In that campaign, which Reed lost by more than 20 percentage points, the Marion Republican claimed that Harkin’s support for same-sex marriage also meant he supports marriage between “any 2, 3 or multiple people of any and all sexes. Heck, as far as he is concerned, you could marry your horse if it makes you happy.”

During a debate later in the campaign, Reed said Harkin had “an eight-year history of becoming the Tokyo Rose of Al-Qaeda and Middle East terrorism.”

In an interview Thursday with conservative blogger Craig Robinson, Reed said he learned a lot from his 2008 defeat and promises a campaign that focuses less on personal attacks and more on the issues.

“Last time, I took the race personally. This time, it’s about the people. So the vitriol and the remarks are not going to be there this time because there is too much at stake. This campaign has to be about defeating Dave Loebsack and what he votes for in Washington.”

Reed is expected to square off in a primary with Mariannette Miller-Meeks, the party’s 2008 nominee in the 2nd district, and Steve Rathje, who Reed defeated in 2008 for the right to take on Harkin.

Christopher Reed, who narrowly won a three-way Republican primary to challenge U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin in 2008, will officially become a candidate for the U.S. House on Thursday, with a planned announcement in Ottumwa. Following the first stop, Reed also plans to visit the communities of Solon, his hometown, and Cedar Rapids, a part of the metropolitan area where he and his family currently live.

The tour, which the campaign has dubbed as “Defending our Children’s Future Tour,” will set the stage for a campaign that Reed said will focus on fiscal issues.

Christopher Reed was the only political candidate to take part in an anti-immigration rally in Postville following a massive 2008 immigration raid at a meatpacking plant. Reed, who was then a U.S. Senate candidate for Republicans, will announce his candidacy for U.S. House this week.

This appears to be a switch of tactics from his campaign against Harkin. During that race, Reed made national news for his personal attacks on Harkin, especially his proclamation that Harkin was the “Tokyo Rose of Al-Qaeda” during an October 2008 debate.

Reed, however, is not the only individual who has been mentioned as a Republican candidate for Iowa’s 2nd district.

Steve Rathje, a Cedar Rapids businessman who faced Reed for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, has also been making statements on social networking sites that seem to indicate an interest in a congressional run. Although the titles of the pages on Rathje’s website continues to reference his past U.S. Senate aspirations, the overall theme of the site now simply references Congress, leaving open which chamber he is considering.

Ottumwa ophthalmologist Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who served as the 2008 Republican nominee for the 2nd district race, has also remained active — especially in the area of health care reform. While the domain associated with her former campaign site remains active, it automatically redirects to her personal blog, Doctor’s Notes, where she writes on numerous topics that are consistent with someone who is considering a second run.  Further, it is widely anticipated that she will be making her own announcement in relation to the 2nd district in the near future, and the fact that Reed has chosen her community of Ottumwa to spark his own campaign launch does little to tamper such speculation.

Since there doesn’t appear to be any Democrats positioning themselves for a primary run against incumbent U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack, it is nearly certain that the Republican chosen during the primary process will challenge the Democratic incumbent. The 2008 election ended with Loebsack claiming 57 percent of the vote and, according to the Cook Political Report, Iowa’s 2nd district is considered the state’s most solid Democratic voting block with a partisan voting index of  D+7.

Congressional campaigns had to turn in their quarterly fundraising reports this week, documenting money raised and spent between July 1 and Sept. 30. Information about other elected officials and challengers is below.

Fourth District Rep. Tom Latham, R-Ames, is next on the list, raising $153,507 during the quarter. His campaign has nearly $420,000 cash on hand.

Third District Rep. Leonard Boswell, D-Des Moines, raised $104,132, bringing his cash-on-hand total to $343,215.

Second District Rep. Dave Loebsack, D-Mt. Vernon, raised $101,200 and has $278,404 cash on hand.

Fifth District Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron, raised $70,570 and has $173,833 cash on hand.

Several challengers also filed reports. Republican Dave Funk, who is running against Boswell, raised $16,477and ended the quarter with $6,226 cash on hand. Democrat Mike Denklau, who is running against King, raised $13,615 but has more than $10,000 in campaign debt.

