet who are unable to obtain Congolese exit permits due to a suspension in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We understand that you have invited President Joseph Kabila to Washington in August for the first ever U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, and we urge you to use this event and the time leading up to it as an opportunity to press for an expeditious resolution that is in the best interest of these children.

In September 2013, the DRC suspended the issuance of exit permits for children adopted by foreign parents, reportedly due to concerns about suspected malfeasance in the local DRC adoption process and lack of information about the well-being of adopted children after they arrived in their new homes.  This suspension is having tragic consequences for these children as they wait to be united with their American families.  Already, 10 children who were matched with American families have died since the suspension went into place and many more have urgent, life-threatening medical problems. There are over 350 children who have been legally adopted by US families and have been given Congolese passports and U.S. visas, but are still waiting for exit letters to be able to leave the DRC.

Overcoming this impasse is a priority for many in Congress and we appreciate the State Department's efforts to raise this issue with its Congolese counterparts. In April of this year, a bipartisan and bicameral group of 170 Members of Congress wrote to President Kabila and Prime Minister Matata Ponyo, urging the DRC government to resume processing exit permits for adopted children. To date, there has been no official response to this letter. Secretary Kerry raised this issue directly with President Kabila during his visit to Kinshasa in May and later that month the DRC government did release exit letters for 19 children adopted by American families, 4 of whom were medically fragile. Unfortunately, this represented only a small percentage of the completed cases and leaves dozens of critically ill children without the medical care they need to survive. The U.S. Department of State has continuously engaged the Congolese government to resolve the remaining completed cases, but to date all overtures have been unsuccessful. For example, when the DRC Director of General Migration (DGM) Francois Beya visited the United States in June, he received multiple requests for meetings ranging from State Department officials to Members of Congress. Mr. Beya declined to schedule any meetings on the suspended exit permit issue. That is why we are requesting your direct engagement with President Kabila.

We respectfully request that you raise this human rights crisis with President Kabila prior to his attendance at the U.S.-African Leaders Summit next month, and then use the opportunity of the summit to press for a firm resolution.  We would appreciate your leadership on this issue to help unite these children and their families.

Thank you for your attention to this important request.

Sincerely,