A Bluestem Prairie

Congressional art competition for high school students

A press release from Walz's congressional office:

Congressman Walz Announces High School Art Competition Encourages All Students to Get Involved

(Mankato, MN) – Today, Representative Walz encouraged students from the First Congressional District of Minnesota to participate in the 28th Annual Congressional Arts Competition. Walz and other members of Congress will promote and celebrate the creative spirit of American high school students across the country by conducting the annual competition.

“As a high school teacher, it’s an honor to participate in a program that emphasizes the creativity of our youth,” Walz said. “This is a great opportunity for Southern Minnesota to showcase some of our native talent on a national stage, and I encourage all students to get involved.”

The winning submission from Minnesota’s First Congressional District will hang in the hallways of the United States Capitol for the next year. The second and third place submissions will hang in the Walz district offices in Rochester and Mankato.

Each high school in the First Congressional District is eligible to submit one piece per grade level. All submissions must be received in the Rochester or Mankato district office by Monday, May 4. Submissions will be accepted during regular business hours (8 am – 5 pm), Monday – Friday.

Entrants who would like their art returned to them after the competition must either pick it up at the Mankato office or include return postage.

If you have any questions or would like a copy of the submission packet including the full rules, please contact the Amanda Frie in the Mankato office at (507) 388-2149 or visit Rep. Walz’s website at http://walz.house.gov/constituentservices/.

Walz Mankato Office:

227 E Main St. # 220

Mankato, MN 56001

507-388-2149

Tim Walz: A bonus for schoolkids

This op-ed from the Mankato Free Press pretty much speaks for itself. In My View: A bonus for our kids, Congressman Walz writes:

On Monday evening, I attended the Mankato Public Schools forum on the upcoming budget adjustments. I observed this meeting as the father of a Roosevelt Elementary second grader. As students, parents, teachers and counselors spoke passionately about what the cuts would mean for the Mankato area and the activities they believe are worth sustaining, I found myself more proud than ever before that I am a part of this community.

When West freshman Michael Maurer spoke, I could not help remembering other young men like Michael who sat in my classroom. He spoke with confidence about the sense of belonging that he felt as part of the academic decathlon team. Countless times my colleagues and I watched as a shy, self-conscious freshman entered that big high school building, only to be transformed from an outsider in awe of the upperclassmen to an integral part of the fabric of the school community. The most common factor in this transformation was the student’s involvement in activities like speech, debate, cheerleading and academic decathlon.

Michael and his teammates spoke out because the hard choices involved in balancing the budget means these programs will likely be cut. Many of these students and parents understood that so much more than a “program” was being cut; rather a way to belong was ending.

The truly tragic thing is that when I came back to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, the news broke that AIG would be doling out bonuses not to the beacons of the financial industry, but rather to the people who invented the exotic financial tools that caused part of the meltdown.

The anger and frustration that I feel is because this was so preventable. Last fall, after I voted against the first Wall Street bailout, my vote was characterized by some as irresponsible. At the time, I publicly cited the failure of the bailout package to address excessive executive compensation as one of the primary reasons I could not vote for it.

Today, we see how fundamentally unfair it is that the Wall Street bailout provides million-dollar bonuses to executives who made bad decisions. In contrast, the leadership of Ed Waltman and the Mankato School Board has made our school district a beacon to which others aspire. But sadly, there are no bonuses for schools. Even beacons like Mankato are facing deep and dramatic cuts this year.

I am saddened for the young people of our community who are seeing their opportunity to gain the sense of belonging and self-confidence that comes with participation in these activities eliminated while we watch fat-cat CEOs and unscrupulous financial brokers walk away with taxpayer dollars for a job poorly done.

As we prepare the fiscal year federal 2010 budget, I will continue to be governed by the conviction that a budget is far more than just a spreadsheet; it is a moral document that reflects our values as a country and rewards those who we believe to be inspirational examples for the rest of the country.

We can and must do better for our children. We must invest in them and the future and in inspiring the country to greater heights. To continue demoralizing our students and parents with programmatic cuts while rewarding failure in our financial system is unacceptable.

Tim Walz is a Democrat from Mankato who represents the 1st Congressional District.

That deserves a good tune:

Photo: West High School teacher Scott Urban welcomed Congressman Tim Walz to his class in 2007. Walz taught at West before getting elected to the U.S. House in 2006 and is on an extended leave of absence. Photo by John Cross of the The Free Press.