That’s because the trips were paid for by Latham’s political action committee and touted as fundraising events, a practice that is legal but that government reform advocates contend turns the PAC into little more than a slush fund designed to skirt campaign finance law.

U.S. Rep. Tom Latham, R-Ames.

And an Iowa Independent investigation found similar trips to prestigious golf resorts around the country throughout 2008, all paid for with PAC money.

These types of political action committees, known as “Leadership PACs,” are designed as a way for lawmakers to raise money to be passed along to other members of their party for their campaigns. By making donations to members of their party, lawmakers can use their leadership PACs to gain clout and boost their bids for leadership posts or committee chairmanships.

But a joint investigation by the nonprofit news site ProPublica, ABC News and the Washington Post found that a majority of the money raised by leadership PACs goes to entertainment, administrative costs, fundraising and other categories that “are so vague that it’s impossible to know for sure how the money was spent.”

ProPublica found lawmakers used money from their PACs to pay for trips to places like Churchill Downs, Disney World and the Country Music Hall of Fame. They found that Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., used nearly $65,000 to commission a portrait of himself.

All five of Iowa’s congressmen and both senators have leadership PACs (Sen. Tom Harkin has two). But Latham’s organization, dubbed For America’s Republican Majority (FARM PAC) is getting the lion’s share of attention.

Latham, along with House Minority Leader John Boehner, Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss and North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr, held a golf outing touted as a fundraiser for their leadership PACs at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia in July.

In June, Latham hosted an Atlantic City weekend to benefit his PAC. Lodging at the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort cost FARM PAC $1,377.36.

Disclosure reports filed in 2008 with the Federal Election Commission show FARM PAC paid for hotel accommodations at prestigious golf resorts around the country, including the Greenbriar Resort in September;  The St. Regis Hotel-Monarch Beach in Dana Point, Calif. in August; and the LaQuinta Resort & Club near Palm Springs, Calif., in January.

Since returning to the capitol from the August recess, Latham has held two D.C. fundraisers for FARM PAC, with a third scheduled for Oct. 27.

FARM PAC has raised more than $75,000 this year. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the largest donors to FARM PAC in 2009 include Altria Group (formerly Philip Morris), AT&T, California Dairies Inc. and Latham for Congress. The PAC raised $205,447 during the 2008 election cycle, with almost all of it coming from lobbyists, PACs and corporate leaders.

For some reason, ProPublica did not include Latham’s PAC in their breakdown of more than 400 leadership PACs. The site did, however, look at rest of Iowa’s congressional delegation and found that they have not followed down a similar path as Latham.

More than 80 percent of money spent during the 2008 election cycle by Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley’s leadership PAC, Bringing Leadership Back PAC, was spent on campaign contributions to fellow Democrats.

Republican Rep. Steve King’s Conservative Principals PAC spent nearly 50 percent of its money on what ProPublica classifies as “entertainment, events and travel,” mostly on payments to the fundraising telecommunications company Liberty Phone Center.

Democratic Rep. Dave Loebsack’s I-PAC and Democratic Rep. Leonard Boswell’s BOSPAC spent almost all of the very small amount of money raised in 2008 on campaign contributions.

A little more than 70 percent of the money spent by Harkin’s Independent Action Inc. during the 2008 election cycle went for administrative costs. As for his To Organize a Majority PAC, more than 57 percent of its expenditures went to campaign contributions for Harkin’s senate colleagues, with 25 percent going to “fundraising consultants.”

Sen. Chuck Grassley’s Hawkeye PAC spent nearly 78 percent of its money on campaign contributions.

Responding to a request for comment, Latham’s spokesman, Fred Love, said in an e-mail to the Iowa Independent that the congressman’s official office does not work with or speak on behalf of any campaign committees. Phone calls to the number listed for the Alexandria, Va., offices of FARM PAC were not answered.

For more background on the controversy surrounding leadership PACs, read ProPublica’s report here.

HR 3221, also known as the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, would support early childhood education and provide for “green” school building renovations. The most contentious provision of the bill, however, would end government-subsidized loans in the private sector and replace them with direct government funding. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that removing the subsidies will save taxpayers $87 billion — monies that Democrats say can then be used to increase education grants to low- to moderate-income Americans.

