Senate Update
February 09, 2010:The Senate will convene at 2:00 p.m. and debate concurrently the nominations of Joseph Greenaway (U.S. Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit) and Craig Becker (Member of the National Labor Relations Board).
February 9, 2010
Harkin Once Again at White House As First Lady Announces Task Force to Combat Childhood Obesity
by Harkin Press Staff
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), today attended a meeting at the White House with First Lady Michelle Obama, Cabinet members, business leaders and others on the growing problem of childhood obesity. In 2008, Harkin spearheaded an effort to create the nation’s first federal interagency task force responsible for developing a national strategy for combating obesity. The task force announced today was modeled after legislation introduced by Harkin and others, the Federal Obesity Prevention Act of 2008, which aimed to create a federal interagency taskforce responsible for developing a national strategy for combating obesity across America.
“Childhood obesity is more than a threat to a generation -- it is a public health crisis, and one that promises to send our already high health care costs soaring. I commend the First Lady for recognizing the urgency of the problem,” said Harkin.
“I am particularly pleased to see the creation of a Task Force to combat childhood obesity with coordinated, sustained federal leadership. It’s time to bring the federal government and the private sector together with families, communities and schools to develop a roadmap for a healthier America. The increasing urgency of this situation calls for an integrated strategy that employs real solutions to curb obesity and improve the health of our children.”
Harkin is Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and a full list of Harkin initiatives aimed at fighting childhood obesity can be found here: http://harkin.senate.gov/documents/pdf/4b61e554c2bda.pdf.
February 2, 2010
Harkin, First Lady Discuss Childhood Obesity Epidemic Today
Today Senator Harkin joined First Lady Michelle Obama to begin a dialogue about how we can reduce the growing problem of childhood obesity in our country. Senator Harkin traveled to the White House with Agriculture Secretary Vilsack, Education Secretary Duncan and Health and Human Services Secretary Sebelius along with a bipartisan group of lawmakers.
January 28, 2010
We Must Work Together To Fight Childhood Obesity
Earlier today, U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin released a report showing what we have known for far too long - that bad eating habits and physical inactivity are causing America’s children to be more obese and unhealthy than ever before. In fact, it is predicted that one in three children born today will develop type II diabetes, while many others will suffer severe health complications throughout their life. This is a trend that we can, and must, reverse.
January 19, 2010
A Small Victory Amidst Disaster In Haiti
So many of the images coming out of Haiti have been devastating, but today we learned some good news. Matt and Mandy Poulter are on their way back to Iowa with their adopted daughter, Maya, who had been living in an orphanage in Haiti. Last April, the Poulter’s legally adopted her and were only waiting to get a passport and visa to bring her to the U.S. when the devastating earthquake struck.
December 21, 2009
In Latest Procedural Motion, Senate Achieves Votes To Pass Health Reform
In the early hours this morning, the Senate overcame the Republican obstructionism and paved the way for passage of comprehensive health reform that will give every American the quality, affordable health care they need and they deserve.
December 6, 2009
Stories Of The Uninsured And Underinsured In Iowa
Listening to stories from around Iowa of the uninsured and the underinsured shows that the American people don’t fear change in health care. They fear the status quo: being denied coverage because they or a loved one have a preexisting condition or being dropped by their health insurance company because they get cancer or chronic heart disease. They fear that if they get a serious illness, they will have to go to war with their insurance company in order to get it to pay the bills or that they will bump up against their policy’s annual or lifetime payment cap and will be forced into bankruptcy.
December 4, 2009
Senator Harkin’s Holiday Message To The Troops
Tom gives his holiday message to the troops serving abroad
December 3, 2009
Industry Funded Report Is More Of The Same False Attacks On Real Health Care Reform
Today the health insurance industry released yet another report that claims insurance premiums will rise under the Senate hearth reform bill, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This study’s “findings” are far from the truth. In fact, the findings go against a report from the non-partisan, independent Congressional Budget Office (CBO), which shows that the bill will result in savings of 14 to 20 percent for Americans purchasing coverage on their own by creating more competition in the health insurance industry and lowering administrative costs. In my home state of Iowa, individuals will save from $148 to $355 annually and Iowa families will save between $960 to $1,177 on their health insurance premiums.
November 19, 2009
The Senate Health Reform Measure is a ‘Good Deal for America’
Today, the benefits of the Senate health reform proposal came into focus. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act provides needed insurance reforms, provides health insurance for some 94 percent of Americans and increases access to prevention and wellness so that we keep people well, rather than treat them once they become sick.
November 10, 2009
In Iowa’s Interest: Taking Care of Those Who Protect and Serve Our Nation
Each year on Veteran’s Day we honor those soldiers who have served and protected our country. As we think of our loved ones now gone and salute those among us who have served in the nation’s armed forces, let us also remember to honor our veterans in practical ways, by ensuring that they receive the benefits and recognition that they have earned. As President Abraham Lincoln said in his Second Inaugural Address: “Let us care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan,” and let us never forget those who “laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.”
October 23, 2009
Food Safety Reform Gains Momentum Following HELP Hearing
We’re all familiar with the stories: food outbreaks linked to spinach, peppers, peanut products, and cookie dough. These outbreaks have sickened far too many Americans and made two things clear: our current regulatory system does not adequately protect Americans from serious, widespread food-borne illnesses and the dangers associated with food-borne outbreaks are profound.
