A Bluestem Prairie

Rewarding good behavior

Those who read this blog know that freshman representative Tim Walz sits on three House committees, meets extensively with constituents and groups in the First, and leads on vets and war issues.  Today marks the deadline for the first quarter of fundraising.  What better way to show appreciation for the hard work than contributing?

Walz sent out a fundraising email, outlining his efforts for the past 12 weeks:

Since being sworn in twelve short weeks ago, I've had the opportunity to deliver the Democratic response to President Bush's weekly radio address, to vote to improve veterans' health care, and to begin the drafting process of the 2007 Farm Bill. The first bill I cosponsored in Congress was one that would raise the minimum wage to $7.25, benefiting thousands of working families in our district and around the country. Additionally, I am proud of my leadership role in holding this President accountable for his failures in Iraq. I voted to insist that our troops have an achievable mission and measurable milestones in Iraq because that is the job you sent me to Washington to do.

You know what to do.  If you can afford it, reward the hardest working man in Minnesota politics  with a contribution. Contribute  online at www.timwalz.org by today's midnight deadline.

Today's weather forecast includes a flood watch for much of southern Minnesota.  We don't need a weatherman to tell us that: a pair of mallards is splashing in the widening puddle in the backyard.

 

Friday news digest: farm bill hearings and more

Farm Bill hearings
A friend in the Farmers Union passed this email along to us:

Dear Friend:

Next week, Congressman Tim Walz will begin a series of Farm and Energy Forums across the First Congressional District.  Attached you will find a brochure outlining the Farm and Energy Forum's and the impact of the Farm Bill on the daily lives of Minnesotans.

The House Agriculture Committee - on which Congressman Walz proudly serves alongside fellow Minnesotan and Chairman, Collin Peterson - will write a new farm bill this year.

Few pieces of legislation Congress will consider this year will have as much an impact on southern Minnesota as the farm bill.  The legislation lays out our country's priorities for farm policy, conservation, rural development, renewable energy and nutrition programs like the School Lunch Program and Food Support programs.

From his seat on the House Agriculture Committee, Congressman Walz will have the chance to play a key role in drafting this legislation. The Farm and Energy Forum's are designed to receive input from farmers and local residents.  The bill is being written from the ground up and the Congressman wants to make sure southern Minnesota farmers and rural communities are well served.

We hope you join Congressman Walz at a Farm Bill Forum in your area. The Congressman is eager to take your ideas and suggestions and turn them into actions that help our farm and ranch families build a stronger rural economy, increase conservation and promote renewable sources of energy.   

Attached is a Farm Bill Impact brochure and a list of events we will hold during the April recess.   If you have any questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me at 507-993-1284.

All the best,
Matthew Wohlman
Agriculture Director
Office of Congressman Timothy J. Walz

Congressman Timothy J. Walz Farm Bill Forum's

Monday, April 2, 2007

·  4 p.m. - Slayton Farm Bill and Energy Meeting
o       Pizza Ranch - 2306 Broadway Avenue
o       This meeting will be specifically aimed toward discussing renewable energy policy.

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

·  3 p.m. -Austin Farm Bill Meeting
o       Elks Lodge, 102 1^st Avenue Northeast

Monday, April 9, 2007

·  10 a.m. - Fairmont Farm Bill Meeting
o       Red Rock Center, 222 East Blue Earth Avenue

·  2 p.m. - Albert Lea Farm Bill Meeting
o       Freeborn / Mower Cooperative Services Headquarters Community Room, 2501 Main Street East

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

·  2 p.m. - New Ulm Farm Bill Meeting
o       Martin Luther College - Luther Student Center Building Cafeteria, 1995 Luther Court

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

·  10 a.m. - Jackson Farm Bill Meeting
o       Minnesota West Community and Technical College, Room Y101

·  2 p.m. - Blue Earth Farm Bill Meeting
o       Town and Country Plaza - Ag Center Building, 415 South Grove Street (Hwy 169)

Friday, April 13, 2007

·  11:00 a.m.- Plainview Farm Bill Meeting
o       St. Joachim's Church School - 900 West Broadway

Saturday, April 14, 2007

·  3:00 p.m. - St. James Farm Bill Meeting
o       St. James Community Center Theater, 505 1^st Avenue

Download Representative Tim Walz's Farm Bill brochure.

WaPo's The Fix: Dems Dominate List of Endangered House Members
Like Karl Rove, Chris Cillizza compiles a list of vulnerable Dems and doesn't put Congressman Walz on it.

Evil Bobby gives his take in Tim Walz scares Rove....  Perhaps Rove has figured out the answer to the question he asked Walz back in November.

At Truthsurfer, Mr. Blue's post Tilt-A-Whirl: The State Ride? points out Senator Day's indifference to kindergartners in the Second District part of his turf.

Fairmont Sentinel: Walz stands by budget plan
Megan Feddersen reports on Walz's reaction to the House budget plan:

The budget blueprint passed Thursday by the U.S. House of Representatives should benefit agriculture and rural development in communities like Fairmont and surrounding towns, according to Congressman Tim Walz, D-Minn. . . .