According to U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Waterloo), the impact on Iowa will be enormous. His office estimates that the legislation will invest more than $726 million in Iowa over the next 10 years to increase the annual Pell Grant from $5,350 in 2009 to $5,500 in 2010 and then to $6,900 by 2019. The 1st District, which Braley represents, is estimated to receive $82.5 million.

“This bill makes federal grant money more accessible and reliable, and allows young people to graduate with less debt,” Braley said. “This is a huge step in the right direction to make higher education more affordable for Iowa families.”

Despite a highly-lauded and bipartisan amendment being attached to the legislation that removed federal funding for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), Republican support did not materialize for the full legislation. U.S. Rep. Tom Latham (D-Ames) and U.S. Rep. Steve King (R-Kiron) both voted against the legislation, even while King issued a press release in favor of the ACORN attachment.

According to Latham, the bill represents “an unprecedented government power-grab.”

“College students and their families ought to have choices when looking for ways to fund a college education,” he said. “This bill virtually forces students to rely solely on the federal government for student loan options. It threatens choice of — and access to — higher education funding.”

The bill has also received opposition from banks and other private institutions such as Sallie Mae and Citigroup that currently serve as middle-men in government-subsidized student loans — an industry currently estimated at $92 billion. Although the companies work directly with students to provide school loans, the government guarantees up to 97 percent of the loans that are made under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program, which is slated for sunset under the new legislation. The lenders, who will now begin lobbying Senate members for alternative plans, warn that loss of the program will mean loss of jobs in their sector.

U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-Mount Vernon), who supported the bill, was instrumental in the inclusion of “green school” and workforce development initiatives into the bill. Loebsack believes the provisions will encoruage greater collaboration between industry, college and workers to strengthen overall workforce development.

“The workforce development provisions will help connect community colleges to industry leaders — so that our students are receiving the most up-to-date and highly in demand skill set and our businesses are getting new corps of workers equipped to meet their current needs. By bringing everyone together, these provisions can grow and save entire industries while empowering our workforce to advance into the 21st century,” Loebsack said.

The legislation passed the U.S. House on a predominately party-line vote of 253 to 171. Although Pres. Barack Obama has already signaled his approval, members of the U.S. Senate will still need to pass their own version of the legislation.

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Indianola), who now serves as chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued a press release shortly after the House vote in praising the legislation. His intention is to present a similar bill this fall.

“Mark my word — I’m the chairman — it’s going to have a strong public option,” said Harkin, who last week replaced the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) as chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committee.

“[It] now falls to me to pick up the torch” left by Kennedy, he noted.

Health care was a popular subject for all of the federal lawmakers assembled here Sunday.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell, a member of the conservative Blue Dog caucus, received praise from his colleagues for standing up in a Democratic caucus meeting to declare his support for a public health insurance option. Other Blue Dogs have been reluctant to sign on to that component of President Barack Obama’s proposal.

Boswell and fellow Democratic U.S. Reps. Bruce Braley and Dave Loebsack also expressed optimism that a final bill would include measures to reform medicare reimbursement rates. Medicare currently pays doctors in rural states like Iowa less than what doctors in densely populated states receive for the same procedures.

The event’s headliner, former comedian and newly-elected U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), noted that while health care remains excellent in the United States, the health care system is broken. He, too, expressed optimism that a public insurance option would be included in the final health care reform bill.

On par with the previous 31 Steak Fry events, the day was heavy on partisan zingers and red meat for the strongly Democratic audience.

“This is my kind of town hall,” said Harkin at the beginning of his speech, as the crowd stood to cheer. Town hall forums across the country last month were tense and, at times, violent, as conservative activists targeted elected officials who supported health care reform.

Harkin also criticized Iowa’s senior senator, Republican Chuck Grassley, who famously repeated the false claim that if Democratic reform measures pass, the government would euthanize the elderly. ”Shame on anyone who repeats it,” he said, avoiding direct mention of Grassley’s name.

On the subject of Republican politicians, Franken said, “They run for office saying the government doesn’t work. Then, they get elected, and they prove it.”

Opponents of health care reform shook signs, shouted and heckled U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack during a town hall forum in Cedar Rapids on Saturday. Compared to reports from other parts of the nation, however, the four forums Loebsack held in the 2nd District over the weekend were mild.

