Bluestem Prairie: news about Tim Walz (MN-1)

Tuesday morning netroots digest: new G.I. Bill edition

Overcome by yesterday's blog traffic, we headed out to do some birding and catch Ironman at the local theater. Enormous fun, though we all shuddered during the attack on the Humvee convoy in Afghanistan: one of the young men in the theater is in the reserves, who (like the rest of us) has been listening to vets returned from the real thing.

The real stories and the need to revisit veterans' programs is driving legislation aimed at paying back their sacrifice and commitment to our country.  In the First, the netroots have engaged that conversation. In yesterday's Corner House Comments,  we read that 21st Century GI Bill Will Come To A Vote Soon!.

The southwestern Minnesota blogger, father of an Iraq war vet, promotes a comment from Minnesota Central about the roadblocks Blue Dog Democrats are putting up.  CHC follows with an appeal from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) for support for the legislation:

Last week, despite enormous momentum, a vote on the GI Bill was delayed by a small group of Democrats in the House. Believe it or not, they’re concerned about the cost of the bill, which amounts to less than 0.5% of war funding for the year. This is Washington ineffectiveness at its worst.

We’ve been pounding the pavement here in DC every day, meeting with all the key players in the fight for a new GI Bill, and today we need your support.

Please take a minute now to call your Representative, and urge them to show their support for a new GI Bill by voting to fund it this week. We’ve included some talking points at the bottom of this email that you can use during your call.

Despite deep bi-partisan support, the endorsement of every major veterans’ organization, and studies showing that a new GI Bill is a fiscally sound investment in our nation’s future, a few members of the House are standing in its way at this late, critical stage.

If you haven’t already, please take a minute now to call your Representative and tell them that you support education benefits for the men and women coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The new GI Bill (HR 5740) has broad bi-partisan support, and leading Democrats and Republicans have been fighting for it since day one. But thanks to this small group that is mounting an ill-advised opposition, the vote is going to be close, and we need your help to make sure Congress does the right thing.

In our view, the GI Bill is a cost of war, and a smart investment in one of the most motivated, deserving groups of people our country has to offer.

So please take a minute now to tell your Representative to show real support for our troops and veterans by supporting the new GI Bill.

After your call, please take a minute to tell us about it here.

Over at Minnesota Campaign Report, First District diarist Jacob Grippen looks at the GI Bill, beginning with  a discussion of the Senate version of the bill, which John McCain objects to as too generous. Grippen concludes:

Too generous?  We are denying our Veterans the truth about their comrades' suicides, we're treating them to horrible conditions at VA hospitals, yes, I suppose passing Senator Webb's new GI Bill would be a change in policy.   I'm just glad that many Republicans are co-sponsoring this bill.  The total number of co-sponsors (bi-partisan) so far is up to 57.

Our soldiers deserve every benefit our government and its citizens can give them.

Tim Walz had this to say back in April about revamping the GI Bill:

"To enhance the ability of not only of the soldier but of their family members to get an education and get them back in training for a new profession"

What say you Minnesota?

We say that our young friends in the Navy, Marines, Army and Air Force deserve the best for what they're willing to put on the line for the rest of us.  Go over to CHC and MNCR to share your thoughts.

In other netroots news, The Hill's Blog Briefing Room » Daily Kos looks at Mcjoan's post about the Frontiers of Freedom robocalls campaign.

Photo: Airmen in a Humvee rollover training exercise at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.

Walz statement on National Teacher Day

Today is National Teacher Day, and Congressman Walz's office sent out this statement:

Today, Congressman Tim Walz released the following statement to honor the commitment and hard work of America's educators on National Teacher Day.

"Two years ago, I took a leave of absence from Mankato West High School to run for and serve in the United States Congress. As the only teacher with experience under No Child Left Behind serving in Congress, I am proud to represent America's public educators in Washington.  I know from personal experience that Minnesota's teachers are some of the best in the world. Everyday, our teachers are called upon to teach our children the life-lessons that text books cannot. Our teachers go above and beyond for our students and today we honor that commitment. 