. . .Walz said Republicans “accusations of ‘tax and spend’ are not true. But ‘borrow and spend’ has been the norm around here, but that is going to end.”

Democrats hope to eliminate the deficit and balance the budget, predicting a surplus of $153 billion by the year 2012.

Representative Walz sees benefits from the budget plan for veterans:

“The crown jewel of this week is increases for veterans,” he said. “... With this budget we’re providing more resources in the first three months than the last five years combined.”

Walz praises House passage of fiscally responsible budget proposal

Campaigning for office, Tim Walz promised to help restore PAYGO rules for balancing the budget. Today,  he issued this statement:

Today, Congressman Tim Walz praised the FY 2008 Budget Resolution passed by the House of Representatives. 

Rep. Tim Walz voted for the budget proposal because it restores fiscal responsibility and accountability to our government, strengthens our national defense and invests in America's next generation.

"I firmly believe that a nation's budget is a moral document that demonstrates our priorities. The budget resolution passed today does exactly that - it fixes the Alternative Minimum Tax for 19 million middleclass Americans, provides an additional $3 billion for rural development programs and increases funding for Head Start and child care."

Walz continued, "Today's resolution puts us on track to balance our nation's budget by 2012 while upholding the pay-as-you-go principle. Over the past six years this President borrowed more money from foreign nations than the previous 42 presidents combined.  It's about time we restore some fiscal sanity to Washington, D.C.  Today, the Democratic majority in the U.S. House did just that.  "

Nonpartisan groups such as the Concord Coalition and the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities recently endorsed this budget's approach to restoring fiscal responsibility through the PAYGO process.  In addition to abiding by PAYGO rules, the Democratic budget includes provisions to invest in efforts to identify and eliminate wasteful spending by government agencies and contractors.

The Democratic budget resolution provides the largest single increase for veterans' health care in the history of the United States.  "This increase is needed to ensure that the 426,591 veterans in Minnesota receive care worthy of their sacrifice," said Rep. Walz.  "It is also critical for the 18,150 brave Minnesotans who have served their country in Afghanistan and Iraq since September 2001, many of whom will require VA health care services."

In Minnesota, 86,060 children do not have health insurance. The Democratic budget puts children and families first by increasing funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) - reducing the number of uninsured children across the county.  This budget also provides nearly $8 billion more for K-12 education and teacher training than the President's budget.

Finally, this budget supports middle-class tax cuts and protects middle-income families from a tax increase by setting up a reserve fund for a long-term fix for the alternative minimum tax (AMT).  In 2004, 57,000 Minnesota families were subject to the AMT - and if nothing is done to fix the system, an estimated 420,000 families here in Minnesota will be subject to the AMT in 2007. [CRS, 6/06]

For additional information on the impact of the Democratic budget on the State of Minnesota, download the file on Minnesota_budget_impacts_fy_2008

Tim Penny named president of the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation

Minnesota's regional development foundations have emerged as a small but significant for economic growth in rural areas. Former First district congressman Tim Penny has been named president of the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation.

The Alber Lea Tribune's editorial board thinks it's a good fit. The Post Bulletin reports on the appointment.

Although Penny may be too conservative for some, he is generally respected by southern Minnesotans of all political stripes for his abilities as a listener and for his civility.

Press release from the SMIF below the fold.

Thursday morning digest: longer tour edition

Washington Post: Increase may mean longer tours
We know from the experience of our friends and neighbors what this means:

Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, said this month that he is looking at the possibility of continuing the increase beyond the summer to reinforce early progress in Baghdad. Some U.S. commanders there say they think it will be necessary to keep troop levels elevated at least until February, while others are warning their troops to be prepared to stay in the country for up to 18 months. So far, the longest that a combat brigade has been extended in Iraq for the increase is four months, in the case of the Minnesota National Guard's 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 34th Infantry Division.

The Army and Marine Corps are stretched so thin that the only way to maintain the higher troop levels is by overlapping unit rotations. The Army has deployed 21 of its 39 available active-duty combat brigades -- meaning that virtually all its forces are either in Iraq or Afghanistan are preparing to return there. In coming years, the Army plans to build six more active-duty brigades and also call more heavily on National Guard combat units, but those forces will not be ready for the current increase.

The WaPo also reports  Strikes on Baghdad's Green Zone on the Rise.

Late evening post: veterans and more

House passes Wounded Warrior Act
A press release from the Walz office:

Today, in a bipartisan effort, the United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 1538, the "Wounded Warrior Assistance Act of 2007."  Rep. Tim Walz supported the legislation, which improves training for, and reduces the caseloads of, case managers serving active duty military personnel.  The legislation also helps service members make the transition from active duty military into the Department of Veterans Affairs system.

Walz, who sits on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, recently participated in hearings the Committee held at his request to investigate whether Veterans Affairs medical facilities are overburdened when servicemen and women receive substandard care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

"I'm pleased to see that this legislation moved quickly to the House floor," said Rep. Walz.  "It begins to address not only the problems revealed at Walter Reed, but also the concerns I've expressed over the transition from military to VA health care facilities."

"Our military personnel and veterans deserve the best care possible, and we must ensure that the transition from military to veteran care does not cause them undue hardship," continued Walz.

