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Congressman Loebsack in SEIA

Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA) addresses about 25 seniors during a recent stop in Burlington.
Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA) addresses about 25 seniors during a recent stop in Burlington.

Southeast Iowa’s Congressman is looking to his constituents for ideas to protect the future of Social Security.

Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA) says he would not be where he is today without the program.

He says Social Security helped his family get by while he was growing up and helped him afford to go to college.

The Congressman says that is why lawmakers must make sure the program remains solvent for decades to come.

“It is hard enough with partisan ‘food-fights’ for us to come together on smaller issues, let alone the bigger issues like this,” says Rep. Loebsack, adding that “it is also bound up in the deficit issue and the long-term debt issue too.”

The Congressman says that is why he is meeting with seniors from his district, to try to come up with ideas that are not being talked about in Washington, D.C.

One idea brought up during a recent stop in Burlington was to send out Social Security statements to younger adults to raise awareness.

Another was that addressing illegal immigration would help the program.

Members of the audience told the Congressman that people in the country are taking benefits meant for people who paid into the system.

 

PURPLE HEART

Rep. Loebsack also used his trip to Des Moines County to visit a veteran on the fast track for a Purple Heart.

Richard Morrison, 81, of rural Burlington fought in the Korean War.

He was captured while serving and had to spend 2 ½ years in a POW camp.

Rep. Loebsack says Morrison’s health is failing so the rush is on to secure the Purple Heart.

 

Morrison and his family received confirmation, this week, that he would be receiving a Purple Heart for the injuries he sustained during the war.

Rep. Loebsack says the next step is to get the actual military decoration in Morrison’s hands.

During his visit, the Congressman presented Morrison with an American Flag that had flown over the U-S Capitol.

 

POLITICAL CULTURE

Southeast Iowa’s Congressman does not believe the American public is seeing everything that is going on in Washington D-C.

Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA) says whenever he returns to the 2nd District, his constituents tell him the same thing: Stop Fighting and Start Working Together.

He says he is not trying to blame the media, but too often, the partisan fighting overshadows bipartisan efforts like the Common Grounds Caucus and the Center Aisle Caucus.

“There are a number of groups getting together from time to time,” says Rep. Loebsack, “to first start out with personal relationships and then try to build from there.  More of that is happening than people know.”

Rep. Loebsack says elections can encourage lawmakers to work together because if they don’t, they could be voted out of office.

Jason Parrott is a former reporter at Tri States Public Radio.