July 21, 2011
Senator Harkin describes how most Republicans in Congress continue to reject any balanced approach to bringing deficits under control. Instead, they are pushing their so-called "Cut, Cap, and Balance bill", which he says should be called the "Cut, Cap, and Kill Medicare bill," because it's most obvious consequence would be dismantling Medicare, along with draconian cuts to Social Security, education, and other programs that undergird the middle class.
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July 14, 2011
Senator Harkin discussed a hearing in the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee exploring ways to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities. This month marks the 21st anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the landmark civil rights law that has played a huge role in making our country more accessible and creating new opportunities for people with disabilities.
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June 30, 2011
Senator Harkin discussed his tour Monday, June 27th, of flood fighting efforts underway in Sioux City, Council Bluffs and Hamburg as well as his work to help secure Monday's presidential disaster declaration for six counties hardest hit by flooding.
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June 23, 2011
Senator Harkin discussed the second in a series of hearings focusing on the struggling middle class. This morning, the Senate HELP Committee was scheduled to hear moving testimony from Amanda Greubel, a mother from DeWitt, Iowa.
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June 16, 2011
Senator Harkin discussed the economic impact and the legacy of deficits that follow the massive tax cuts of the Bush Presidency.
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June 9, 2011
Senator Harkin discussed his hearing this week in the Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee entitled "Drowning in Debt: Financial Outcomes of Students at For-Profit Colleges." The hearing was the fifth in a series examining the for-profit college industry. During the proceedings, Eric Schmitt, a resident of Hampton, Iowa and graduate of Kaplan University in Cedar Falls, testified about the difficulties he has encountered in searching for a job related to his paralegal degree, and the difficult task of repaying the $45,000 loan he needed to complete his studies.
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May 26, 2011
Senator Harkin discussed the Senate vote against a budget proposal that would cut taxes for millionaires while eliminating Medicare and slashing investments in education and other areas. Harkin called for deficit reduction in a balanced way that includes spending cuts and necessary revenue increases, while continuing to make crucial investments in education, infrastructure, and research.
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Duration: 2 minutes 34 seconds
May 17, 2011
Senator Harkin discussed the proposed cuts to Medicare in the House-passed Republican "Ryan budget". According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, under this proposal, by the year 2030, seniors will have to pay two-thirds of the cost of their health insurance, meaning out-of-pocket costs will average more than $12,000 per person per year - more than double the current cost to seniors.
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May 12, 2011
Senator Harkin discussed the state of the middle class around the country and in Iowa. Earlier today, he chaired a hearing of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee entitled, "The Endangered Middle Class: Is the American Dream Slipping Out of Reach for American Families?"
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May 5, 2011
Senator Harkin talks about the budget debate in Washington and his opposition to the Republican budget- the so-called Ryan budget - that passed in the House last month and will soon be considered in the Senate. The bill takes a slash-and-burn approach to programs that benefit the middle class, dismantling Medicare and making drastic cuts to Medicaid and education, while at the same demanding trillions of dollars in tax cuts for large corporations and the wealthy.
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Duration: 3 minutes 19 seconds
April 14, 2011
Senator Harkin contrasted the House Republican budget proposal with President Clinton's approach in the 1990s, which created large surpluses, 22 million new jobs, and kept America's social safety net in tact. By comparison, the House proposal dismantles Medicare, raises costs on seniors and adds trillions to the deficit.
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Duration: 3 minutes 12 seconds
April 7, 2011
Senator Harkin talks about the budget negotiations, and on House Republican demands that Congress give huge, unaffordable tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy while cutting programs that serve the middle class and the most vulnerable people in our society, including seniors and people with disabilities.
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Duration: 4 minutes 28 seconds
March 17, 2011
Senator Harkin discussed the upcoming anniversary of the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, the health reform law, and the consumer protections it put in place. Senator Harkin will be in Iowa next week to mark the occasion.