The Wounded Warrior Assistance Act provides for:

1.) New staff to improve outpatient medical care

2.) Establishment of toll-free hot line for reporting deficiencies in medical-related support facilities

3.) Improved training for staff working with theDepartment of Defense Disability Evaluation System and for health care professionals, case managers, and service member advocates.

4.)Establishment of a pilot program to improve transition of members of the Armed Forces to Department of Veterans Affairs Upon Retirement or separation;

5.) Establishment of a Medical Support Fund for support of members of the Armed Forces returning to military service or civilian life;

6.) An annual report on Military Medical Facilities;

7.) Evaluation of the transition from active-duty care to VA care by requiring a report on Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs Disability Evaluation Systems.

Minnesota Monitor: Rove not targeting Minnesota Democrats
Joe Bodell makes the catch in reading a TPM post about Rove's 2008 congressional hit list.  Short skinny: Walz isn't on the list.

Rochester Post-Bulletin: Encourage new farmers, ag group leader says
The Post Bulletin reports on congressional testimony by Karen Stettler, director of Land Stewardship Project's young farmer program in Encourage new farmers, ag group leader says.  Congressman Walz met in Lewiston with LSP staff and members in February.

Houston County News: Sue Ames honored
Southeast Minnesota has swung blue. People like Sue Ames are one reason.  Find out why in La Crescent woman recognized as county Democrat of the Year.

Mountain Lake Observer/Butterfield Advocate: VFW post commander goes to DC
A local VF post command travels to DC for conference.  He says:

After attending the conference Olson’s beliefs were made even stronger, stating, “When it comes to veterans, to me there should be no such thing as a short cut or budget cuts. The government owes them their life.”

 

Walz calls for hearings on veterans' homes

We received the following in a press release:

(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, in a letter to House Veterans' Affairs Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Harry Mitchell, Rep. Tim Walz called for hearings into the quality of care American veterans receive at veterans' homes.  Reports recently surfaced that the Minneapolis Veterans' Home, which receives roughly 20 percent of its funding from the federal government, has a long history of rules violations and negligence.  Three residents of the Minneapolis Veterans' Home died in January from medical errors and neglect.

"It is important that we care for veterans in all stages of life," said Walz who sits on the VA Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. "Our veterans' homes care for those who served us long ago, as well as those soldiers so severely injured in recent wars that they require the kind of 24-hour care these facilities are supposed to provide."

Walz continued, "The recent GAO report on the state of veterans' facilities across the nation, coupled with the state inspector's report on the Minneapolis Veterans' Home, convinced me that it is necessary for aggressive Congressional oversight into the conditions at these extended care facilities until the problems are rectified."

"I hope that during the course of these oversight hearings we can address not only the negligent care that lead to the deaths of three veterans in Minnesota, but also the lagging nursing salaries, maintenance problems and lack of proper and continued oversight," concluded Walz.

Download Walz's letter to Subcommittee Chairman Mitchell: 3-26-0720WalzLettertoMitchell.pdf

A busy day; we'll have to put off posting our news digest until the afternoon.

Strib: Walz gets China assignment

Last week we noted that Congressman Walz had been appointed to the Congressional Executive Commission on China; this evening, the Strib includes the assignment in its DC Dispatches column:

Nearly 20 years after teaching in China, this time Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., is the one getting the assignment: to serve on the Congressional Executive Commission on China.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appointed Walz last week. "His extensive background working in China and his knowledge of the Chinese people will be great assets as Congress moves forward on the crucial issues facing our two countries," she said.

Walz was one of the first government-sanctioned U.S. high school teachers in China, where he taught English and American history in the 1989-90 school year. The commission, created in 2000, monitors human rights and the rule of law in China and files an annual report with the president.

"It is extremely important that America continues to pay close attention to human rights in China and that we are careful about further expansion of our trade relationship with China," Walz said.

Dick Day afternoon: short memory

In Dick Day's Short Memory, Minnesota Republican Watch expands on the Lutefisk Liberal's now-and-then examination of Dick Day's reversals on gas taxes. Day is seeking the GOP endorsement for the MN-01 congressional seat.

PBS Newshour: Senate vote on the war bill

Not much news about Congressman Walz today; the PBS Newshour with Jim Lehrer did feature this exchange between the host and Mark Shields on March 23:

JIM LEHRER: Is the Senate -- now, the Senate is going to take this thing up, Mark.

MARK SHIELDS: OK.

JIM LEHRER: And if -- the Senate doesn't even have -- as I understand it, their resolution isn't even as binding as the House, right? In other words, isn't there...

MARK SHIELDS: No, that's right. They have a goal.

JIM LEHRER: They have a goal, not a binding date, and all that sort of stuff.

MARK SHIELDS: Rather than a timetable.

JIM LEHRER: So, where -- what does all this mean?

MARK SHIELDS: Well, what it means, Jim, is, for example, every freshman in the House of Representatives, Democrat, voted for it, OK? That's significant. That -- the election...

JIM LEHRER: Voted for the -- today's...

MARK SHIELDS: That's right.

JIM LEHRER: Yes. OK.

MARK SHIELDS: The election last week -- the election last November...

JIM LEHRER: Had consequences.

