Thursday, August 7, 2008
Spencer, Storm Lake and Primghar
On August 7, I traveled to Spencer in the morning where I visited the Family Table Restaurant. There I was able to speak with local officials on a wide range of issues. In particular we discussed what it will take it change the sewer system in Spencer, but we also discussed a whole range of issues including farming, flooding and renewable energy.
I continued on to Storm Lake where I stopped at Buena Vista University and spoke to teachers and other members of the Iowa State Education Association (ISEA) about the next steps that we have to take in education. I have fought hard to get the federal resources teachers and principals need to meet the demands of the No Child Left Behind law. The law has been underfunded for years and the time has come to get dollars to school districts so they can meet the needs of Iowa kids. We must also reduce class sizes, and increasing grants for professional development so that that we leave no teacher behind. We also discussed some of the problems that exist in Iowa’s education system. For example, we have one of the highest education rates, but for black and Latino children it is barely fifty percent. I believe we can tackle all of these issues if we work together to make sure education is a top priority in the federal budget.
Later, I attended the groundbreaking for the new home of the Storm Lake United Community Health Center. This is one of the 13 federally funded community health centers in Iowa. These centers provide vital services for Iowans who are insured and especially for those who are uninsured. I’ve watched this particular health center grow and blossom into a very important part of the Storm Lake community. I’ve worked hard to secure a total of $430,000 since 2005 to expand and improve the facility and am thrilled that they are beginning construction on a new home for this great group of medical professionals.
At the end of the day I stopped at Pizza Ranch in Primghar. Here I met with local residents and we discussed their concerns. Our conversations ranged from how to fix our broken health care system to how to tackle our nation’s addiction to oil by harnessing the potential of renewable energy. This is a solution that can make our nation energy independent, but also boost our state’s economy and create wealth in communities of all sizes. I enjoyed chatting with the folks who stopped by to meet with me and I plan to take their ideas and concerns back to Washington.