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March 10, 2011
Senator Harkin discussed the contempt for working families displayed by Wisconsin Republican senators last night when they used a procedural maneuver to pass a bill restricting the state's public servants' ability to collectively bargain. Senator Harkin also expressed his hope that similar attacks on working people won't be successful in Iowa.
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Duration: 2 minutes 18 seconds
March 3, 2011
Senator Harkin discussed the competing principles at play in the effort to reduce the deficit. He contrasted Congressional Republicans' emphasis on tax breaks for the wealthy with the Democratic approach of balancing judicious spending cuts with necessary revenue increases.
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Duration: 2 minutes 51 seconds
February 18, 2011
Senator Harkin discussed the implications of the Republican House budget proposal on Iowa, and underlined the need to balance cuts in social services with revenue increases while also ending the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthiest two percent.
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Duration: 2 minutes 18 seconds
February 3, 2011
Senator Harkin discussed the need to reduce overall spending while opposing efforts to balance the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable members of society. Harkin also highlighted a field hearing he will hold on Saturday at the University of Northern Iowa, which will focus on budget priorities.
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January 6, 2011
Senator Harkin discussed the proposal he introduced yesterday to reduce gridlock by reforming the Senate's filibuster rule.
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December 16, 2010
Senator Harkin reviewed the legislative accomplishments of the 111th Congress, which Congressional expert Norm Ornstein called "one of the most productive in history." This Congress saw many long-term Harkin priorities passed into law, including the Child Nutrition bill, historic health reform legislation and tough new regulations on tobacco.
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Duration: 3 minutes 8 seconds
December 9, 2010
Senator Harkin discussed the deal announced earlier this week by President Obama to extend tax breaks to the wealthiest two percent of income-earners.
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Duration: 2 minutes 18 seconds
December 2, 2010
Senator Harkin contrasted his goal of preserving unemployment benefits for out- of-work Americans with the Republican goal of extending tax breaks for the country's wealthiest two percent.
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Duration: 2 minutes 37 seconds
November 18, 2010
Senator Harkin advocated for extending unemployment benefits for America's long term jobless, passing stalled legislation in Congress that would increase child nutrition and food safety, while contrasting that goal with the Republican priority of extending tax cuts for the country's wealthiest two percent.
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Duration: 5 minutes 32 seconds
September 30, 2010
Senator Harkin reviewed the record of the 111th Congress to date, including the Recovery Act, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Wall Street Reform bill, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, and others all in the face of unprecedented Republican obstruction.
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Duration: 4 minutes 12 seconds
September 24, 2010
Senator Harkin talks about a series of new consumer protections that take effect this week, six months after President Obama signed the health reform bill into law. The new rules ban many insurance company abuses and put consumers, not insurance companies, in control of their health care. Harkin, as Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, played a pivotal role in the bill's passage.
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Duration: 2 minutes 51 seconds
August 5, 2010
Senator Harkin described his sometimes lonely battle to prevent the largest layoff of public school teachers since the Great Depression. Yesterday, Harkin helped break a Republican filibuster to send his bill to the Senate Floor, where it will be voted on today.
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Duration: 3 minutes 18 seconds
July 29, 2010
Senator Harkin described his role as both authorizer and appropriator of health policy funds, and how the FY 2011 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill delivers on the promise of the health reform and with vital job creating assistance to Iowa.
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Duration: 2 minutes 27 seconds
July 22, 2010
Twenty years ago, Senator Harkin wrote and helped pass the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), landmark civil rights legislation that increased opportunities for millions of Americans. Senator Harkin discussed how the law has transformed America over the past twenty years.
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Duration: 3 minutes 20 seconds
July 15, 2010
Senator Harkin discussed the implementation of historic prevention and wellness efforts in the new health reform law, which he crafted. The new rules, which were issued yesterday by the Obama administration, eliminate co-pays on proven preventive services such as immunizations and cancer screenings, and will improve America's public health while lowering health care costs over the long term.