“Part of the job that I had today, I think, was to do the best that I could to explain the bills that are before us now,” Loebsack said. “My main job, however, was just to hear people and learn what they had to say. In that sense, I think the meetings were very successful, and I hope those who participated feel the same way.”

Across the country, congressional town hall events previously attended by only a handful of the most wonkish citizens have become shouting matches between opponents and supporters of health care reform. More often than not the elected official hosting the forum has ended up playing a sideline role to the action of the participants.

While there is no denying that Loebsack’s events in eastern Iowa were spirited, they did not devolve into the anger and violence seen in other parts of the nation. Before beginning his tour, Loebsack, a Democrat, acknowledged that emotions are running high and expressed his hope that there would still be opportunities for measured discussion.

“At every stop today that held true much of the time,” Loebsack said. “Clearly people are extremely passionate about this issue. And that’s especially true for those who are opposed to the type of health care reform that we are talking about. So, yes, there were folks who were very upset about one thing or another, and I did the best I could to hear what they had to say and to engage them.”

Loebsack’s largest and most raucous stop was the first of the day in Cedar Rapids, where more than 500 people crammed into an auditorium with a capacity of 432 and others were turned away due to space constraints. Even before Loebsack entered the room, Emma Nemecek, a Mount Vernon Republican who launched two prior unsuccessful campaigns for Iowa House, drew applause and boos as she paraded through the center aisle with a sign that read, “Obama Lies, Grandma Dies.” Loebsack, like U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, entered the room to cheers and jeers from those attending. Throughout the forum, opponents attempted to interrupt by shouting comments from the audience, but Loebsack, who had a microphone, ignored the heckling and continued to answer audience questions pulled from a basket.

Mount Vernon Republican Emma Nemecek was applauded by many attending U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack's town hall when she raised a sign that read, "Obama Lies, Grandma Dies!!!"

Although most disruption was limited to verbal shouts — between audience members just as often as toward Loebsack — Cedar Rapids Police did remove two individuals when an argument involving a pro-reform sign escalated and the sign holder was knocked to the floor. After visiting with law enforcement about the incident, both were allowed to return to the audience.

Loebsack’s other stops in Mount Pleasant, Burlington and Fort Madison were much smaller and much less rowdy than the Cedar Rapids event.

“As I said, there are some folks who are really, really upset about a lot of things. And, I think many of them — perhaps most of them — are upset [by] misinformation that’s out there,” Loebsack said. “I did the best I could to explain what’s in the bill that I voted for and that we are now working on in the House of Representatives, and I hope that will convince some of the folks that some of their fears are a little bit unfounded. I think many of [their fears] are unfounded, but I still understand why there is so much concern. When we talk about health care, we are talking about life and death decisions. Given that, I have no desire whatsoever to de-legitimize their feelings on this.”

As expected, Loebsack fielded questions on end-of-life care and abortion. Perhaps not expected were audience request for Loebsack, a former college political science professor, to define socialism or discuss medical loss ratios. Despite all the input and activity, however, Loebsack said he didn’t really hear anything from constituents that he hasn’t already heard.

“Keep in mind that before these town hall meetings, I had already visited every hospital in the District and talked with health care providers. I come home nearly every weekend and, even when I’m just stopping at the Casey’s, I try to talk with people.  So, I had already heard many of the concerns that were voiced today, including those concerns on the side as to why we need health care reform,” he said.

“I think the real difference for me today was that it was an opportunity for 500 people in Cedar Rapids and 200 people in Henry County to all be in one room and express these concerns that I’ve been hearing for quite some time. I did hear all sides of the issue. I think that’s what is really important.”

U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack

While Loebsack (D-Mount Vernon) participated in the press conference organized by Iowa Citizen Action Network, a band of roughly 30 supporters of progressive health reform and 6 opponents amicably shared space on the pedestrian mall outside. Loeback, who knows that demonstrators in other parts of the country and state have not been as polite as the small band in Iowa City, said he knows that health care reform can be a volatile issue because it is so personal.

“This is a very significant issue. People are, I think — and rightfully so — concerned about this bill and what it will mean for them,” he said.