Walz votes for GIVE Act; Paulsen joins MN Democrats in vote

The House passed the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education (GIVE) Act, H.R. 1388 today by a vote of 321 to 105. Third Congressional District Republican Erik Paulsen joined all five DFLers in Congress in voting for the measure, which Republicans John Kline and Michele Bachmann voted against.

A press release from Congressman Walz's office:

Representative Walz Votes to Renew America's Commitment to Service

(Washington, DC) Today, Congressman Tim Walz joined a bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives in voting for a bill that will launch a new era of American service and volunteerism. The Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education (GIVE) Act, H.R. 1388, answers President Obama's call for Americans of all generations to help get the country through the economic crisis by serving and volunteering in their communities

The House passed the legislation, the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education (GIVE) Act, H.R. 1388, by a vote of 321 to 105. The Senate is considering similar legislation.

"In his inaugural address, President Obama called for all Americans to dedicate themselves to serve in their communities," said Walz. "This bill will give southern Minnesotans the tools they need to rebuild their communities."

The GIVE Act would more than triple the number of volunteers currently engaged in Senior Corp, AmeriCorps, and Learn & Serve America, from the current 75,000 to 250,000, and increase the education reward they receive to $5,350 for next year, the same as the maximum Pell Grant scholarship award. The education award would also be linked to match future boosts in the Pell Grant scholarship in order to keep up with rising college costs.

It would create a new national Call to Service campaign to encourage all Americans to get involved in service and would encourage Americans to observe September 11th a National Day of Service and Remembrance.

The legislation provides new incentives for middle and high school students to volunteer in their communities. It would create a Summer of Service program to engage students in service and allows them to earn a $500 education award to be used for college costs.

In addition, the legislation would:

Strengthen existing service programs and create new innovative programs to help improve student achievement and graduation in low-income schools, expand health care access, provide seniors with help living independently, enhance services for veterans, and help build a green, energy-efficient economy;

Establish a Veterans Corp to meet the unique needs of veterans and military families;

Expand the focus of the National Civilian Community Corps to infrastructure improvement, environmental and energy conversation, and urban and rural development, in addition to disaster relief;

Create new opportunities for Baby Boomers and seniors to serve and volunteer;

Recruit scientists and engineers into service to keep America competitive; and

Build a nationwide community-based infrastructure to leverage investments in service.

For a more detailed fact sheet visit: http://edlabor.house.gov/documents/111/pdf/publications/GIVEActSummary20090311.pdf.

An article by David Hawley in today's MinnPost included a look back at the Civilian Conservation Corps, upon which the National Civilian Community Corps (a part of Americorps) is based, as in the Minnesota Conservation Corps mentioned in the article.

One of our uncles was a member of the CCC in Minnesota in the 1930s, working in the North Woods. MinnPost linked to a MSHS YouTube about the CCC in Minnesota, which btrought a number of his stories about work in the camps back.

Image: A poster for the Illinois CCC from the National Archives.

Tuesday digest: a new Recovery Act tool edition

Once upon a time in some Midwestern states, the rooster was a symbol of the Democratic Party. The  photo of the watchful bird gracing this digest is drawn from a post by Rachael Spiegel Photography - Blog: Minnesota Congressman Campaign Photo .  Spiegel certainly captured that chicken's essential roosterhood. Click on the link above for some lovely shorts of a Southern Minnesota farm in summer, and a great picture of Tim and Gus Walz talking with the farmers. Photo used with the photographer's permission.

We're going to be doing some birding this afternoon along the Minnesota River Valley in Nicollet and Blue Earth Counties, and will let readers know if we see any birds with that much attitude.

Via I Love Bettyful, we learn of more praise for Congressman Walz from the National Geographic Society:

Last month I urged you to ask Congress for action on geography education. A huge "THANK YOU" to everyone who participated! Nearly 6,000 emails went out, and in late February the House introduced a bill called Teaching Geography is Fundamental (H.R. 1240). Not only does TGIF have the best acronym on the Hill, it has a strong, bipartisan set of lead sponsors: Chris Van Hollen (MD), Roy Blunt (MO), Vernon Ehlers (MI), and Tim Walz (MN). TGIF will provide funding for teacher training and research in geography, currently the ONLY core subject without a dedicated source of federal support. Thanks. You guys rock!