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Duration: 3 minutes 4 seconds
July 1, 2010
Senator Harkin discussed yesterday's failed vote to pass a six month extension of unemployment benefits. He talked about the importance of this funding for unemployed Americans and their families, as well as the benefits that that these federal dollars have on the overall economy.
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Duration: 2 minutes 54 seconds
June 24, 2010
Senator Harkin discussed the need for oversight in the for-profit education sector, which has grown astronomically in recent years and derives the majority of its profit from federal student loans. He also previewed today's hearing on the subject and a report that was released this morning by the HELP Committee.
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Duration: 3 minutes 41 seconds
June 17, 2010
Senator Harkin discussed how health reform is benefiting Iowans with tax-free, $250 checks for seniors affected by the Medicare Part D coverage gap, or 'donut hole,' that are currently hitting mailboxes. He also urged seniors to be aware of scam artists who are trying to take advantage of the situation.
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Duration: 1 minutes 49 seconds
June 10, 2010
Fifty two days after the Deepwater Horizon blowout, Senator Harkin discussed the lessons learned, the road ahead and the need to create a new energy future for the United States.
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Duration: 3 minutes 25 seconds
May 27, 2010
In light of the financial crisis, the BP oil spill and the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster, Senator Harkin underlined the need for Congress to provide a set of ground rules and oversight for our economy.
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Duration: 3 minutes 23 seconds
May 13, 2010
Senator Harkin reviewed the progress that has been made on the Wall Street reform bill that is currently being debated, and highlighted his amendment to rein in exorbitant ATM fees.
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Duration: 2 minutes 13 seconds
May 6, 2010
Senator Harkin related the story of Jack Gross, an Iowa native who was the victim of age discrimination in the workplace. Harkin discussed the need to protect older workers from discrimination and previewed this morning's HELP committee hearing on the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act.
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Duration: 3 minutes 46 seconds
April 29, 2010
Senator Harkin focused on the importance of protecting our workers and holding Wall Street accountable.
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Duration: 3 minutes 11 seconds
April 22, 2010
Senator Harkin discusses financial reform legislation and the need to bring the derivatives market out of the shadows.
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April 15, 2010
Senator Harkin discusses the need for an Education Jobs Fund, which he introduced yesterday, to stave off massive layoffs in schools around the country.
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Duration: 2 minutes 18 seconds
March 4, 2010
Senator Harkin discussed the momentum behind health reform, underlining for reporters that the time to enact comprehensive health reform legislation is now. He also talked about the HELP Committee's start of a series of hearings exploring the childhood obesity epidemic.
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Duration: 4 minutes 5 seconds
February 25, 2010
Senator Harkin discusses the President's bipartisan, bicameral summit on health reform and the chances of passing a comprehensive reform bill this year.
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Duration: 3 minutes 49 seconds
February 4, 2010
Senator Harkin discussed the Recovery Act's positive impact on the middle class and previewed his weekend schedule in Iowa.
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Duration: 3 minutes 13 seconds
January 28, 2010
Senator Harkin commented on last night's State of the Union address and the roadmap laid out by the President to rebuild our economy.
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Duration: 1 minutes 58 seconds
January 21, 2010
Today Senator Harkin chaired a hearing in the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee to examine options for continued economic recovery that will save or create jobs. Iowa Governor Chet Culver testified before the subcommittee saying that Iowa has used Recovery Act dollars to create thousands of new manufacturing jobs in the green energy sector and retain some 2,000 teachers.
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Duration: 1 minutes 57 seconds
December 23, 2009
Senator Tom Harkin made remarks today at a press conference following the Senate's passage of a motion to invoke cloture on the Senate health bill, removing the final barrier to its passage. Senator Harkin chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, one of two Senate committees tasked with crafting health reform legislation.
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December 17, 2009
Senator Harkin offers some historical perspective on the fight for health reform and makes the case for passing the bill.
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Duration: 3 minutes 9 seconds
December 10, 2009
Senator Harkin updated reporters on the steady progress being made towards passage of comprehensive health insurance reform legislation.