He also credits at least some of the strong emotion that has led to outbursts and potentially violent incidents at events with other members of Congress to misinformation and rumor regarding what is and is not contained in the health care proposals in Washington.

“There is a significant amount of misinformation or lack of information out there, and that’s a big concern,” Loebsack said. “I’ll be hosting a series of 16 town hall meetings beginning on Saturday, and I anticipate that there will be a number of questions that will, no doubt, arise from that very problem. I’m going to do the best I can to present the information as it does exist.”

In addition to setting rumors straight regarding health care reform, Loebsack also hopes to have discussions and listen to the concerns of constituents.

“If people in the district have better ideas about how we ought to be doing this, and there are enough people who think that there are better ways to do things, then, of course, I’m open to those discussions,” he added.

“This is really the beginning of this process… and I think we should take as long as it takes to have a good bill. These town halls are intended for me to hear what people have to say and to engage in a discussion — a civil, rational and objective discussion.”

Whether such civilized discourse can take place at Loebsack’s upcoming town hall events remains to be seen. Supporters and opponents of reform have already begun to organize gatherings to coincide with the congressman’s first scheduled stop on Saturday morning, Aug. 15, at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids.

August 15

• 9:30 a.m. — Kirkwood Community College, 6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids
• 12:00 p.m. — Civic Center, 307 E Monroe St., Mount Pleasant
• 2:00 p.m. — City Hall Council Chambers, 811 Avenue E, Fort Madison
• 3:30 p.m. — City Hall Council Chambers, 400 Washington St., Burlington

August 22

• 10:00 a.m. — Iowa City Public Library, 123 S. Linn St., Iowa City
• 11:45 a.m. — Cedar County Extension, 107 Cedar St., Tipton
• 2:00 p.m. — City Hall Council Chambers, 215 Sycamore St., Muscatine
• 4:00 p.m. — City Hall Council Chambers, 232 2nd St., Columbus Junction

August 29

• 10:30 a.m. — Public Library, 120 E. Main St., Washington
• 1:00 p.m. — Public Library, 104 W. Adams St., Fairfield
• 2:30 p.m. — Public Library, 102 W. 4th, Ottumwa
• 4:15 p.m. — Bloomfield-Davis County Hospital, 509 N. Madison, Bloomfield

September 5

• 11:30 a.m. — Village Cup & Cakes, 220 Main St., Keosauqua
• 1:45 p.m. — Centerville-Mercy Hospital, 1 St. Joseph Dr., Centerville
• 3:15 p.m. — Wayne County Hospital, 417 S. East St., Corydon

September 12

• 2:00 p.m. — Public Library Round Room, 210 N. 5th St., Keokuk

And thanks to promises from conservative groups to stack meetings with activists in order to disrupt health-care town halls and other events, when Congressmen return to their districts to meet with constituents they expect to receive a rowdy reception.

Iowa’s Congressional delegation is no different. All five Congressmen and both Senators will hold town hall forums across the state, many focused exclusively on health care. While several have not finalized their August schedule, all are aware of the publicity surrounding raucous meetings in other states.

On the conservative blog Iowa Defense Alliance, blogger Albert Bregar describes a town hall forum in Knoxville held by Rep. Leonard Boswell that became heated over energy policy.

Jane Slusark, Boswell’s press secretary, said that the congressman has had no problems at any forums held so far.

“Congressman [Boswell] is using his time in the district to engage with his constituents on the issues that matter to them most,” Slusark said. “We are fortunate that the people who have come out to listen and talk with the Congressman have been respectful and interested in having a constructive conversation.”

Democrats say conservative groups are engaging in “astroturfing,” or creating the appearance of grass roots opposition when none exist.

The Democratic National Committee produced a Web ad connecting the town hall disturbances with conspiracy theorists known as birthers and the TEA Party movement, a faux grassroots uprising sponsored by conservative organizations like former Republican U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey’s FreedomWorks.