MARK SHIELDS: ... had consequences.

JIM LEHRER: All right.

MARK SHIELDS: There are five freshman who really played a prominent role in this, all of whom were military veterans, including Patrick Murphy, who was with the 82nd Airborne in Iraq. I mean, these were all -- Joe Sestak, a three-star admiral, freshman Democrat.

I mean all of them stood up. The highest ranked -- Tim Walz, the highest ranking enlisted man in the Congress ever, I mean a command sergeant major, I mean, they all stood up and made the case that, from the units with whom they have served, their colleagues, that they were doing the right thing.

New Ulm Journal editorial: Gonzales should resign
The Journal's editorial board looks at the United States attorney firings and concludes:

The whole affair has been handled stupidly. Gonzales should admit he has handled it badly, and resign.

Walz to hold 9 additional Farm Bill meetings in April

During the last congressional district work break, Tim Walz held Farm Bill discussions in communities throughtout his district.  In the April work break, he's holding additional meetings.  From a media advisory:

Congressman Tim Walz announced today that he will hold Farm Bill discussions with local farmers, interested citizens and community leaders in nine additional cities across southern Minnesota during the April congressional district work period. 

The 2007 Farm Bill will provide funding for several federal priorities important to Minnesota, Walz said, including the farm safety net programs, conservation, rural development, renewable energy research, school lunch programs and disaster assistance.

"The Farm Bill is one of the most important pieces of legislation considered by Congress," said Walz, a member of the House Agriculture Committee.  "Minnesota has a unique opportunity to have a far-reaching impact during the upcoming Farm Bill discussions in Congress.  I am eager to gather input from farmers and local residents about what's working and what needs to be addressed in the 2007 Farm Bill." 

Walz Farm Bill Forums
Monday, April 2, 2007 ·      
4 p.m. - Slayton
Farm Bill and Energy Meeting
Pizza Ranch - 2306 Broadway Avenue

Wednesday, April 4, 2007 ·      
3 p.m. -Austin
Farm Bill Meeting       
Elks Lodge,
102 1st Avenue Northeast

Monday, April 9, 2007 ·      
10 a.m.- Fairmont
Farm Bill Meeting      
Red Rock Center,
222 East Blue Earth Avenue ·      

2 p.m. - Albert Lea
Farm Bill Meeting
Freeborn / Mower Cooperative Services Headquarters Community Room,
2501 Main Street East

Tuesday, April 10, 2007 ·      
2 p.m. - New Ulm
Farm Bill Meeting
Martin Luther College - Luther Student Center Building Cafeteria,
1995 Luther Court

Wednesday, April 11, 2007 ·      
10 a.m. - Jackson
Farm Bill Meeting
Minnesota West Community and Technical College, Room Y101 ·      

2 p.m. - Blue Earth
Farm Bill Meeting
Town and Country Plaza - Ag Center Building,
415 South Grove Street (Hwy 169)

Friday, April 13, 2007 ·      
11:00 a.m.- Plainview
Farm Bill Meeting
St. Joachim's Church School -
900 West Broadway

Saturday, April 14, 2007 ·      
3:00 p.m. - St. James
Farm Bill Meeting
St. James Community Center Theater,
505 1st Avenue

The meetings are free and open to the public.  Public testimony will be taken at each meeting for an hour and a half in two minute increments.  Participants are encouraged to prepare written testimony in addition to their public statement.  Written testimony will be accepted at the meetings or via mail at:

U.S. Congressman Timothy J. Walz
227 East Main Street, Suite 220
Mankato, Minnesota 56001
507-388-2149

Early Monday morning: Lake Crystal school dedication

It may be difficult for our urban readers who have never spent much time in a rural community to understand the pride that a local public school can generate in small towns. Meeting place, forum, baby sitter, educator and entertainment center: take the pulse of a local high school, and read a measure of a community's health.

The Mankato Free Press and KEYC-TV both report on the official dedication today of the new high school at the Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial school system, that serves the consolidated communities of Lake Crystal, Garden City, Judson, Rapidan, Vernon Center, and one of our favorite crossroads, Butternut.

In School dedication honors owners, Free Press notes how the dedication attracted area leaders:

It was a dedication that drew leaders from several levels of government. Tim Walz, Minnesota’s First District U.S. congressman, was there, as were Rep. Tony Cornish and Sen. Julie Rosen from the State Legislature. They all spoke.

County Commissioner Will Purvis was in the audience and members of the Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial School Board dotted the crowd.

In the Mankato Free Press photo above, Congressman Walz hands the microphone back to school board member Kent Thiesse.  The Free Press reports that Walz, on leave from his job as a school teacher from nearby Mankato West, said in his remarks:

“If this isn’t the most outward symbol of our country’s optimism for the future, I don’t know what is,” Walz said. “You have not only invested in this community and it’s children, you’ve invested in this country.”

Although his name isn't mentioned in the transcript of the KEYC-TV video clip aired during Sunday's 10 p.m. news, Walz challenger Mark Meyers, chair of the school board, is also part of the broadcast.

