February 9, 2012

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Harkin says cut regular military, not guard

February 9, 2012 By

Iowa Senator Tom Harkin says Pentagon generals need to consider deeper cuts in America’s “regular” military ranks instead of eliminating entire National Guard units. Harkin and the rest of Iowa’s Congressional delegation will meet today with the Secretary of the Air Force in hopes of reversing a proposal to decommission the Iowa Air National Guard’s 132nd Fighter Wing.

“We have enough data to show that it is one of the best squadrons in the entire United States,” Harkin says. “If they’re cutting F-16s, why are they cutting Des Moines? Why wouldn’t they cut some whose performance levels are much lower?” Harkin, a Democrat, says the military’s top brass are looking in the wrong place to make reductions.

Harkin says, “As we are cutting defense spending, the best way to save money and to be ready is to cut some of our standing forces, cut some of our bases overseas, cut some of the regular military and rely more upon our Reserve and National Guard.” The Des Moines-based 132nd Fighter Wing includes 21 “Fighting Falcon” F-16 fighter jets and a thousand personnel.

Harkin says the unit has proven itself time and again over the past six decades as being reliable, professional and vital. “You get more bang for the buck with Reserve and National Guard units and rather than putting money into bases overseas, we put the money into local communities,” Harkin says. “These National Guard units perform a lot more than just a call-up during wartime. They help us with floods and natural disasters and emergency situations.”

Harkin and the other Iowans will meet in Washington this afternoon with Air Force Secretary Michael Donley at 12:30 P.M. CST.

Filed Under: Military, News Tagged With: , ,

Church affiliated hospitals upset over healthcare decision, Harkin responds (audio)

February 3, 2012 By

A decision by the Obama Administration that forces church affiliated employers to cover birth control in their healthcare plans has outraged religious organizations across the country. The ruling means church affiliated hospitals such as Sioux City’s Mercy Medical Center would be force to pay for insurance that covers contraceptives and sterilization.

Mercy spokesman, Jim Wharton, says the decision makes no sense. “A Baptist hospital, a Catholic hospital, whatever, it would no longer be considered a religious employer, which means we lose the right to exercise what we call our conscious clause. Where if it’s something that’s totally contrary to what our principles and beliefs are we still have to violate our conscience to abide by a government regulation to provide these services,” Wharton says.

Wharton says the organizations that don’t abide by the new mandate risk losing millions of dollars in federal funds. “Every hospital in America for the most part, is dependent on Medicare and now they’re saying if you want the money you have to play by these new rules,” Wharton says.

“The problem is, the rules are unfair….We’re 125 years old, we’re founded on the beliefs of the Catholic faith and for us to be told that you have to do things that are contrary to our faith, we think is a violation of our First Amendment rights.” The new rules would take effect in August of 2013.

Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, a Democrat, was asked about the issue during his weekly conference call with reporters. Harkin says he thought they had crafted the healthcare law to allow an exemption for individuals.

“I do believe that if you are broadly hiring , that you should provide broad insurance coverage, which would include contraceptive services,” Harkin says. “But if there is someone in the employ for that religious institution who is conscience bound not to do that, then they should be able exempt out of that portion of the health insurance coverage.”

Harkin was asked by a reporter from Carroll, where there is a Catholic hospital, if he supported the “first amendment right of Catholics to not offer birth control to workers.”

“I didn’t say that…I’m saying if they’re going to offer insurance broadly based…then they should offer these services too, but then I want to be protective of an individual, and an individual’s conscience on what he or she may have to do,” Harkin replied.

Harkin says there are many cases in society where people are compelled to pay for things that they don’t like. He cites as an example, the Quaker religion which does not support war, but it’s members pay taxes that support the military. “And the Supreme Court has upheld that in the past, so this is not the only case where religion has run into important public policy. I think the Quakers also have a legitimate gripe from their taxes being paid and going to support military wars and things,” Harkin says.

Audio : Harkin remarks on healthcare issue 4:38.

House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican, is already calling on the Obama administration to reconsider the order, calling it a government mandate that violates the constitution.

Woody Gottburg, KSCJ, Sioux City also contributed to this story.

Filed Under: Health & Medicine, News, Politics & Government, Religion Tagged With: , ,

Iowa officials encouraged by modification of farm labor rules for kids

February 2, 2012 By

Federal officials have agreed to modify a plan that’s designed to protect children from dangerous jobs on family farms. The U.S. Labor Department has been under fire from farm groups because the proposed rules were seen as too restrictive. Iowa Senator Tom Harkin says he’s encouraged to see the rules are being reconsidered by labor leaders.

