Veterans from WWII and Korean Wars view monuments built in their honor

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack today welcomed the Quad Cities Honor Flight to the National World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington. Loebsack presented the members of the Honor Flight with copies of the Congressional Record statement he submitted in recognition of their service, as well as a pocket Constitution. The Quad Cities Honor Flight brings World War II and Korean War veterans to Washington to visit our nation's capital and Memorials built in their honor.

"I look forward to welcoming each Honor Flight to our nation's capital so they can see the memorials that were built in their honor. Being able to welcome these veterans today was especially meaningful," said Loebsack. "We cannot thank these veterans enough for their service to our nation. I was honored to present them with a copy of the statement I made for the official Congressional Record to recognize their service, as well as a pocket Constitution."  

The Honor Flights are all fully paid for, and the veterans are typically accompanied by volunteers who donate their time to ensure that the veterans have a safe trip. This group included 92 veterans. The Quad Cities Honor Flight left from the Quad Cities Airport this morning and will return tonight.

Loebsack is an avid supporter of our veterans. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, he has worked to improve care and benefits for our servicemembers and veterans, including expanding Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits for the National Guard; expanding access to mental health care; helping our veterans find civilian jobs; and opening new Community Based Outpatient Clinics to improve access to VA services for Iowa veterans. He also co-introduced bipartisan legislation to eliminate the waiting period for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits for servicemembers wounded in combat.

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack today announced that he is calling on Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Eric Shinseki to immediately resign. He is also calling on Attorney General Eric Holder to begin an investigation to determine if any criminal wrongdoing occurred. Results of a preliminary report by the VA Inspector General's Office show that the delay of care to veterans and subsequent manipulation of records is systemic throughout the VA. The report also states that the delay caused the health care of veterans to be compromised.

"The VA Inspector General's report makes it very clear that there are scheduling problems agency-wide and not just isolated to the Phoenix health center. I have made it very clear that if these allegations were proven true that heads need to roll. I appreciate Secretary Shinseki's prior service to our nation, but it is time for a new direction at the VA and Secretary Shinseki needs to leave for that to happen.

"As a military parent, I have been outraged by what has come to light and believe the Department of Justice needs to investigate to determine if any criminal actions took place. We owe it to our nation's veterans to determine exactly what happened."

"This past weekend we celebrated Memorial Day where we take time to remember the men and women who gave their lives defending our nation and protecting the freedoms that we all deeply cherish. As we remember our fallen service members, we must continue to fight for the men and women who are currently serving our nation, as well as redouble our efforts to provide the best care possible to those who volunteered to serve and defend our nation when they return home.

"As a parent of military children the recent events at various VA health centers across the nation have been deeply disturbing to me. I believe that the VA must do everything in their power to rectify this situation and I will work to ensure they have the resources they need to prevent anything further from harming our veterans. But let me be clear, after the investigation has been concluded, if there is any evidence of wrongdoing, heads need to roll and people at the top must be held accountable." - Congressman Dave Loebsack

Loebsack's Work on Behalf of Veterans

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Dave has worked to improve care and benefits for our service members and veterans, including expanding Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits for the National Guard; expanding access to mental health care; helping our veterans find civilian jobs; and opening new Community Based Outpatient Clinics to improve access to VA services for Iowa veterans. He also co-introduced bipartisan legislation to eliminate the waiting period for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits for service members wounded in combat.

Congressmen: 'Heads have to roll' if VA charges proven (Des Moines Register- May 23)

Tony Leys

Two Iowa congressmen expressed confidence in the state's two VA hospitals Friday, but said they're concerned about reports that veterans are still waiting weeks or months for appointments.

"When you talk to a lot of veterans, you find that while ... initially getting in the system can be difficult and delayed, once they get into the system, they are very, very pleased," said Rep. Tom Latham, a Republican.

Latham and a Democratic colleague, Rep. Dave Loebsack, toured the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital on Des Moines' north side.

Both congressmen expressed anger about national reports that officials at some VA hospitals falsified reports to camouflage how long veterans were waiting to obtain medical appointments. In the most prominent example, about 40 patients reportedly died while waiting to get into the Phoenix VA hospital, where staff members allegedly faked documents to hide the problem.

"It's an absolute outrage," Latham said of the allegations. "Somebody should go to jail, as far as I'm concerned, if that's the case."

Loebsack agreed. "If these allegations prove to be correct ... heads have to roll, there's no doubt about it," he said.

However, neither congressman favors immediate dismissal of VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, which some critics have demanded.

President Barack Obama defended Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki Wednesday and said if there has been misconduct at the VA, it will be punished. Obama spoke after an Oval Office meeting with Shinseki and top aide Rob Nabors. (May 21) AP

"I don't know if that's going to change anything," Latham said. "If you want to have some kind of a trophy, I guess that sounds good, but I don't think it changes anything internally."