"Our hope for the future currently rests in the young people who are working their way through school in southern Minnesota. Every day, we entrust their care to the men and women who work as teachers and lay the foundation for another generation of knowledgeable and productive citizens.

"Today, I ask everyone to make an effort to thank an educator that impacted their life. On this one day a year, a kind word is the least we can do for those that have given our country so much.

Hmmm...I'd have to thank Sally Burdick, my high school journalism teacher; Mr. McDonald, a beloved English teacher who passed on before I graduated from St. Peter High; F. Garvin Davenport, Kent Kreuter, and Roger Walker at Hamline; Murray Murphy and Michael Katz at Penn; Heather Ross Miller, Miller Williams, Bill Harrison and dear departed Jim Whitehead at the Ozarks Famous Writers School. And Joe Candido and the late Brian Wilke, both of whom let me love the canon, however politically incorrect that might be.

Saturday noon news digest: spring plowing edition

It's a great sunny day, so we're headed out to Swan Lake, Fort Ridgely and the Minnesota River Valley for some afternoon birding as soon as this is up. We hope the sun will dry the fields enough for the farmers to start working.

Not all farmers are doing great. The Post Bulletin reports that USDA to buy surplus pork:

Aiming to boost a sagging American pork market, Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer has committed to $50 million in emergency pork purchases.

The pork products will be used for child nutrition and other domestic foods assistance programs.

On April 10, U.S. Rep. Tim Walz sent a letter to Schafer, urging him to make the purchases to help pork producers, who are being squeezed by high expenses and low hot prices.

"These purchases will help to stabilize hog prices and mitigate the economic losses faced by our producers in southern Minnesota," Walz said Friday.

The ag secretary has the power, under a law passed during the Great Depression, to purchase surplus commodities to support farm prices.

Minnesota's First Congressional District, in the southeast corner of the state, ranks second in the United States in pork production with more than 2,500 pork producers raising 9 million hogs a year. The industry employs 22,500 Minnesotans. . . .

Whether you're buying meat direct from a farmer, from a co-op or at the grocery store, try these roasted pork enchiladas. Mmmmm. These days, it's easy to find queso fresco cheese at any grocery store, though many Minnesotans' taste buds may favor the Monterey Jack.  BTW, Farmers' Markets are opening today throughout Southern Minnesota. In Winona, Scone Lady’ adds flavor to local farmers market. We may have to wait a week or two for asparagus.

And probably that long for the details of the Farm Bill coming out of conference committee. Minnesota Public Radio reports in Farm Bill agreement in hand:

A congressional conference committee will be working through the weekend in an effort to finalize a $300 billion Farm Bill. The legislation pays for farm subsidies conservation, alternative energy, and nutrition programs for the next five years. The process has been contentious and may end with a showdown between Congress and the President. . . .

. . .Peterson expects the Farm Bill to be on the House floor next week. It's expected to have strong bi-partisan support in both the House and Senate.

U.S. Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.) is also on the conference committee crafting the final legislation. He says there's been a good faith effort to work with the president, now it's time for a showdown.

"We want the White House to sign this bill, we're trying to accommodate their concerns. But if they don't, this bill will have the full participation by both political parties as it passes the House and Senate," Pomeroy says. "We believe we're going to have a level of support where if veto override is what it takes, veto override is what we're going to give them."

Farmers, conservation groups and social service agencies will all be watching closely as that showdown happens sometime in the next two weeks.

KTTC-TV reports Disabled Veterans Meet in Rochester for the group's annual convention.

Congressman Walz will hold an economic summit in Mankato on June 2.

This event will feature thought-provoking discussions and panels on the most important economic issues facing Southern Minnesota and the country. The Summit offers an opportunity to have a regional conversation about the kind of community, State and Nation we are striving for. The event will gather academic leaders, industry experts, the business community, local residents and policy experts to discuss and debate issues of importance to us all.

When: Monday June 2, 2008

Where:    Alltel Convention Center,  Mankato, MN

The Summit Agenda:

7:15: Registration opens

8:00– 8:15 Welcome by Congressman Tim Walz

8:15 – 8:45 An Analysis of Minnesota’s Economic and Demographic Trends and Outlook?