A leaked memo from Bob MacGuffie, a volunteer with the FreedomWorks Web site “Tea Party Patriots,” describes how members should infiltrate town hall meetings and harass and intimidate Democratic members of Congress:

Spread out in the hall and try to be in the front half. The objective is to put thle Rep on the defensive with your questions and follow-up … You need to rock-the-boat early in the Rep’s presentation. Watch for an opportunity to yell out and challenge the Rep’s statements early. If he blames Bush for something or offers other excuses — call him on it, yell back and have someone else follow-up with a shout-out … The goal is to rattle him …”

In response, pro-reform groups have begun an effort of their own to get supporters to meetings. A strategy memo from the group Health Care for America Now encourages members to attend forums and advises activists on how to respond to an anti-reform disruption.

While several have not made their August schedule public, below is a list of what promises to be spirited forums being held by Iowa’s delegation this month:

Rep. Leonard Boswell (full August schedule not yet public)

Thursday, Aug. 13
2 to 3 p.m.
Sigourney Listening Post on Health Care
Sigourney Public Library
720 East Jackson St.
Sigourney, Iowa

Rep. Bruce Braley

Tuesday, Aug. 18
2 p.m.
Jackson County Regional Health Center
700 W. Grove Street
Maquoketa, Iowa

Wednesday, Aug. 19
10:00am
Fayette Congress on Your Corner (one-on-one meetings with Rep. Braley)
Upper Iowa University
Garbee Hall, Fayette/Upper Iowa Room
605 Washington St
Fayette, Iowa

1:30 p.m.
Buchanan County Healthcare Town Hall
Independence Library
805 1st Street E
Independence, Iowa

Wednesday, Aug. 26
1 p.m.
Butler County Healthcare Town Hall
Aplington-Parkersburg Middle School
215 10th Street
Aplington, Iowa

3 p.m.
Bremer County Healthcare Town Hall
Waverly Health Center
Rooftop Garden
312 9th Street SW
Waverly, Iowa

Monday, Aug. 31
10 a.m.
Clinton County Healthcare Town Hall
Ashford University
Durgin Center
400 North Bluff Blvd.
Clinton, Iowa

Rep. Dave Loebsack

Saturday, Aug. 15
9:30 a.m.
Kirkwood Community College
6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Noon
Civic Center
307 East Monroe Street
Mount Pleasant, Iowa

2 p.m.
City Hall Council Chambers
811 Avenue E
Fort Madison, Iowa

3:30 p.m.
City Hall Council Chambers
400 Washington Street
Burlington, Iowa

Saturday, Aug. 22
10 a.m.
Public Library
123 S. Linn St.
Iowa City, Iowa

11:45 a.m.
Cedar County Extension
107 Cedar Street
Tipton, Iowa

2 p.m.
City Hall Council Chambers
215 Sycamore Street
Muscatine, Iowa

4 p.m.
City Hall Council Chambers
232 2nd Street
Columbus Junction, Iowa

Saturday, Aug. 29
10:30 a.m.
Public Library
120 East Main Street
Washington, Iowa

1 p.m.
Fairfield Public Library
104 W. Adams St.
Fairfield, Iowa

2:30 p.m.
Ottumwa Public Library
102 W. Fourth
Ottumwa, Iowa

4:15 p.m.
Bloomfield- Davis County Hospital
509 N. Madison
Bloomfield, Iowa

Rep. Tom Latham
August schedule not available.

Rep. Steve King
August schedule not available.

Sen. Tom Harkin (full schedule not finalized)

Saturday, Aug. 8
2 p.m.
Des Moines Primary Health Care
1200 University Ave.
Des Moines, Iowa

Monday, Aug. 10
9:15 a.m.
Peoples Community Health Center
905 Franklin St.
Waterloo, Iowa

11:30 a.m.
Linn Community Care Center
1201 3rd Ave. SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Tuesday, Aug. 11
9 a.m.
Scott Community College
500 Belmont Road
Bettendorf, Iowa

Wednesday, Aug. 12
1:30 p.m.
Ft. Dodge Community Health Center
126 N. 10th Street
Fort Dodge, Iowa

3:30 p.m.
Main Street Visit
602 Broad St.
Story City, Iowa

Thursday, Aug. 13
5:45 p.m.
Parker Opera House, Park Inn Hotel, & Lundberg Building
7 North Federal Ave
Mason City, Iowa

Sen. Chuck Grassley

Wednesday, Aug. 12
9:15 to 10:15 a.m.
Winterset Public Library
123 North 2nd St.
Winterset, Iowa