Oops: we imagine that the cutline for the photo above will be corrected soon, but the version we read early this Monday morning when the story was first posted went as follows:

U.S. Senator Tim Walz hands the microphone to school board member Kent Thiesse during the open house’s dedication program. Luke Gronneberg /  The Free Press.

 

Sunday news digest: Coffeeklatching with the congressman

Mouse failure slowed this morning's post, which starts with the New Ulm Journal's write-up of yesterday's Saturday Store Stop at the New Ulm Hy-Vee.  We ventured into the pea-soup to get some pictures, which we'll upload in a separate post. Kurt Nesbitt's story in today's New Ulm Journal accurately captures the spirit of the stop, with Congressman Walz introducing himself to the breakfast bunch, while old friends from the Guard, DFL activists, and curious Republicans stopped by.  Nesbitt writes:

. . . The war in Iraq was the most-frequently discussed topic during the freshman Democrat’s visit, as were military veteran’s issues, even though the Farm Bill, Medicare Part D and U.S. relations with China were high on the list of issues that Walz and the diners talked about.

“It’s pretty much a consensus that we’ve got to everything we can to support our soldiers and veterans but that we’ve got to force the Iraqis to start taking responsibility for this,” said the freshman Democrat, three hours after he arrived at the supermarket.

“That was a tough vote for me yesterday,” he said, referring to the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veteran’s Health and Iraq Accountability Act of 2007, which calls for a withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Iraq by April 2008.

“..Because I clearly understand, being someone with a military background, that the Executive and the commander-in-chief is the commander-in-chief, but I also understand that the Constitution as it is written gives us a fully-formed branch of government and the authority that we put into that to exercise to make sure we’re forcing the Iraqis take responsibility is now going to be there.”

Walz also met several people who he knew in the Army and served with who served in Iraq that he trained.

“They’re doing a fantastic job. I’m hearing it from across the Army spectrum. These from Minnesota are getting a great reputation,” he said. . . .

We'll post pictures later of one of those Iraq vets whose brother is still in Iraq.  Nesbitt's picture in the Journal is pretty good; Walz is a hard subject to photograph.

After the stop ended, the fog had lifted on the northern bank of the Minnesota River Valley, and we went up to Fort Ridgely State Park to do some birding.  The bluebirds have returned; their cheerful song graced the historic site.

U-DFL Blog: Forum with Walz
Those Twin Citians who bemoan a drive into the lovely Minnesota River Valley can get a chance to see Congressman Walz in Minneapolis on April 12, according to the U-DFL Blog:

The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance will be hosting a series of public forums with a number of prominent elected Minnesotans.  All of these forums will take place in Cowles Auditorium at the Humphrey Center:

Monday, April 2: Senator Amy Klobuchar Noon-1:30pm

Monday, April 9: Congresswoman Betty McCollum Noon-1:30pm (not yet confirmed)

Thursday, April 12: Congressman Tim Walz 10am-11:30am

Wednesday, May 30: Congressman Jim Ramstad Noon-1:30pm

MnPact! Progressive Blog: Top o' the morning, Senator Day
David Mindeman takes another look at Senator Day's  comments on the gas tax in Heavens to Lucky Charms: Dick Day is Still Full of Blarney.  Mindeman's onservations are nicely supplemented by the Lutefisk Liberal's See Dick Flop, which runs a tidy then and now contrast of Day's evolving position.  Day is seeking the GOP endorsement for congress in the 1st.

Auf Deutsch: Another perspective on Murphy, Murtha and Walz
In Bush ruft US-Kongress zur Zusammenarbeit auf, we see the Murphy, Murtha, and Walz photo taken from over Walz's shoulder.

Saturday morning digest: Iraq vote

The Hill 's news analysis finds that the Democratic leadership’s hard work bears fruit on Iraq vote.

Walz's role is noted:

Congressional sources said that some liberal lawmakers needed to be reassured about the withdrawal date and that anything earlier than September 2008 was not feasible or safe for the troops. House leaders tapped freshmen with military experience, such as Reps. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.), Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.) and Tim Walz (D-Minn.) to make that argument.

Walz and his Washington DC roommate, fellow freshman Patrick Murphy, were seen talking with John Murtha in the photo above, which accompanied an article in the Washington Post.

Kosovo pay
Earlier this morning, we posted about how congressional pressure preserve combat status for the Kosovo peacekeeping mission in Kosovo Kudos.

Lutefisk Liberal: Dick Flops
The Lutefisk Liberal catches State Senator Dick Day's flip-flops on the proposed gas tax increase in a new post: See Dick Flop. Day, who is seeking the GOP endorsement for the MN-01 race in 2008, must be trying to re-estblish his cred with the more conservative wings of the GOP in southern Minnesota.

New Ulm store stop
It's pretty foggy this morning, but we're heading to New Ulm to say hi to Representative Walz at the HyVee. We'd hoped to meander down the Minnesota River Valley for some quality birding, but that will be a no-go unless the "pea-soup" lifts. 

Kosovo Kudos

Stars and Stripes reports Kosovo troops relieved they will keep danger pay.

Several area newspapers are recognizing Walz's work to maintain combat status for the Kosovo mission. The Sioux Falls Argus Leader, which covers southwestern Minnesota news, reports Lawmakers credited with helping preserve pay for Kosovo veterans.