Harkin says, “They need to get additional information in, go back to the drawing table and write a better regulation.” The original proposal spelled out that children younger than 16 would be banned from using most power equipment, while those under 18 would be barred from working in locations like grain bins and feed lots. The new version will reportedly contain more exemptions for kids whose parents own or run the farms on which they’re working.

“I hope they’ll reach agreement on a regulation that protects kids but also recognizes family agriculture,” Harkin says. “It’s one thing to say that kids shouldn’t be operating fork lifts or humongous tractors or combines and to say they can’t even drive a garden tractor.”

Harkin, a Democrat, says he agrees with those who’ve spoken out against the proposed regulations which would tear down generations of farm family traditions.

“There has to be some balance, some rational thinking,” Harkin says. “Some of what they’re proposing, fine, but I talked to Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack about this. He says it would go so far to say that kids couldn’t even drive a tractor across the road, well, kids have been driving tractors for years.”

Labor department officials say they’ll work with the Ag department and others to make sure the new rules reflect rural communities’ concerns.

The governor released this statement on the rules:

(DES MOINES) – Gov. Terry Branstad and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today commended the United States Department of Labor after learning that the department has begun to reconsider onerous regulations on youth working on farms.

In November of 2011, Gov. Branstad and Sec. Bill Northey sent a letter to Sec. Solis voicing their concern. In the letter, Gov. Branstad and Sec. Northey asked the department to give Iowa farmers a fair opportunity to comment and called the rule “a prime example of Federal overreach.”

“I am pleased to learn that Secretary Solis and the Department of Labor are reconsidering their burdensome regulations on Iowa farm families,” said Branstad. “As I grew up on a family farm, I learned the value of a strong work ethic by working alongside my family. I firmly believe that Iowa farm families are better at ensuring the safety and wellbeing of their children than bureaucrats in Washington.”

“It is important we continue to provide opportunities for young people to learn about agriculture and gain experience by working on farms in a responsible manner,” Northey said. “This announcement by the Department of Labor shows that they are responding to the comments they received and hearing the concerns of the farming community.”

Filed Under: Agriculture, News, Politics & Government Tagged With: , , , ,

Harkin plans hearing Friday on economy

January 26, 2012 By

Eastern Iowans will be able to give their opinions about how best to rebuild the middle class during a Congressional field hearing to be held in Davenport on Friday afternoon. Iowa Senator Tom Harkin is chair of the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and he’ll preside over the meeting.

“I’m bringing my committee to the Quad Cities because Davenport and other communities have experienced huge economic changes in recent decades,” Harkin says. “In response, they have pursued several smart, creative economic development strategies to attract businesses and boost manufacturing. On Friday, I want to shine a spotlight on these strategies.”

For decades, Harkin says, the middle class has been falling behind, as “wages haven’t kept up with costs and families’ savings accounts have dried up along with home values and good jobs.” “In the coming year, my committee will continue to put rebuilding the middle class at the forefront of its agenda,” Harkin says.

“This will include major new legislation which I will introduce in the coming months to invest in 21st century infrastructure as well as manufacturing, education, workforce training and improving retirement security.” In particular, he says leaders in the Quad Cities have found ways to overcome difficult economic challenges by targeting younger members of the workforce, for starters.

“There are some interesting investments in manufacturing and in new technologies in Davenport,” Harkin says. “They’re teaching young people new techniques of welding. You think, ‘Welding, they’ve been doing that for a long time,’ but these are new kinds of techniques, new job-training kinds of programs that we need for the future.”

Harkin’s hearing is scheduled for 1:15 P.M. on Friday at the John T. Blong Tech Center in Davenport. Prior to the hearing, Harkin will tour the welding room at the center, which houses a partnership between John Deere, local schools and workers.

Filed Under: News, Politics & Government Tagged With: ,

Senator Harkin says the U.S. has too many troops across the world

December 15, 2011 By

After nine years of war in Iraq and nearly 4,500 lost American lives, the Stars and Stripes was lowered from the flagpole in a solemn ceremony at the Baghdad airport today, essentially ending the U.S. miliary mission in that nation.

Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, who served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam era, says the Iraq War was a mistake from the start. “You know, you just wonder what that was all about,” Harkin says. “We know that we went into Iraq under false pretenses. They had nothing to do with Nine Eleven and al Qaeda was not there before we were there and Iraq was ruled by a despot, Saddam Hussein.”

Hussein was captured by U.S. troops and was executed in 2006. Even after nearly a decade of continued military efforts, Harkin says he still fears for the future of Iraq and that region. “Iraq may drift back into forms of government that we don’t like,” Harkin says. “It looks like now though they are going to be a close ally of Iran and a close ally of Syria and you wonder what we’ve accomplished.”

Sixty-five Iowans in uniform are among those killed in Iraq since 2003. Arizona Senator John McCain opposes the planned pullout of U.S. troops from Iraq by year’s end. McCain, a Republican, said on Wednesday that President Obama deserves “scorn and disdain” for the exit strategy which “was dictated by politics, not our national security interests.”

“I disagree with Mr. McCain on keeping troops there,” says Harkin, a Democrat. “Quite frankly, we have too many troops all over the world. We’ve got troops in hundreds, I don’t know how many countries we have troops in now around the world. Not only is it expensive, it gives a face to America that is not really true. Is that what our face is to the rest of the world, militarism?”

Instead, he says the world should perceive America as being the torch of freedom, a haven for harmony and openness to people of all faiths, not a projection of military might. “I think the best face we’ve ever portrayed to the world has been the Peace Corps, not the military.”

Filed Under: Military, News, Politics & Government Tagged With: , , ,

Regents change naming policy in wake of Harkin Institute controversy

December 8, 2011 By

The state Board of Regents voted today to revise its policies for naming centers or institutes at the three state-supported universities. The vote came in response to controversy raised over the new “public policy” institute at Iowa State University named after Democrat U.S. Senator Tom Harkin.

The regents approved the Harkin Institute in April despite an attempt by Regent Craig Lang of West Des Moines to table the vote for more discussion. Iowa State President Gregory Geoffroy defended the proposal in April, saying it would be a nonpartisan institute and would have a board that oversees its operation. (story)

House Republicans later passed a resolution asking the regents to reconsider the naming of the institute after Harkin. Regent Katie Mulholland of Marion made the motion today for the change.

“The reason that I brought this up was, I think that as we look to the future, we want to really address the issues of having proposals to create new centers or institutes at the universities to be submitted to the board office for consideration before any action is taken, or before any procedures or activities are set up,” Mulholland said.

There was no other discussion on the issue before the vote. Senator Harkin’s wife Ruth, who is a member of the board, abstained from the vote, while all others voted for the change. Regent Lang was not at the meeting.

The change in rules approved today would require any requests to name centers or institutes be reviewed by the regents staff and the council of Provosts at the school before going to the full board for discussion. The change also would not allow any center or institution to be named for a public official who is still in office.

See the policy changes here: Institute naming PDF

Filed Under: Education, Featured Story, News Tagged With: , , ,

Harkin says “occupying” the Caucuses “would be wrong”

December 2, 2011 By

Senator Tom Harkin says the Occupy Wall Street movement has raised some important issues, but he is concerned by a local group’s threat to “occupy” the Iowa Caucuses.

“That would be wrong,” Harkin says.  “If they really want to make changes, they should now take their energies out and get people to come to the caucuses. That’s what they should be doing.”

The “Occupy Des Moines” group has invited “Occupy Wall Street” protesters from around the country to Des Moines in the last week of December to “occupy” presidential candidates’ headquarters. One leader in the movement said they would physically stay inside those headquarters until they get a “better response” from the candidates to the “movement’s grievances” — or are “forcibly removed” by police.

Republican Governor Terry Branstad has said local and state officials are taking that “threat” seriously, and making plans to deal with mass protests.  Harkin, a Democrat, suggests an occupation of the Caucuses would be counterproductive to the group’s goals.  

“These Occupy movements, I think, have been good. They’re exercising their constitutional rights and I think they’ve given a lot of voice to the other 99 percent who aren’t coming out and doing things, that aren’t demonstrating,” Harkin says. “I think it’s focused a lot of public attention. I just hope now that they will transform that into more positive actions.”

Harkin made his comments during taping of the “Iowa Press” program which will be broadcast tonight on Iowa Public Television.

Filed Under: News, Politics & Government Tagged With: , , , ,
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