11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Afton City Hall Council Chambers
115 East Kansas St.
Afton, Iowa

2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Panora Community Center
115 West Main St.
Panora, Iowa

4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Adel Public Library
303 South 10th St.
Adel, Iowa

Monday, Aug. 24
9 to 10 a.m.
Rustix Restaurant
716 Sumner Ave.
Humbolt, Iowa

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Ruthven Social Center
1503 Rolling St.
Ruthven, Iowa

2 to 3 p.m.
Pocahontas Public Library
12 2nd Ave. NW
Pocahontas, Iowa

4:25 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
Rockwell City Community Center on the Square
424 Main St.
Rockwell City, Iowa

Wednesday, Aug. 26
10:15 to 11:15 a.m.
Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor
14 5th Ave. NW
LeMars, Iowa

12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Sanford Museum
116 E. Willow St.
Cherokee, Iowa

2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Ida County Community REC Center
311 Barnes St.
Ida Grove, Iowa

Thursday, Aug. 27
8 to 9 a.m.
Emmet County Farm Bureau
421 1st Ave. N
Estherville, Iowa

10 to 11 a.m.
Sami Bedell Center for the Performing Arts
612 28th St.
Spirit Lake, Iowa

Noon to 1 p.m.
Merry Lanes
945 3rd Ave.
Sibley, Iowa

1:45 to 2:45 p.m.
George North Community Room
115 S. Main St.
George, Iowa

According to a joint press release by U.S. Reps. Bruce Braley (Waterloo), Leonard Boswell (Des Moines) and Dave Loebsack (Mt. Vernon), the three have helped negotiate a compromise to health care reform that will effectively mandate a government move to a quality-centric payment system following a two-year study period.

The full press release is below:

Washington, DC – Reps. Leonard Boswell, Dave Loebsack, and Bruce Braley today announced a major breakthrough on the issue of Medicare payment reform as the healthcare reform debate continues to intensify in Congress.  Boswell, Loebsack, and Braley have been outspoken advocates for changing the way Medicare pays healthcare providers for services, from its current fee-for-service system into a quality and value-based system.

Boswell, Loebsack, and Braley helped negotiate a compromise adding language to the healthcare reform bill changing Medicare to a quality-based payment system in two years.  Specifically, the compromise would (1) require Medicare to conduct a two-year study on a value-based system, and (2) at the end of the two year study period, Medicare would switch to a quality-based system unless Congress specifically cast a vote to disallow that change.

“This compromise represents a major breakthrough in healthcare reform that will save taxpayers billions of dollars and reduce costly, unneeded procedures that don’t improve patient outcomes,” Congressman Braley said. “Our healthcare system should reward the best care.  A quality-based approach for Medicare will reduce costs to taxpayers and increase the quality of care for everyone, all while rewarding doctors in states like Iowa who provide the most efficient and effective healthcare.

“This issue has been a top concern of mine since I first entered Congress,” said Congressman Boswell. “This is a significant step forward for our state and the prospects of bringing real reform to our health care system.  I am pleased to have worked with my colleagues from Iowa on this massive fix and I am eager to see the final version of the bill.”

“Fixing the broken Medicare system so that our patients receive the highest quality care is critical to reforming the way health care works in this country,” said Congressman Loebsack. “By rewarding quality, we help ensure that patients are diagnosed correctly, are not forced to undergo unnecessary procedures, and have access to quality health care providers. It’s about time we rewarded care based on quality, not quantity.”

Medicare currently operates under a fee-for-service system, basing payments to doctors and hospitals on the amount of procedures completed and the number of patients seen.  This system creates a financial incentive to order more and more procedures.  Ironically, according to many studies, this increased number of procedures does not result in better outcomes for patients.

Boswell, Loebsack, and Braley have strongly advocated a switch to a Medicare payment system based on value and quality, which determines payments based on procedures’ effect on patient health.  In June, Rep. Braley introduced the Medicare Payment Improvement Act with Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI).  Reps. Boswell and Loebsack are co-sponsors of the legislation.  The bill would have required Medicare to switch to a quality-based payment system, outlining specific details on how to measure quality and value.