8:45 – 9:00 Building a Competitive Advantage for Rural Regions/p>

9:00 – 10:15 Panel #1: Healthcare

10:15 – 11:45 Panel #2: Early Childhood and K-12 Education

11:45 – 12:45 Lunch and Keynote Address by U.S. Congressman Tim Walz

12:45 – 2:00 Panel #3: Higher Education

2:00 – 3:15 Panel #4: “Agriculture and Energy: Energizing Rural Economic Growth”

3:15 – 4:30 Capitalizing on our Regional Competitiveness

The event is free and open to the public, although the lunch meal is $15. A registration form is here (Word doc).

Michael Travers' letter to the editor, Walz has earned support for second term, has been published in the Mankato Free Press and the New Ulm Journal. The New Ulm resident writes:

Last weekend, the DFL endorsed Tim Walz as its candidate for Congress in the First District.

Walz deserves to be re-elected for a second term. He has been a fresh breath of air in an otherwise business as usual government. To Walz, good ideas come from both sides of the aisle; from people like you and me.

Walz is a true representative of the people of his district. You and I may not agree on every issue with Walz, but one thing is for sure, Walz will listen.

As a family man, Walz gets it. As you hear his wife, Gwen, speak she’ll tell you that each time she comes home from the grocery store or the gas station she’ll remind him of the price of a gallon of milk or a gallon of gas. The pride he has in his family is evident by the smile on his face.

As a former teacher and coach, Walz understands the importance of the issues that face young people everyday and the impact the decisions we make today will have on their future.

This time, the first congressional district has a keeper. This time, the first congressional district has the representation of a man who is genuine, committed, and will not forget that it is a privilege to serve as your representative.

Congratulations to Irma Marguez of St. James, who has been selected Minnesota's Homecoming Queen.

The Olmsted County DFL will hold its Fifth Annual Dinner tonight in Rochester.

Kids these days: the vision of students in Lewisville and Rochester

In his comments on the House floor about energy and the economy, Representative Walz mentioned the beauty of wind turbines and the economic development potential of the wind energy industry.

The St. James Plaindealer has published a story about the power of that beauty.

In Lewisville man's photograph wins award for his college, we learn that:

Lewisville resident and Minnesota West Community and Technical College student Kevin Froslan recently earned his school an award for a picture he took, but that was furthest from his mind at the time.

Froslan, a student in the wind energy technology program, merely took advantage of a unique opportunity when he and a classmate were doing a “job shadow” for a day atop a wind turbine.

Froslan knew he would have a chance to take some interesting pictures, so he took along his camera. After taking several, officials used one picture to market its wind program.

For this, the college was awarded a Bronze Paragon Award for original photography by the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations during its national conference held March 8-12 in Georgia.

The community and technical college has posted more information on its web site:

“What makes this award so meaningful to the college is the photograph was taken by a student enrolled in the Wind Energy Technology program at our Canby campus,” said Gillin.  Kevin Froslan and Jacob Knutson were perched upon a turbine overlooking the Buffalo Ridge on a cool, foggy morning as part of a lab experience.  As the morning fog lifted, Kevin began shooting photos to share with family and friends so they could visualize what a wind technician’s work environment would be like.  Utilizing a personal digital camera, Kevin took an amazing photograph.  He captured a photograph the college has used extensively for marketing the Minnesota West wind energy technology program.  The photograph currently appears on the cover of the 2008-2010 Minnesota West catalog. . . .   

.  . . The photographer, Kevin Froslan, a 2006 graduate of Truman High School in Truman, Minnesota and the subject Jacob Knutson, a 2005 graduate of Marshall High School in Marshall, Minnesota are second year students who are on track to graduate this spring from the wind energy technology program.  Both Kevin and Jacob worked for Outland Renewable Energy last summer and have accepted employment with Outland upon completion of their education this spring.  Outland Renewable Energy has an operations office in Canby, MN.  As wind technicians for Outland Renewable Energy, they will work primarily on new turbine setup and installation.  Some responsibilities include aligning blades, generator hookup, and completing the electrical requirements for getting the electricity the turbine produces on the power grid. . . .

Frosland will be based in Illinois, where he will travel for his job, he told the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.

