Iowa

October 8, 2009 -- Washington, DC – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that Iowa’s State Energy Program has been awarded $20 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to reduce energy use and create jobs throughout Iowa. The funds will be used to expand the Building Energy Smart Iowa Program under the Iowa Office of Energy Independence (OEI), which is focused on increasing energy efficiency.

These Recovery Act dollars are in addition to the $20 million that was awarded to Iowa for this program earlier in the year. Harkin is a senior member of the Appropriations Committee that helped to shape the Recovery Act.    » read more »

Fixing The Medicare Inequities In Iowa

October 8, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension (HELP) Committee, today issued the following statement on a new report showing state-by-state disparities in health care. The Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System’s second state scorecard showed the cost and quality of health care, as well as access to care and health outcomes, continue to vary widely among states.    » read more »

October 7, 2009 -- DES MOINES – During a press availability at the State Capitol, Iowa Governor Chet Culver spoke with reporters regarding today’s Revenue Estimating Conference report, which projected an 8.4% decline in revenue. The following is a transcript of the Governor’s statement.

“The unanimous decision by the Revenue Estimating Conference today confirms my belief that the national economic recession continues to have a significant negative effect on our state’s economy. This great recession was caused by bad policies in Washington D.C., and bad practices on Wall Street.

“Today’s REC figures are a stark reminder of the impact this recession is having on our state, and on every state across the nation.

“Let’s review the status of Iowa’s budget:    » read more »

Federal Recovery-funded projects help create jobs, improve infrastructure

October 6, 2009 -- DES MOINES – Iowa Governor Chet Culver has announced that nine highway infrastructure projects statewide, worth more than $5.7 million, have been let by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT).

These projects are funded in total or part through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). Acceptance of the low-bid proposals and awarding of contracts are contingent upon final approval by the respective city or county governments.    » read more »

September 30, 2009 -- “Low income Iowans have been hit particularly hard by this recession, and these grants will help provide the support they need to get back on their feet” said Senator Tom Harkin. “As they recover, the American economy recovers. This funding will help Iowa families regain their financial security.”

The purpose of the Strengthening Communities Fund (SCF) is to improve the ability of non-profit organizations to promote the economic recovery of people with low-incomes. SCF is comprised of two programs, both of which will boost the ability of community and faith-based organizations to handle the broad economic recovery issues in their communities, including job training and retention and access to state and Federal benefits.    » read more »

New projects approved by Economic Development Board

September 17, 2009 -- DES MOINES – Iowa Governor Chet Culver has hailed new initiatives to strengthen Iowa’s economy by developing new job opportunities and entrepreneurial innovations across the state. The Economic Development Board and Iowa Department of Economic Development approved multiple initiatives today with wide-ranging impact on the state’s economy. Businesses are planning more than $26 million in new capital investments, creating and retaining 336 jobs. In addition, five companies are bringing innovative products to market; others are developing skilled workers.    » read more »

DOT Commission approves $34 million in I-JOBS Bridge projects; $1.6 million in RISE grant funding through I-JOBS

September 15, 2009 -- AMES – Iowa Governor Culver announced today that the Iowa Transportation Commission has added $34 million in bridge projects to the state’s Transportation Improvement Program, a direct result of the Culver/Judge Administration’s I-JOBS initiative.    » read more »

August 31, 2009 -- DES MOINES – Iowa Governor Chet Culver announced this afternoon that U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has declared 22 Iowa counties as disaster areas. On August 12, Governor Culver wrote Secretary Vilsack requesting a Secretarial Disaster Designation following damage to plants and significant production losses due to severe storms between May 15 and July 31, 2009.    » read more »

August 31, 2009 -- WATERLOO – Fifty-eight initiatives in 33 counties around Iowa will receive I-JOBS funds to improve public buildings, rebuild after natural disasters and construct infrastructure projects to prevent future disasters, following approval today from the I-JOBS Board of Directors. The approved projects represent $118.5 million in grants, the entire amount the I-JOBS Board was charged with awarding.    » read more »

Funds will create or retain nearly 1,000 affordable housing units, support construction jobs

August 28, 2009 -- DES MOINES – Iowa Governor Chet Culver today announced nearly $75 million in funding to 16 affordable housing projects that aid in the preservation or construction of nearly 1,000 housing units throughout the state. The awards were made through a combination of the Culver/Judge I-JOBS initiative, the federal American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the Iowa Housing Tax Credit Program.    » read more »

Federal recovery-funded projects create jobs, improve infrastructure

July 8, 2009 -- DES MOINES – Today, Iowa Governor Chet Culver announced that $16.6 million in infrastructure projects – including one county road project valued at $1.4 million and three state highway projects at $15.2 million – have been let by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT).

These projects are funded in total or part through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). Acceptance of the low-bid proposals and awarding of contracts is contingent upon final approval of the respective parties. These projects were let by the Iowa DOT on June 30, 2009.    » read more »

Funding Will Speed Adoption of Efficiency and Renewable Energy Technologies

June 22, 2009 -- Des Moines, IA – U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced more than $16 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding to support energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in Iowa. Under DOE’s State Energy Program, states have proposed statewide plans that prioritize energy savings, create or retain jobs, increase the use of renewable energy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This initiative is part of the Obama Administration’s national strategy to support job growth, while making a historic down payment on clean energy.    » read more »

Harkin: "The American people want energy independence and Iowa is poised to deliver it."

June 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today applauded Energy Secretary Steven Chu’s decision to grant more than $16 million in federal dollars to the state of Iowa to support energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

Using funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Iowa's Office of Energy Independence will award grants for training and information projects designed to increase Iowa's capacity for energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements. The announcement was made by Energy Secretary Chu at a meeting held this morning in Des Moines.    » read more »

Secretary Chu Presents State $16 Million in ARRA Energy Funds

June 22, 2009 -- DES MOINES – Iowa Governor Chet Culver said today that Iowa will continue to be a national leader in wind energy and biofuels, and the creation of ‘green collar jobs,’ thanks in part to the support of President Obama’s federal economic recovery program. U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu was in Des Moines today to present Iowa with $16 million in State Energy Program funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.    » read more »

June 19, 2009 -- DES MOINES – Iowa Governor Chet Culver responded to the latest unemployment figures released today. Iowa Workforce Development announced that the state’s unemployment rate for May was 5.8%, up from 5.1% in April.

Governor Culver’s Statement:

"Iowa's latest unemployment figures are one more sign of the impact the national economic recession is having on our state. Throughout this recession, I have directed Iowa Workforce Development to do everything possible to help Iowans who lose their jobs. And I am proud that Iowa was the first state in the nation to make improvements, under President Obama’s federal recovery program, to our unemployment insurance program to provide people with extra help and support in order to find new jobs.    » read more »