Congressman Dave Loebsack today called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to re-evaluate their proposed plan to close 259 offices across the country, including four in Iowa. In a letter to Tom Vilsack, the Secretary of Agriculture, Loebsack discussed the importance of these offices to ensure continued growth of the rural economy. “Closing these offices threatens to make these programs less accessible to the farmers who need them, hurting not only individual farmers but local economies ... Read more

Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement today regarding the House Republicans vote against the bipartisan Senate compromise to extend the pay roll tax cut. If the tax cut is not extended by December 31st, a typical American family making $50,000 a year will see their taxes raised by $1,000. “Today’s votes demonstrate, once again, that the cycle of political games and finger pointing trumping the interests of working Iowans is never ending. The House Republicans’ refusal to rea... Read more

Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement on the status of efforts to extend the payroll tax cuts, Medicare reimbursements and unemployment insurance. If this tax cut is allowed to expire, a typical American family making $50,000 a year would see their taxes go up by $1,000. “Right now, my number one priority is to ensure working families across Iowa do not see their taxes raised by $1,000 come January 1. That is why I was one of only six members in the entire House of Represent... Read more

Language introduced by Congressmen Dave Loebsack (IA-02) and Bobby Schilling (IL-17) in the House of Representatives-passed version of the Fiscal Year 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to permanently lift the cap in current law on the number of public-private partnerships (PPPs) that arsenals are able to enter into has been included in the comprehensive legislation passed by the Conference Committee. The bill approved by the Committee – referred to as a conference report – reconcile... Read more

Congressman Dave Loebsack today announced that three of his top priorities were included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that was recently negotiated between members of the House and Senate. The final legislation includes support for the Rock Island Arsenal (RIA) to expand its current manufacturing base, will allow mental health providers to be embedded with National Guard units during their training weekends and takes steps to remedy a National Guard housing allowance disparity... Read more

by Congressman Dave Loebsack Thanksgiving is a day when we take a step back from the hectic pace of our everyday lives and focus on simpler things: food, family and friends (and for many of us, football). Even in these tough economic times, it is a day to give thanks for our blessings. On Thanksgiving, I will give thanks for my family, for our men and women in uniform, and for the privilege and responsibility I have as your Representative. As Americans, we all have a lot to be thankful for. The ... Read more

Congressman Dave Loebsack today wrote to the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, calling on him to immediately bring up legislation that will address some of the concerns of working families, seniors and those who are seeking, but unable, to find work. In the letter, Loebsack stressed the importance of extending and expanding the payroll tax cuts. If this tax cut is allowed to expire, a typical American family making $50,000 a year would see their taxes go up by $1,000. Loebsack also discussed t... Read more

Congressman Dave Loebsack today sent a letter to the Co-Chairs of the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction, also known as the Super Committee, calling on them to post their recommendations for cutting the deficit online 72 hours before the committee vote. Yesterday, 20 Congressional watchdog organizations, including the nonpartisan Sunlight Foundation, also called for this action. Loebsack has been leading the charge in Congress to ensure the Super Committee’s process and final product are fully... Read more

By Congressman Dave Loebsack Veterans Day provides all Americans an opportunity to reflect on the service of our men and women in uniform and to honor the sacrifices that have been made so that we may live in peace and freedom here at home. This Friday, our state and nation pauses to pay tribute to the generations of veterans who have served our country. As we gather together in remembrance, thousands of young men and women are serving our country overseas. I have had the privilege of visiting o... Read more

Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement today after the Senate passed the VOW to Hire Heroes Act that provides tax credits to companies that hire veterans. The legislation passed the Senate by a vote of 95-0. “Tomorrow, we set aside time to honor the men and women who have served our great country in uniform. As we pause to pay tribute to them, we must also remember that we have a moral obligation to serve our troops and veterans with the same dedication and honor with which t... Read more