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Duration: 1 minutes 12 seconds
December 4, 2009
Senator Harkin discussed legislation that will impose a modest tax on Wall Street to slow speculation, help create jobs and pay down the deficit.
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Duration: 3 minutes 6 seconds
November 19, 2009
Senator Harkin discussed the Congressional Budget Office's (CBO) determination that the Senate health reform bill will reduce the deficit and cover 94 percent of Americans, while at the same time banning health insurance company abuses and providing a public option for states that opt in.
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Duration: 3 minutes 25 seconds
November 10, 2009
Senator Harkin discussed the momentum continuing to build following the House passage of a health reform bill, and detailed an investigation he launched last week into insurance company pricing practices for small businesses.
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Duration: 3 minutes 39 seconds
October 29, 2009
Senate Health Reform Proposal Includes Public Option And America's Retirement Security.
Senator Harkin gives an update on the merged health reform bill the Senate sent to CBO this week, which includes the public option Harkin's Committee passed earlier this year. He also previews today's HELP Committee hearing, "Pensions in Peril: Helping Workers Preserve Retirement Security Through a Recession."
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October 22, 2009
Tom talks gives an update on the H1N1 Flu virus and talks about food safety reform.
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October 15, 2009
How Health Reform Will Benefit Iowa's 65,000 Small Businesses
Senator Harkin discussed the many benefits that small businesses and the self employed stand to gain under proposed health reforms. Harkin also previewed his weekend schedule - he will be in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Waterloo meeting with small business owners to discuss the importance of easing the burden of health costs on their bottom line.
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Duration: 2 minutes 33 seconds
October 8, 2009
Harkin discussed how the story of native Iowan Jack Gross inspired the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act, which overturns a Supreme Court decision and restores vital civil rights protection to older workers.
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Duration: 3 minutes 19 seconds
October 1, 2009
Senator Harkin discusses the week's progress on health reform, and highlighted the service of Ray and Joanne Walton and Sherriff Gary and Sandy Launderville, Iowans who were named 'Angels in Adoption' for their advocacy and work on adoption issues.
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Duration: 2 minutes 38 seconds
September 24, 2009
Senator Harkin talks about the path ahead and the chances of passing comprehensive health reform this year.
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Duration: 3 minutes 5 seconds
September 17, 2009
Senator Harkin gives an update on the momentum building in Congress to pass a strong health reform bill.
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Duration: 3 minutes 35 seconds
September 10, 2009
Tom discusses health care reform.
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Duration: 3 minutes 31 seconds
August 6, 2009
Senator Harkin discusses the Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor. Tom also talks about his upcoming visits back home in Iowa.
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Duration: 2 minutes 7 seconds
July 23, 2009
Senator Harkin discussed the overall savings of the prevention efforts included in The Affordable Health Choices Act. Tom said that cost-effective screenings and up-front intervention efforts that can prevent tens of millions of occurrences of cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease will slash health care costs significantly.
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Duration: 3 minutes 46 seconds
July 16, 2009
Tom discussed Senate health committee passage of The Affordable Health Choices Act, landmark legislation that will reduce health costs, protect individuals' choice in doctors and plans and assure quality and affordable health care for all Americans.
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Duration: 3 minutes 0 seconds
July 9, 2009
Senator Harkin discussed the need for a strong public option in health care reform legislation to ensure competition and consumer choice.
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Duration: 2 minutes 17 seconds
June 18, 2009
Harkin discussed yesterday's HELP Committee consideration of the Affordable Health Choices Act and a letter he received signed by over 700 state legislators who support a public health care plan.
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Duration: 2 minutes 54 seconds
June 11, 2009
Senator Tom Harkin today praised the passage of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, legislation that will allow the FDA to regulate what tobacco companies put into their products for the first time and dramatically reduce the number of young Americans who become addicted to tobacco. In 1998, Harkin introduced the first comprehensive, bipartisan bill to give the FDA authority to regulate tobacco and was an original cosponsor of the legislation that passed today.