The Rochester Post Bulletin reports that Walz applauds Pentagon's reversal on pay issue. An Iowa National Guard master sargeant who served in Kosovo says of conditions inthe Balkans nation:

Master Sgt. Duff McFadden of the Iowa Army National Guard, who returned from Kosovo in 2006, said the area remains dangerous, with occasional shootings, bombings and many mines still buried in fields.

"While it's mostly peaceful, there's still an underlying tension," McFadden said. He said troops get an extra $225 per month in imminent-danger pay, and their earnings while they are deployed to a combat zone are not taxed by the federal government. Soldiers also receive government-paid flights home for leave.

"It's a hardship on the families," McFadden said. "You are gone for a year, some people in certain jobs, they are looking at a big drop in pay depending on what they do."

A Mankato Free Press editorial gives thumbs up to Walz's work on Kosovo pay:

To Congressman Tim Walz of Mankato and the other 17 members of Congress who pressured the secretary of defense to pay combat-level pay to troops being deployed to Kosovo.

More than 400 members of a Mankato-based battalion of the Minnesota Army National Guard will be among the 1,700 troops being sent there as part of NATO peacekeeping operations. When their deployment was announced last month, it appeared the military might cut pay and benefits because the mission would be classified as “a noncombat mission.”

But the government in Kosovo remains unstable and the area, from the accounts of military personnel, remains dangerous with shootings, bombings and buried mines. It should be considered the dangerous mission that it is, with the compensation to match.

Friday morning news digest: Iraq bill and other news

Strib: House Democrats rally support for troops bill
It's looking as if the appropriations supplemental bill will pass in the House today, according to the Strib's latest reporting, House Democrats rally support for troops bill. The status of the Minnesota delegation:

After being considered undecided for the past few weeks, Rep. Jim Oberstar, D-Minn., said Thursday that he will vote for the House supplemental bill.

"The president is asking for a blank check to continue this war. Our troops are under hostile fire. They deserve an exit plan that brings them home with honor. If the president won't do it, Congress must," Oberstar said.

Democratic Reps. Collin Peterson, Betty McCollum and Tim Walz have also said they will support it.

Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., who wants an earlier pullout date, was leaning toward voting against the bill Thursday.

Republican Reps. John Kline, Jim Ramstad and Michele Bachmann oppose the legislation . . .

The paper also notes in a separate article, Farm relief worth billions hangs in balance, that the appropriations supplemental bill contains disaster relief for farmers. 

Elsewhere in the Strib, as we observed in a separate post, No pay cuts for Kosovo troops.   Local Mankato coverage at KEYC-TV here.

Washington Post: Liberals Relent on Iraq War Funding
The Washington Post looks at the scuffle on the left over the bill.  The head of VoteVets, an organization that purchased air time for hard-hitting tv ads in the First during last year's elections, is quoted:

To many in the movement against the Iraq war, the liberal opposition to the bill was as maddening as it was mystifying.

"You really have two options here: One is that you can vote for a change of course here and say we're going to find a way out of Iraq, or, two, you can vote against it and hand George Bush a victory," said Jon Soltz, a veteran of the Iraq war and co-founder of VoteVets.org, a group that opposes the war. "It doesn't make sense to me. George Bush got us into the war. They have challenged him on everything. Why would they give him this victory now?" he asked, referring to the liberals.

The WaPo article mentions David Sirota's blogging about the issue; after the liberals compromise, he updates his take on the matter here.   

Sirota is always a good read; in another post yesterday, he notes that Norm Coleman voted against $357.5 million in property tax relief for Minnesota taxpayers.

Austin Daily Herald: Walz supports Iraq bill
The Herald reports that Walz supports Iraq bill with pull-out date.

Mankato Free Press: Biofuels an opportunity for region
The Free Press editorial board hopes for a continuing boom in biofuels, noting the importance of new renewable fuel measures proposed for the 2007 Farm Bill:

Key to getting some of the Minnesota programs up and running will be our ability to have in place programs and incentives for Minnesota farmers and energy entrepreneurs to connect to federal programs for renewable energy that are likely to crop up in the 2007 farm bill.

This will be the first farm bill, which cover up to five years, that will have a renewable energy section. The federal government has already been funding pilot projects in Iowa that use cellulose for ethanol production.

That the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, Collin Peterson, is from Minnesota will also be beneficial to getting this cutting-edge industry going.

Experts at the University of Minnesota say the future of ethanol will be in the area of using cellulose from native grasses, but the establishment of large scale, efficient and profitable operations may be five years away. They urge that the farm bill include some incentives for farmers to plant the cellulosic varieties to give the up-and-coming industry a good shot at having a ready supply of material.

New Ulm Journal: Sleepy Eye soldier injured in Iraq
A young National Guard soldier from Sleepy Eye is being treated for burns in San Antonio, Texas. 

A Sleepy Eye National Guardsman stationed in Iraq was injured Monday when the Hum-Vee he was patrolling in ran over an explosive device.

Spc. Robert "œB.J."€ Sprenger, 22, suffered burns over 30 to 35 percent of his body when he was thrown from the vehicle, said his grandmother, Irene Sprenger of Comfrey. Sprenger is a member of the 125th Field Artillery Guard unit based in New Ulm.