The Rochester Post-Bulletin takes a look at another ambitious young person pursuing his vision in Mayo senior campaigns for seat at national DFL convention. Sam Hagedorn is working the phones:

As he walked his dog Wednesday night, Sam Hagedorn was working his cell phone, trying to land one of the hottest political tickets in the country.

The Mayo High School senior was campaigning to become a national delegate in August at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. . . .

Driven by a desire not only to witness history but perhaps to play a hand in making it, Hagedorn and other Minnesota Democrats are scrambling to fill these coveted national slots. With the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination between Sen. Hillary Clinton and Obama still unresolved, there is a remote possibility that the contest will be decided by delegates in a brokered convention. . . .

. . .Thus, the competition is expected to be particularly intense for the five delegate slots and one alternate slot up for grabs at the DFL 1st Congressional District Convention in Albert Lea on Saturday. They will eventually make up part of the 88-member delegation that will be sent to the Democratic convention from Aug. 25 through Aug. 28.

The district convention will also feature the endorsement of U.S. Rep. Tim Walz of Mankato for Congress.

Hagedorn was drawn to the political flame early. He can recall pedaling home from sports practice as a 10-year-old and skipping dinner in order to catch the Bush-Gore debates.

. . .At age 18, Hagedorn recognizes that his youth is a double-edged sword. But Hagedorn thinks he can make the case that a youthful perspective should be heard at the national convention. Which generation, after all, is going to have to deal with the fallout from the U.S. government's massive debt and its challenges across the world but his?

But even if he doesn't become a national delegate, Hagedorn said he's prepared to see the campaign as a positive experience.

"If I get one vote besides myself, I'm going to call that a win," he said.

We think the country is already the winner with Froslan and Hagedorn.

Photos:  Atop the wind turbine, from the MN West site; Hagedorn from the Post Bulletin.

New Ulm and Owatonna papers cover vets roundtable at VA Medical Center

The New Ulm and Owatonna papers cover yesterday's vets roundtable with Speaker Pelosi, Congressman Walz, state veterans commissioner Clark Dyrud, and Minnesota National Guard adjutant general Larry Shellito.

The New Ulm Journal reports on the roundtable in general in Pelosi hears concerns about state’s war vets.  The passage focusing on two two New Ulm-area vets on the roundtable:

Brown County Veterans Service Officer Greg Peterson said that if New Ulm’s Al Huhn had not been a prisoner of war, he would not have received his veterans benefits due to the income cap.

“Many vets used the GI Bill to become educated and successful but were denied more benefits due to their income,” said Peterson.

Recently, Peterson sent cards to 20 veterans asking them to call him or visit his office. He is still waiting for responses.

Peterson's experience echoed a shocking statistic on the under-use of vets' benefits by those who serviced in the military:

Many returning veterans don’t know about their benefits. Only about 40 percent apply for them, according to Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Clark Dyrud.

Minnesota National Guard Adjutant General Larry W. Shellito said $1 million has been allocated for returning veterans programs, but vets themselves must apply for the programs.

Pelosi hopes to help address these outreach issues in Washington.

The Owatonna People's Press reported on the event in Walz, Speaker hear concerns from district veterans. The article begins:

One of the main concerns Rene Gilormini, the veterans services officer for Steele County, hears from area veterans is the lack of health care access.

He would like to have an outpatient clinic for veterans in Steele County, along with more options to provide financial assistance for veterans trying to pay medical bills. Gilormini said it's becoming tougher for aging veterans to receive the proper care outside of Steele County.

"Their hands are pretty tied on where they need to go," Gilormini said.

Gilormini is not the only one asking for more services. . . .

Read the rest at the Owatonna People's Press. The Winona Daily News ran the AP copy.

MASA: Walz talk with school administrators "a bright spot"

The Minnesota Association of School Administrators sent a delegation of members to Washington D.C. Executive Director Charlie Kyte reports on the group's blog:

THE FEDERAL ADVOCACY GROUP

Our group that traveled to Washington this year included Dan Brooks--Sauk Centre, Gary Amoroso--Lakeville, Kevin Wellin--NRHEG, Craig Oftedahl--Warroad, Nan Records--Sherburn-Wright Coop, Jamie Skjeveland--Crosby-Ironton, Luther Heller-SW/WC Service Coop, Jim Hess-Bemidji. Mary Law from MASA served as staff support on the trip.

