Congressman Dave Loebsack today released the following statement after President Obama announced a $500 million investment to jumpstart the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP). This effort will bring together industry, universities and the federal government to invest in emerging technologies that create jobs and enhance competitiveness. “Today’s announcement is another piece of the puzzle needed to bring to bring high quality, good paying jobs to Iowa. I applaud President Obama’s focus on ... Read more

Members of the bi-state delegation that represents the Rock Island Arsenal, Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA-02), Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), and Congressmen Bruce Braley (D-IA-01) and Bobby Schilling (R-IL-17), today sent a letter to President Barack Obama upon learning that the President will be visiting the Quad Cities next week. In their letter, the lawmakers invite the President to visit the Rock Island Arsenal while he is in the area. “One of the features that makes... Read more

Congressman Dave Loebsack today released the following statement regarding President Obama’s plan to start bringing home troops from Afghanistan. Loebsack is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and has traveled to Afghanistan six times to meet with the troops and receive briefings from the commanders on the ground. “Our troops, including the 2,800 Iowa National Guard Soldiers deployed in Afghanistan, have bravely carried out every mission given to them and have made real progress acro... Read more

Congressman Dave Loebsack today introduced legislation in the House of Representatives that will create a National Flood Research and Education Consortium (NFREC) to advance the understanding of the causes of flooding, implement advanced flood prediction methods and promote policies that would help prevent future flood damage and natural disasters. The National Flood Research and Education Act (NFREA) will establish a consortium, led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ... Read more

Congressmen Dave Loebsack (D-IA-02) and Bobby Schilling (R-IL-17), who serve on the House Armed Services Committee, today spoke with U.S. Army Materiel Command’s Commanding General Ann E. Dunwoody to discuss the future of the Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center (JMTC) at the Rock Island Arsenal. During the call, General Dunwoody reassured the Congressmen that RIA is one of the “centers of gravity” for the Army Material Command. Her comments were made in response to concerns raised by the C... Read more

Congressman Dave Loebsack today announced that five airports in the Second District will receive a total of $1,826,078 to make improvements. These funds come from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) grant program. Details of the funding are below. “Making sure our area airports have the tools necessary to ensure Iowans can travel safely is a top priority,” said Loebsack. “I am pleased these airports will receive this funding to make essential improvements and ensure continued economic ... Read more

Congressman Dave Loebsack today released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2112, which provides funding for Fiscal Year 2012 Agriculture, Rural Development and Food and Drug Administration initiatives. The legislation contains large cuts to rural development and conservation efforts, the farm safety net, as well as cuts that would deny 1,600 to 2,800 pregnant women and children in Iowa access to food and nutrition assistance. “Rural areas in Iowa and across t... Read more

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Dave Loebsack today applauded President Barack Obama for establishing the first White House Rural Council. Loebsack knows that in this economic downturn, many rural areas in Iowa are struggling and this new office will help address the challenges they face. Loebsack, a member of the House Rural Caucus, requested the Administration establish an Office of Rural Policy in 2009. The White House Rural Council will work across the government to promote further economic p... Read more

The bi-state delegation that represents the Rock Island Arsenal, Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA-02), Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Mark Kirk (R-IL), and Congressmen Bruce Braley (D-IA-01) and Bobby Schilling (R-IL-17) today sent a letter to President Barack Obama following Dr. Malcolm O’Neill’s recent resignation as the U.S. Army Assistant Secretary at the Office for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology, ASA (ALT). In their letter, the lawmakers reques... Read more

Congressman Dave Loebsack today released the following statement supporting continued funding for the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Stream Gaging Network which oversees 7,000 stream gages on rivers nationwide, including many in Iowa, as well as on the Mississippi River. According to the USGS and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), over the past several years, funding for the program has been relatively flat and potential cuts could result in the further discontinuation of service of stre... Read more