His grandmother observes that he might have been home now had it now been for the extension of the deployment:

Sprenger, a 2003 graduate of Sleepy Eye Public High School, enlisted in the National Guard before graduation, when he was 17. He was 22 on March 20. He was one of the 2,600 Minnesota National Guards deployed to Iraq a year ago, and whose homecoming was delayed by President Bush'€™s troop surge.

"He would have been home by this time, if their tour hadn'€™t been extended," said Irene Sprenger.

She has spoken to B.J. often, said Irene Sprenger, but he didn'€™t say much about his activities or his feelings about Iraq. He had recently turned down an offer to re-enlist, she said.

"€œI think he didn'€™t want to scare me," she said. "€œI finally asked, "€˜Is it dangerous going out on patrol?"€™ and he said €"Yes." I asked, "˜Do you find anything when you go out on patrol?"€™ and he said, "We find a few explosives." I asked him, "€˜Do you know why you're fighting?" and he just said, "€˜It'€™s a religious war and a civil war."

Rochester Post Bulletin: Union-haters resort to paternalistic blather
A union member responds to attacks on the Employee Free Choice Act in Union-haters resort to paternalistic blather.

A final note
We were sorry to hear the news of the return of Elizabeth Edward's cancer.  Over the years, too many of our close friends have battled breast cancer.  We don't know Mrs. Edwards, though she and Gwen Walz are friends. May Elizabeth's journey help to educate more women about breast cancer.

NO pay cuts for troops in Kosovo

Terrific news for Guard members deployed to Kosovo and their families, the Strib reports:

U.S. troops on peacekeeping missions in Kosovo -- including hundreds of Minnesota National Guard members -- won't have their pay cut, the Pentagon said Thursday, ending weeks of speculation that officials were considering such a move.

The loss of imminent-danger pay and other benefits would have cost soldiers hundreds of dollars each month.

Representative Walz responds:

Word that the military might cut pay and benefits had prompted complaints from troops and some members of Congress, including members of Minnesota's delegation.

"I am pleased with the Pentagon's decision to ensure our soldiers receive the combat pay they deserve for serving in Kosovo," said Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., who had organized opposition in the House to the proposed change.

"I was able to have a conversation with Secretary [Robert] Gates earlier today," Walz said Thursday night, "and I felt encouraged that he was taking a proactive approach to the letter my colleagues and I sent regarding this matter."

Walz in the Nation: "I want a bulldog" fighting for veterans

The Nation has posted a short comment by Ari Berman about California Congressman Bob Filner, represents San Diego.  The new chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Filner is passionate about veterans' issues.  Berman writes:

Critics have said that Filner is too emotional. But Tim Walz, a freshman Democrat on Filner's committee who spent twenty-four years in the Minnesota National Guard, disagrees. "As a vet," Walz says, "I want a bulldog there that's fighting for us."

Thursday morning digest: war and mental health edition

Strib: House bill orders VA to prepare suicide prevention program
Brad Averill and Joy Powell report on legislation spurred by the suicide of a Minnesota Marine:

Reacting to recent reports of suicides by Iraq war veterans in Minnesota and other states, the House on Wednesday directed the Veterans' Affairs Department to develop a suicide-prevention plan.

The proposal, which was approved unanimously, seeks to better train VA staff members, screen vets for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and set up a hotline for veterans wanting to discuss problems.

Representatives Kline, Walz and Ramstad are cited in the piece.  We were sent a copy of Tim Walz's prepared floor statement on Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act. Joshua Omvig was an Iowa soldier who committed suicide after serving 11 moths in Iraq.

(Mr./Madame) Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 327, the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act.

First, I want to thank my colleague Mr. Boswell for introducing this important bill in honor of Joshua Omvig and bringing to our attention the painful problem of suicide among veterans. 

(Mr./Madame) Speaker, although veterans make up only ten percent of the population, one in five people who commit suicide in the United States is a veteran. Since May of 2003, ninety-three veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have taken their own lives.  Beyond that, a full thirty-five percent of veterans returning from Iraq seek counseling within one year of returning home.  Over 73,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have been diagnosed with potential mental health issues since 2002 and over 39,000 have been tentatively diagnosed with PTSD. Despite this, nearly 100 local VA clinics offered no mental health care during 2005. 

(Mr./Madame Speaker) the numbers show us that veterans' suicide and veterans' mental health as a whole are urgent issues that require our immediate attention, and this legislation is an important step toward addressing them.  H.R. 327 will direct the Department of Veterans Affairs to screen and monitor veterans for risk factors of suicide, provide education for all VA staff, contractors and medical personnel who have interaction with veterans, and will make available a 24-hour mental health care for veterans found to be at risk for suicide.  Just last week I saw a unique teleconferencing technology at the Rochester VA clinic in my district.  It allowed veterans in remote rural locations to speak with psychiatrists in different locations.  This technology is innovative and unique.  H.R. 327 is a crucial step toward ensuring that innovative psychiatric services are not unique or hard to access, but are readily available to veterans across the country.

