Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
When federal officials announced the establishment of “State Legislators for Health Reform” Wednesday and provided names of the initial 22 members, it wasn’t necessarily a surprise to find the names of two of Iowa’s state senators on the list.
Sen. Jack Hatch, a Democrat representing Des Moines who found his fair share of controversy during the 2009 legislative session, hosted a statewide conference call and online chat on health reform earlier this month. As a part of the process he invited Iowans to ask questions about health reform of himself, a member of U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley’s staff and Dr. Berry Engebretsen, founder of the Community Health Centers of Iowa. Hatch has been instrumental in crafting Iowa’s health care policies.
Sen. Joe Bolkcom, a Democrat representing Iowa City, was also instrumental in crafting extended health care coverage for uninsured Iowans during the 2009 legislative session, and sponsored legislation to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes.
Both men serve as assistant majority leaders in the Democratic controlled Iowa Senate. In addition, Bolkcom serves as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee while Hatch is chairman of the Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius made the announcement regarding the new advocacy committee Wednesday along with White House Office of Health Reform Director Nancy-Ann DeParle. The announcement came after members of the newly established group had met with federal officials in Washington. The Iowa representatives are joined by elected officials from 17 states — the Hawkeye State one of only three (Iowa, Maryland and Maine) with more than one representative on the initial committee.
According to DeParle, the state legislators will “host public events, author opinion pieces in local publications, and use their established networks to organize constituents in support of health reform.”
“We are all working in our states on health issues, but we know that this is an American problem that deserves an American solution,” Hatch said. “One state can’t do it alone. We will use our networks and our voices to organize and champion the cause of health reform.”
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