Tom Harkin

June 17, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) released the following statement today regarding President Barack Obama’s proposal to reform and regulate the financial markets:

“In the aftermath of the near meltdown of our financial sector and the deep recession it caused, it is painfully clear we must reform oversight of the financial system in order to rebuild our economy on a sound foundation. I commend the President for taking action in making today’s proposal. As we move forward, it is critical to enact additional reforms not covered in today’s outline and to make sure those reforms are vigorously carried out and enforced.    » read more »

Harmonization of Organic Standards Between the Two Countries Will Boost U.S. Producers' Access to $2.6 Billion Canadian Market

June 17, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, released the following statement today applauding an announcement made by Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan regarding a new agreement reached between the United States and Canada that will expand opportunities for organic farmers in both countries.    » read more »

Letter urges Secretary of State Clinton to be a proponent of treaty to regulate interstate transfer of weapons

June 17, 2009 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and seven of her Senate colleagues are urging Secretary of State Clinton to be a strong proponent of an international Arms Trade Treaty to regulate the interstate transfer of conventional weapons.

The second session of the UN Open Ended Working Group (OEWG) on the Arms Trade Treaty is scheduled to convene at the United Nations next month. The Working Group is tasked with creating international regulations on the export, import and international transfer of arms to help prevents the flow of weapons to world conflict zones.    » read more »

Senators, Public Health Community & Restaurant Industry Reach Historic Agreement to Provide Nutrition Information at Chain Restaurants

June 10, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – A bipartisan coalition of senators on the Senate healthcare committees, as well as numerous public health organizations and the restaurant industry today announced an agreement that would require chain restaurants to list calories on their menus and menu boards.

The compromise combines key elements of the Menu Education and Labeling (MEAL) Act, sponsored by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and the Labeling Education and Nutrition (LEAN) Act, sponsored by Senators Tom Carper (D-DE) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).    » read more »

Harkin Announces Nearly $13.5 Million In FEMA Flood Recovery Funds For Benton, Louisa, Des Moines Counties And Cedar Rapids

June 9, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded Benton, Des Moines Counties, and the City of Cedar Rapids a total of $13,341,245.73 in federal grants to reimburse expenses caused by this past summer’s flooding. Today’s announcement is another step in the continuing process of rebuilding in the state.    » read more »

Statement By Senator Harkin At The Hearing To Examine The Us Department Of Health And Human Services Budget

June 9, 2009 -- “Madam Secretary, I welcome you to your first hearing with this Subcommittee.

“You have a challenging job ahead of you – arguably the most challenging job in the cabinet. Your responsibilities include not only comprehensive health reform, preparing for a possible pandemic influenza, and addressing the costs of entitlements, but also biomedical research, substance abuse prevention, drug safety, and providing health-care services to many of our most vulnerable citizens. I am not quite sure whether to congratulate you, or commiserate with you. But I certainly look forward to working with you cooperatively in any way I can.    » read more »

Harkin Announces $600,000 For Rural Development Projects In Kossuth And Pocahontas Counties

June 9, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that $600,000 in grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be coming to Iowa for two economic development projects.

The USDA Rural Development project funds will provide grants to rural utilities program borrowers, which will be used to benefit the Kossuth Regional Health Center and the Pocahontas Area Community School District. Harkin is Chairman of Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.    » read more »

June 8, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, applauded an announcement today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that action has been taken – under the directive of President Obama – to expedite the release of new money to promote the production and use of biofuels. These funds were mandated in the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008, the farm bill, under Harkin’s leadership.    » read more »

June 3, 2009 -- “Good morning. The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education will now come to order.

“I want to start by welcoming Secretary Duncan. I have met Mr. Duncan a few times now, and I chaired his confirmation hearing on the HELP Committee, but this is his first appearance before this subcommittee. So today, Mr. Secretary, we get to talk about money.

“Every year when Congress considers the President’s budget, you hear people say it’s a critical moment in the Nation’s history. In hindsight, some of those moments were probably more important than others. But I would submit that when it comes to education, this is truly one of them.    » read more »

June 2, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today applauded Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack’s announcement that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide $755,000 in funding for the Bear Creek Watershed Project in Winneshiek County. The funds are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, the Recovery Act, and will help to provide the financial and technical assistance necessary to construct flood control dams in the area.

Harkin is Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry as well as a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and helped to secure these funds in the final version of the Recovery Act.    » read more »

June 1, 2009 -- Washington, DC – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today applauded Education Secretary Arne Duncan’s release of $316 million in education funding for Iowa. The funding was included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Economic Recovery package, and is part of the more than $400 million initial investment in education initiatives across the state.

Today’s funding is being made available per Iowa’s successful completion of Part 1 of the State Stabilization Application, which was made available on April 1st. The state will be eligible to apply for another $156 million this fall.    » read more »

June 1, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced a total of $649,792 in funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has been released to Iowa for medical research. With the passage of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA), the Economic Recovery Package, Senator Harkin was able to secure more than $10.4 billion for medical research across the United States. NIH funds biomedical research and research training at more than 3,000 institutions in the fifty states and territories.    » read more »

May 29, 2009 -- HARKIN Washington, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that a total of $1,334,016 has been awarded to eight AmeriCorps programs across Iowa. This competitive funding comes from the Corporation for National and Community Service. Harkin has been a long time supporter of AmeriCorps and is the Chairman of the panel that funds these initiatives.

“AmeriCorps members across Iowa are helping meet critical local needs and strengthening our communities,” said Harkin. “I congratulate all of the important organizations on receiving these grants and commend all of those who have served their state, and country, by joining AmeriCorps.”

Details of the grants are below.    » read more »

May 28, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, released the following statement regarding the report outlining a broadband internet strategy for rural America released today by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in conjunction with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).    » read more »

May 28, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that almost half of the $20 million appropriated nationally for repairs and rehabilitation of railroad infrastructure damaged during natural disasters will go to Iowa. $9,599,243 will go to the Iowa Department of Transportation through the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Railroad Rehabilitation and Repair Program to reimburse short line and regional railroads for three projects in the state. Harkin is a senior member of the Senate Subcommittee that funds transportation initiatives.    » read more »