(Mr./Madame Speaker) I urge my colleagues to support this legislation because of the critical services it will provide to veterans who are at risk of suicide.  America's service members make a profound sacrifice when they go to war.  We owe them nothing less than the protections and programs provided in this bill.

But (Mr./Madame Speaker), we must not stop here.  In Minnesota, 2600 National Guard soldiers have seen their deployments extended, probably until July of 2007.  This summer, these men and women will be coming home from a 22-month deployment, the longest in the history of the National Guard.  That's why the MN National Guard is preparing for a major reintegration effort.  They're working to ensure that these brave men and women can return to normal life and face physical or mental challenges with the support of their communities.  We here in the U.S. Congress must continue the work that Mr. Boswell has done with this bill by supporting reintegration efforts across the country.  Our returning service members have done their job exceptionally well.  Now Congress must do its job as they return home.

In another story,  the Strib  adapts LA Times, WaPo and AP copy about Friday's vote on funding for the war.  Minnesota's House delegation's positions are tallied:

Two of Minnesota's five House Democrats might vote against the bill. Reps. Keith Ellison and Jim Oberstar, both members of the "Out of Iraq" caucus, still haven't committed to vote for it.

The state's three other Democrats -- Betty McCollum, Collin Peterson and Tim Walz -- all expressed support for the measure. Republicans Jim Ramstad, John Kline and Michele Bachmann will vote against it.

Pioneer Press: Democrats split on Iraq funds bill
Across town, the PiPress runs Frederick Frommer's Associated Press report, Democrats split on Iraq
funds bill.  Representative Walz explains his position:

Walz, a freshman and National Guard veteran, said the bill would hold President Bush and the Iraqi government accountable.

"Additionally, this bill rectifies the Bush administration's lack of planning by adding badly needed funding to veterans' health care and military health care facilities," he said.

Mankato Free Press: Personal twist on war protest
A MSU student's calls for the war's end is profiled in Personal twist on war protest:

. . .it was time for Sarah Kuebler to stand up and ask why — “Why didn’t my father return from Iraq today?”

The Minnesota State University student held onto a sign with those words written in red, white and blue markers all day Wednesday on the campus mall, beginning in the drizzle at 8 a.m.

Kuebler’s father, National Guard Sgt. Gary Kuebler of Sleepy Eye, was supposed to come home Wednesday. But his tour was extended to July or August because of President Bush’s plan to increase troops, which prompted Kuebler’s protest.

One of Kuebler's profs relates her shock at the "quiet, sweet" young woman's decision to protest publicly. Kuebler speaks for herself:

Shy or not, Kuebler said, her message was important enough to stand up for.

“I want people to know I support the troops 100 percent,” she said. “But it’s time for the war to end.”

Kuebler’s father — who brings a smile to her face when she speaks of him — is on his second deployment overseas. She hasn’t seen him in about 18 months when he left for Iraq, where he’s stationed at Scania, south of Baghdad.

In fact, Kuebler has only seen her father six months since his first deployment, which began when she was 16.

New Ulm Journal editorial: Cold war over Sudan?
The New Ulm Journal editorial board chastises those nations that seek to delay relief for Darfur, concluding:

Plenty is known about what is happening in Darfur. Nations cooperating to forestall U.N. action against Sudan clearly do not have the interests of the victims at heart. If they continue to act in concert against such action, it may signal that a new Cold War is in progress.

Two Sundays ago, Representative Walz spoke out at a town hall meeting about Darfur that was held in a Minneapolis church.

Strib: Spend farm money where it's needed
The Strib supports a Senate plan for caps on farm subsidy payments. Money saved by the caps would be directed toward renewable energy, conservation and rural development efforts.

Tim Walz appointed to Congressional-Executive Commission on China

We just received a press release from Tim Walz; he has been appointed to a commission on China. Walz, who speaks Mandarin, taught in China as well as conducting summer trips to the country with his wife, Gwen, through the small business they started, Educational Travel Adventures. The release:

Today, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appointed Rep. Tim Walz to serve on the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. The exclusive Commission includes nine members from the House of Representatives and nine from the Senate, as well as five senior Administration officials appointed by President Bush.

"I am honored to be chosen to serve on this exclusive Commission," said Walz. "It is extremely important that America continues to pay close attention to human rights in China and that we are careful about further expansion of our trade relationship with China. There is great potential in China for our ag producers and for other industries, but we must ensure that we act in a measured and conscientious way in order to realize that full potential without losing additional American jobs."

"Tim Walz will provide the commission with a strong voice on the U.S.-China relationship. His extensive background working in China and his knowledge of the Chinese people will be great assets as Congress moves forward on the crucial issues facing our two countries," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

During the late 1980s, Walz was one of the first government-sanctioned American high school educators to teach in China. After returning from China, Rep. Walz created a nonprofit called Educational Travel Adventures, Inc. through which he and his wife Gwen accompanied hundreds of students on annual educational trips to China.

The China Commission was created by Congress in 2000 and is tasked with monitoring human rights and the development of the rule of law in China. The Commission reports its findings annually to the President and to the Congress. Representative Sander Levin (D-MI) and Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) are the current co-chairs of the Commission.

More information on the Congressional - Executive Commission on China