Tom Harkin

2007 Farm Bill Passes with Broad Support, Heads to Conference with House

December 14, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate today passed by an overwhelming majority the 2007 farm bill, The Food and Energy Security Act. The measure continues and improves farm income protection and makes historic investments for the future in energy, conservation, nutrition and rural development initiatives – all while staying within strict budget limits.    » read more »

Legislation heading to President's desk includes Harkin's push for more support for Guard & Reserve families, better health care for members of the armed forces, and pay raise for soldiers

December 14, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Senate today approved a national defense bill that includes Senator Tom Harkin’s (D-IA) provisions aimed at caring for members of the armed forces and their families.    » read more »

Legislation seeks to help families hit by sudden mortgage crisis keep their homes

December 14, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today voted with his colleagues to help homeowners facing foreclosure obtain safe and affordable home loans under the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Modernization Act of 2007. This bill will also protect future homebuyers by helping them obtain more reasonable mortgage contracts. An estimated two million households across the country may lose their homes due to foreclosure between 2007 and 2008.    » read more »

Senate Bill Addresses Huge Mortgage Crisis

December 12, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today joined his colleagues to take federal action to curb the predatory mortgage abuses imposed on working families. The Homeownership Preservation and Protection Act of 2007 requires accountability by mortgage lenders, makes deceptive loan practices illegal, and provides adequate oversight to ensure the industry is acting accordingly.    » read more »

Identify Failing Nursing Homes; 128 Nursing Homes are Currently Under Review for Poor Performance

December 12, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Barack Obama (D-IL), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent the following letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt, calling on him to immediately release a list of 128 nursing homes that are being scrutinized for providing poor care.    » read more »

December 11, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today made the following statement in response to President Bush’s speech discussing the results of the Monitoring of the Future Survey, commissioned by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), showing a drop in teen drug abuse except in the cases of prescription painkillers like OxyContin and Vicodin. Harkin’s health and education appropriations subcommittee funds NIDA.    » read more »

Bill incorporates Obama/Harkin proposals on RFS, Carbon Fuels Standard

December 6, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Barack Obama (D-IL) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) praised the agreement on energy legislation reached by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as an important step toward diversifying the country’s energy supply and strengthening the economy of rural America.    » read more »

Amendment to be offered to Senate farm bill has broad support

December 4, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. – Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today announced that they plan to offer an amendment to the pending Senate farm bill to update decades-old nutrition standards in schools.    » read more »

November 26, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today released the following statement on TPI Composites’ announcement that it will open a wind blade manufacturing facility in Newton. TPI’s new plant is expected to create about 500 jobs.

“Today’s announcement is another indicator that the city of Newton is alive and well. This community has seen some dark days, but residents and local leaders have shown the power of perseverance as they continue to attract new businesses and job opportunities.    » read more »

November 20, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today made the following statement in reference to scientists who have turned human skin cells into embryonic stem cells without using embryos. The findings are published online today in Science, in a paper written by Dr. James Thomson and his colleagues at the University of Wisconsin.    » read more »

Critical Increases in Nutrition Assistance Languish in Senate as Iowa Food Insecurity Rate More Than 11 Percent

November 20, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the Thanksgiving holiday just days away, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today said that President Bush should follow up on his visit to a Virginia food bank this week and intervene to end obstruction of the new farm bill by members of his own party. The new legislation contains billions of dollars in critically-needed new food assistance for low-income families in Iowa and across the nation.    » read more »

November 16, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today issued the following statement after a cloture vote on the farm bill failed today in the Senate. The motion would have allowed the bill to proceed in the Senate after almost two weeks on the floor without action.    » read more »

Specter, Harkin Compel Mine Owner to Testify

Washington, D.C. -- November 16, 2007 - The Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) today issued a subpoena for Robert E. Murray, CEO of Murray Energy to testify before the Subcommittee on December 4, at 10am. Murray Energy owns the Crandall Canyon mine in Utah which collapsed in August, killing six miners. Three rescuers died while attempting to reach the miners.    » read more »

November 14, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today issued the following statement after Senate Majority Leader Reid filed cloture on the Senate farm bill.

“It is frustrating and perplexing that we cannot move such a strong, bipartisan measure that came out of Committee without a dissenting vote. We cannot give up on this bill. Rural America, farming families and the nation are waiting. The Senate’s Republican leadership cannot be allowed to throw up obstacles to delay this measure.    » read more »

November 14, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that workers from First Choice Distribution, who provided engineering support services on site at Newton’s Maytag plant, will be eligible for job training assistance through the Trade Adjustment Assistance Act. First Choice Distribution workers who lost employment on or after October 26, 2006 due to the Maytag plant’s closure can receive counseling, job-search assistance, out-of-area job-search and relocation allowances, and income support. Today’s announcement expands upon the U.S.    » read more »