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.
They’ve been stalled on it for weeks, but Thursday night the Senate will vote on final passage of legislation providing a short-term extension of emergency unemployment benefits.
Republicans, behind U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, have been fighting the $18 billion proposal because the Democrats didn’t offset the cost with spending cuts elsewhere. But the office of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said that Democrats have rallied a few Republicans behind the bill, leading Coburn to agree to Thursday night’s vote on final passage.
The bill extends the filing deadline for UI benefits through June 2 (retroactive to April 5), allowing those who have exhausted their 26 weeks of state benefits to access emergency federal help. It does not, however, create an additional tier of benefits for those who have exhausted everything they’re eligible for.
Aside from the UI provision, the bill also extends COBRA health benefits and delays a scheduled 21 percent pay cut for doctors treating Medicare patients.
After passage in the Senate, the bill will move to the House, where lawmakers are expected to pass it quickly. It then moves to Obama’s desk to become law.
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