The congressmen noted that waiting lists have dogged the VA for years, despite Congress' willingness to pump billions of extra dollars into the system. "This is not a surprise, this is not a new story," Latham said. "I think the idea of secret waiting lists is new to the whole debate, but to me it's just a failure of the system."

Shinseki has ordered a review of all VA hospitals. VA officials have said 26 hospitals are being subject to especially intense investigations. They haven't identified most of the 26, although Latham told reporters that neither of the Iowa VA hospitals is among them.

Latham noted that he has sponsored legislation that would grant insurance cards to veterans, which they could use for medical care at hometown hospitals instead of at VA facilities. He said he believes such an approach, which would be voluntary, would make it easier for many veterans to gain care. But he noted that some national veterans groups have resisted the idea out of fear that it would weaken the VA.

Loebsack said he would be open to such a plan if it would help veterans.

Loebsack's district includes the Iowa City VA, which he said he has visited repeatedly. He said he asked to tour the Des Moines hospital with Latham so they could show bipartisan concerns about the situation. "I think if there's any silver lining to this, it is that we're refocusing attention on our veterans and what our veterans have done for us," he said.

(DES MOINES) - After signing the Home Base Iowa Act yesterday at Camp Dodge, and the Iowa Apprenticeship and Job Training Act today at Facebook in Altoona, Iowa, Gov. Terry E. Branstad today formally sent the transmittal letters to the Iowa Secretary of State.

Bills signed Monday, May 26, 2014

Senate File 2352 an Act relating to the additional homestead credit for certain disabled veterans and including effective date and applicability provisions.

Senate File 303 an Act relating to veterans, military service members, and certain survivor beneficiaries and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions.

Bill signed today, Tuesday, May 27, 2014

House File 2460: an Act relating to and making appropriations to the Department of Cultural Affairs, the Economic Development Authority, the Department of Workforce Development, the Iowa Finance Authority, the Public Employment Relations Board, and the State Board of Regents and Regents Institutions, and providing for other properly related matters, and including effective date provisions.

Gov. Branstad exercised his item veto authority on House File 2460 in accordance with Amendment IV of the Amendments of 1968 to the Constitution of the State of Iowa. The item veto message can be found here. The full message is pasted below.

May 27, 2014

The Honorable Matt Schultz

Secretary of State of Iowa

State Capitol

Des Moines, Iowa 50319 

Dear Mr. Secretary:  

I hereby transmit House File 2460, an Act relating to and making appropriations to the Department of Cultural Affairs, the Economic Development Authority, the Department of Workforce Development, the Iowa Finance Authority, the Public Employment Relations Board, and the State Board of Regents and regents institutions, and providing for other properly related matters, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions.  

House File 2460 is approved on this date with the following exceptions, which I hereby disapprove.   

I am unable to approve the item designated as Section 3, amending 2013 Iowa Acts, chapter 137, Section 21 inserting subsection 2.  This item makes changes to the administration of the 260F program.  The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) has the infrastructure to administer this program and maintaining the 260F program at the IEDA is the most efficient use of funds.  It is important to keep the 260F program consistent and stable for the business community. 

I am unable to approve the item designated as Section 16, in its entirety.  This item makes changes to the administration of the 260F program.  The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) has the infrastructure to administer this program and maintaining the 260F program at the IEDA is the most efficient use of funds.  It is important to keep the 260F program consistent and stable for the business community. 

I am unable to approve the designated portion of the item designated as Section 20, subsection 5.  This item places restrictions on the funding formula for the apprenticeship program.  Requiring all stakeholders who are recipients of funds from the apprenticeship program to comply with the same statutory funding formula is fair and transparent.

I am unable to approve the item designated as Section 21, in its entirety.  This item creates an apprenticeship training program advisory board.  Such board is unnecessary to administer the financial assistance for the apprenticeship programs because the assistance is provided by statutory formula rather than board approval.  Further, the purpose of the apprenticeship program is to create jobs and grow the private sector, not government.  This advisory board makes government bigger without serving any purpose. 

I am unable to approve the items designated as Sections 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, and 32, in their entirety.  These items make changes to the administration of the 260F program.  The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) has the infrastructure to administer this program and maintaining the 260F program at the IEDA is the most efficient use of funds.  It is important to keep the 260F program consistent and stable for the business community. 

I am unable to approve the items designated as Sections 35, 36, 37 and 38, in their entirety.  These items make changes to the administration of the 260F program.  The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) has the infrastructure to administer this program and maintaining the 260F program at the IEDA is the most efficient use of funds.  It is important to keep the 260F program consistent and stable for the business community. 

For the above reasons, I respectfully disapprove the designated items in accordance with Amendment IV of the Amendments of 1968 to the Constitution of the State of Iowa.  All other items in House File 2460 are hereby approved as of this date.

Sincerely,

TERRY E. BRANSTAD

Governor

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