Over our 4 days we met with all of Minnesota's Congressmen, Senators Coleman and Klobuchar, many House and Senate Education Committee staff persons and also attended the AASA Federal Advocacy Conference. We learned a lot and also saw how difficult it is to have the folks in DC be cognizant about what is actually happening in our schools.

CONGRESSMAN TIM WALZ

A bright spot was a talk given by Minnesota's freshman congressman Tim Walz to the whole group of AASA Federal Advocacy Conference attendees. This happened on Thursday morning with about 150 of us in attendance. Congressman Walz is a teacher from Mankato and his wife Gwen is the Testing and Assessment Coordinator for that District. They understand the difficulty of applying NCLB at the local level. Many people in the room wished they had Congressman Walz representing their states. We were proud of him and his ability to communicate with educators.

Metro TV, AP and Forum newspapers coverage of Pelosi event

Twin Cities television stations WCCO, KSTP, and KARE-11 all have aired their own video reports on the vets' roundtable at the VA Medical Center with Speaker Pelosi.

For their web site text, the metro area TV station are running with the Associated Press's article about the event, as does the Star Tribune and the Rochester Post Bulletin.  The Strib used the headline Minn. veterans tell House Speaker Pelosi that too many vets fall through the cracks for  Steve Karnowski's Associated Press article.

The beginning of Karnowski's article:

Too many Iraq War veterans are slipping through the cracks and aren't getting the benefits they've earned, veterans told U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday.

At a panel discussion hosted by U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., Pelosi was told that the Minnesota National Guard has done an excellent job of making sure its troops coming home from Iraq get all the health and education benefits they're entitled to.

But participants said too many veterans from the active duty military services don't get those benefits because they return home alone, and nobody makes sure they check the box on their discharge paperwork saying that they want the information to go to the veterans services offices in their home states.

Luke Weinandt of Mankato said he could have been one of those who fell through the cracks.

"I pretty much stayed in my father-in-law's basement for a few months" after getting out of the Army, he said, having no idea what kind of help was out there.

Weinandt told Pelosi he eventually found out and went back to school, but had to take out student loans to pay his tuition because his GI Bill educational benefit payments kept coming late. Some of his fellow veterans just dropped out because the money didn't come on time, he said.. . .

Go read the rest at the Strib. A much shorter article by Chao Xiong, one of the paper's political reporters, ran before event concluded. Update: The Strib has posted a new article by Chao Xiong, Madam Speaker listens to vets.  Great picture of New Ulm WWII vet and former POW Allan Huhn. We had a chance to talk to Huhn, who talked to us about his work with other WWII vets to educate school kids about their experiences in the war. A great storyteller and all-around cool guy. [end update]

The Forum group's Scott Wente wrote two articles one covering the VA Medical Center visit and the other, shorter piece focusing on the separate fundraiser that followed the three hour visit with vets and VA staff.

Note: The event was covered by First District television stations KAAL-TV, KEYC-TV and KTTC-TV, as well as Fox News Twin Cities.

KAAL-TV Speaker Pelosi in Minnesota

Brandon's McElwain's video about the even at KAAL-TV is more comprehensive than the short article, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in Minnesota that's on the station's web site, so it's definitely worth a look. 

Here's the text:

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is in Minnesota to learn about the needs of local veterans.

During a round-table discussion hosted by U.S. Representative Tim Walz, Pelosi heard good things about what the Minnesota National Guard is doing to ensure its veterans get their benefits.

But veterans told her that others from the active duty military services fall through the cracks too often.

Participants praised the care they get at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

But they appealed for more financial help for veterans from rural Minnesota who must travel long distances to get care.

The panel included veterans from World War II all the way to the current Iraq war as well as officials who work with veterans.

Pelosi has promised to take what she learned back to Washington and see what she can do to help.

Veteran Ken Delano definitely does well on camera.