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Duration: 3 minutes 21 seconds
June 4, 2009
Harkin today discussed his role in crafting the wellness and prevention title of the HELP Committee's health reform legislation as well as the timeline for passing comprehensive health reform. He stressed the importance of putting wellness and disease prevention at the heart of the reform.
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Duration: 2 minutes 46 seconds
April 2, 2009
Harkin discusses legislation that provides tax credits to companies that offer wellness programs.
The Healthy Workforce Act is legislation that Tom will introduce, which will provide tax cuts to companies that provides comprehensive wellness to their employees. The aim of this bill is to make it easier for businesses to push more of their health care costs upstream. Instead of paying ever-increasing costs for sick employees, this bill will create incentives for employers to help their employees to get healthy and to stay healthy. This is a bipartisan bill, and is strongly supported by the U.S. Workplace Wellness Alliance - a broad coalition including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Heart Association, Dow Chemical, and more than 75 other major businesses.
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Duration: 2 minutes 34 seconds
March 26, 2009
Tom discusses legislation to expand americorps service programs; treasury department's oversight proposal.
The Serve America Act will build on the successful AmeriCorps national service program. It would more than triple - to 250,000 - the number of full- and part-time national service volunteers eligible for minimal living expenses plus a modest educational stipend at the end of an intensive year of work. The legislation is currently being debated in the Senate.
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Duration: 2 minutes 15 seconds
March 19, 2009
Senator Harkin discusses outrage over AIG bonus payments.
Tom discusses his outrage regarding the bonus payments made to employees at AIG. This week, it was revealed that millions of dollars were paid in bonuses to employees at companies who are receiving bailout funding. Tom called for action on legislation that would tax those bonuses at close to 100 percent. He also demanded greater oversight of the bailout funds from the Treasury Department.
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Duration: 5 minutes 4 seconds
March 12, 2009
Tom discusses exploitation of workers with disabilities in Atalissa.
Tom talks about the hearing he chaired this week in the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee that assessed the weakness in current law and oversight that contributed to the abuses of 21 disabled men at Henry's Turkey Service in Atalissa. Harkin called for actions that include requiring employers to inform workers about paycheck deductions, outlaw housing deduction that have not been approved, requiring employees with disabilities be certified as eligible for the special minimum wage program and increasing penalties for employers who violate the law.
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Duration: 5 minutes 45 seconds
March 5, 2009
Senator Harkin discusses role of wellness and prevention in health reform, child nutrition legislation.
Tom discussed his participation in President Obama's Health Care Forum later today. Tom is attending in his role as the leader of the Health Education Labor and Pension (HELP) Committee's working group to craft the prevention and public health title of the reform legislation.
Tom also discussed his role as the Chair of the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee in writing legislation to strengthen federal childhood nutrition initiatives.
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File Size: 2.90MB
Duration: 3 minutes 10 seconds
February 27, 2009
Senator Harkin discusses role of prevention in health care reform.
Tom discusses President Obama's plan to address comprehensive health care, including prevention and wellness, this year. Tom has been tapped by Senator Edward Kennedy to lead a working group to craft the prevention and public health title of the reform legislation.
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File Size: 3.21MB
Duration: 3 minutes 30 seconds
February 12, 2009
Senator Harkin discusses importance of economic recovery package.
Tom talks about the importance of the economic recovery package for Iowa and the nation. Close to the end, Tom also touched on the revelations that workers at Henry's Turkey Service in Atalissa were mistreated, calling the actions inexcusable.
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File Size: 5.78MB
Duration: 6 minutes 19 seconds
February 6, 2009
Senator Harkin discusses need for bold economic stimulus plan.
Tom discussed the need for a bold and substantial plan to stimulate the economy. Tom also talked about the short, intermediate and long term effects that passing the stimulus will have on the economy.
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Duration: 3 minutes 56 seconds
January 8, 2009
Tom talks about the need for an economic recovery package that delivers maximum short term stimulus and maximum long term benefit
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Duration: 3 minutes 52 seconds