Published: July 14, 2009 09:16 am      

Schueller: Legislation will help Iowans

It is an honor to serve as your State Representative. The 2009 Legislative Session is over and I’m proud of the progress we made helping middle-class families.

We balanced the state budget, helped Iowans rebuild from the devastating floods and storms in 2008, and created good-paying jobs in key industries like renewable energy.

Please contact me with any of your thoughts or concerns. If you have any friends who are not on my mailing list encourage them to subscribe at www.iowahousedemocrats.org/schueller-subscribe.htm.



Harkin Announces New Student Loan Repayment Program

U.S. Senator Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, announced that beginning July 1, a new student loan repayment program will become available. Current and former students will also see other changes in their student aid that will help them meet rising tuition costs.

The Income-Based Repayment (IBR), a provision in the federal College Cost Reduction and Access Act, caps monthly federal loan payments based on income and family size and forgives any debt and interest that remains after 25 years.

If a borrower owes more on their student loans than they earn in a year, they can probably benefit from IBR.



Legislature Protects Iowa Children

An additional 30,000 Iowa children are receiving health care coverage due to the work of the Legislature this past session.

Starting July 1, new laws that protect Iowa’s children went into effect. Senate File 389 requires the Department of Human Services to provide coverage under Medicaid or hawk-i to eligible children. In addition, the bill improves the Healthy and Well Kids in Iowa (hawk-i) insurance program. The bill increases income limits to the federal maximum, establishes the program as credible coverage, and creates a dental-only option.



More Aid for Disaster Affected Communities

A year after the weather-related disasters of 2008, financial assistance continues to be made available from state and federal sources to help communities repair and rebuild.

Last week, the I-JOBS board approved over $45 million in funding to disaster-affected communities. The I-JOBS program was created last session by the Iowa Legislature, based on a recommendation from Gov. Chet Culver.

The program will create jobs and will invest $830 million in Iowa’s aging infrastructure over the next two years.

The funds will be used for Iowa’s disaster recovery, to improve Iowa’s roads and bridges, and to invest in public works and buildings.



Maquoketa Democrat Tom Schueller is serving in the Iowa House of Representatives. He represents District 25, which covers all of Jackson County and part of Clinton and Dubuque counties.