KTTC-TV: Bulding a better VA system

The electronic media is covering the veterans roundtable with Walz fairly in depth.  Here's Improving the VA, KTTC-TV's take on the morning's discussion that was reporter filed by Fanna Haile-Selassie:

Two prominent politicians are in Minnesota, discussing ways on how to improve the care veterans receive when they return home from war.

Many concerns were placed on the table this morning. Veterans voiced their struggles with re-integration, modernizing the GI bill, and getting rid of the veteran tax, just to name a few. Two veterans from our first district were there too, and brought up some interesting points.

Many WWII veterans need the help of the Veteran Affairs agency. And so do the Vietnam vets and now those coming back home from Iraq.

So first district Congressman Tim Walz, who has been advocating for an improved VA system in Minnesota helped organize a round table discussion so House Speaker Nancy Pelosi could hear first-hand about veteran's concerns.

"In the military, we will never leave a soldier behind on the battlefield. We say in congress, and when they come home, we will not leave them behind as well," stated Pelosi.

One problem that kept coming up had to do with DD 214 papers that vets fill out when they are discharged.

"We're letting a lot of troops fall through the cracks, and I think this is the number one issue," said Olmsted county VA officer Brad Lindsay.

Counties cannot track active and reserve vets because many don't check the box to release their information.

"The DD 214, checking that box. I mean if somebody doesn't see it or explain it to you, 90 percent you, you're just glad to get out, get your discharge papers and leave," commented veteran Luke Weinandt.

So many veterans don't know what services are provided to them.

Another problem, veterans can't physically get to a medical center. The VA Medical Center in Minneapolis not only serves Minnesota veterans, but those in the five state area. But some veterans now are saying, it is too long of a drive."

"From my driveway to here is 106 miles," said veteran Ken Delano. "In February, that's not fun, when you have to be here at 7:30 in the morning, the roads are icy, and then just the expense."

The government agency will now reimburse vets 28 cents for each mile, before it was 11 cents. But even with all the concerns, the veterans said the medical quality they receive is excellent.

Congressman Walz had previously been talking to veterans in the first district on their ideas of what needs improving. The plan is to take back all the information received today back to Washington to create a better veterans bill.

Video available here.

KEYC-TV: Pelosi hears MN vets

Working next to us at the vets' roundtable with Nancy Pelosi was the high-energy reporter and weekend anchor Betsy Gessell of KEYC-TV.  She filed the report, Nancy Pelosi Hears Mn Veteran's Issues:

Speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi met with 1st District Congressman Tim Walz and state military veterans in Minneapolis today to discuss issues they face when they return home from service tours.News 12's Betsy Gessell was there as well and has more on the issues at hand.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was given a warm welcome today when she met with state veterans at the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis - that shortly turned to an intense discussion about access to healthcare in rural areas and challenges veterans face in transitioning into civilian life.

Ken Delano of Albert Lea says, ''As a rural vet I have to come all the way up here to Minneapolis to get my care.  Army military police vet Ken Delano is also concerned that the limited access to healthcare for rural vets severely strains their income.But he says he has a solution.Delano says, ''Expanding what is called community based out patient clinics to where they contract with local clinics for the veterans to go there for basic care.''

Congress's solution is to raise the mileage reimbursement rate from 28 cents to 48 and a half cents a mile.

However 1st District congressman Tim Walz says that may not accommodate everyone.Walz says, ''The problem is that there's a law written in that the deductible goes up on their health care site as their mileage reimbursement rate goes up."

Marine and Mankato resident Michael McLaughlin stressed - a separate issue is the difficulties of returning to civilian life after a service tour.McLaughlin Says, ''A lot of guys come home and they just feel secluded and go off and start working that 9 to 5 job and miss out on all the benefits and a lot of people have a lot of built up tension and anger that they don't know how to deal with the best.''

Speaker Pelosi says, ''We hear you - some of it is in the works, we have to do better.''

No matter what issue was discussed today the message is clear, and that is no soldier shall be left behind. Speaker Pelosi says, ''In the military, we will never leave a soldier behind on the battlefield. We say in Congress: And when they come home, we will not leave them behind as well." In Minneapolis, Betsy Gessell News 12.

Video here.