We received  Walz congressional office press release about a new tool for understanding the Recovery Act--and post the pdf of the guidebook below:

WALZ RELEASES ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT GUIDEBOOK

Document will help citizens understand funding available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Congressman Walz released a guidebook to help citizens understand the funding available under The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (H.R.1). The guidebook, which will be posted on Walz’s website (walz.house.gov), explains which types of projects can receive funding under the Recovery Act and provides contact information for the various federal, state and local agencies responsible for distributing the funding.

“Many individuals and local governments are seeking access to important recovery funds during these tough economic times,” said Congressman Walz. “Some funding is being distributed by the State of Minnesota and other funds are available directly from federal government agencies. This guidebook will be a good starting point for folks seeking more information about recovery funds.”

Walz also encouraged individuals to call his Economic Recovery Coordinator, Meredith Salsbery, if they have questions after reviewing the guidebook. Salsbery can be reached in Walz’s Mankato Office at 507-388-2149 or 1-877-TIM-WALZ.

Download a copy of the Walz Recovery Guidebook by clicking on this link Walz ARRA Guide..

Saturday digest: roads, rest stops, recovery money and urban legends edition

 News is getting out about the projects MNDOT will be funding with Recovery Act dollars. The Jackson County Pilot reports in Stimulus upgrades local rest areas:

Federal stimulus money will pay for repaving of the parking lots at Interstate 90's Clear Lake and Des Moines rest areas in Jackson County, according to a list of state projects announced Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

The $320,000 parking lot overlay and rehabilitation of curb and walkway at both rest stops is expected to start in September.

Bridge work in Windom was the next closest state project.

MnDOT earlier announced federal stimulus package projects being undertaken by local governments, of which one was the replacement of the Highway 20 bridge over County Ditch 3 a mile and a half west of Okabena by the Jackson County Highway Department. That project has a price tag of $378,000 and construction is expected to start right away this spring.

Click here for a map and click here for a list of the state transportation projects funded by the federal stimulus program.

Click here for a list of the local transportation projects funded by stimulus money.

In We need solutions, not slogans, an LTE from DFL activist Phil Castrovinci published in the Rochester Post Bulletin, we read:

Just three months into his second term, right wing Republicans have begun their attacks on Rep. Tim Walz, as demonstrated by Mr. Klinger in your paper on March 4.

Shame on them.

Rather than come up with sound solutions for the devastating problems facing our country, they want to use funny names (like "Porkulus," coined by Rush Limbaugh) and associations with tired old rhetoric to describe Democrats (tax and spend).

Sadly, right wing ideologues have made it clear they are rooting for failure that seems to be their only hope.

Mr. Klinger, Rush Limbaugh and the other right wingers should take a deep breath and actually think about proposing solutions rather than partisan slogans.

Thank you to Rep. Tim Walz for standing up for Main Street rather than for the Wall Street banks. Walz voted to create jobs in southern Minnesota and he voted against spending billions on a Wall Street Bank bailout. Clearly, his priorities are to represent and fight for Southern Minnesota.

The comments that follow the letter are instructive, as the Republican line seems to be that none of the funding in the Recovery Act or Omnibus spending bill is destined for southern Minnesota. For ourselves, we can only hope that, whatever the passion that informs their denial, those Republicans slow down for the safety of the construction workers on Highway 14 (Omnibus funding) and I-90 (Recovery Act), as well as using the rest areas as needed when passing through Jackson County.

Kudos to the Pilot and sister paper, the Lakefield Standard, for posting a pdf of the local projects. The Winona Daily news reports that Low I-90 project bids announced in the eastern part of the First.  Local police hope for federal grants because they'll be losing state fudning, the WDN reports. The Money would come from the Recovery Act:

Winona and Goodview police will lose state funding in 2009 but hope to bolster or maintain their forces with grants from a federal program re-invigorated by the federal stimulus bill.

The departments are joining thousands of police forces nationwide vying for $1 billion in the stimulus bill to hire officers through the Community Oriented Policing, or COPS program. Winona police hope a COPS grant will pay to replace an officer position they expect to lose next month, while Goodview police say the grant could fill a longstanding need to expand patrols in that department.

The Rock County Star Herald reports in Luverne HRA gets $92,000 in stimulus money:

Luverne was among more than two dozen southern Minnesota communities to receive funds for the express purpose of modernizing and developing public housing.

In Luverne that translates to more money for maintenance and improvements at the Blue Mound Tower apartments.

Luverne HRA Director Marcia Linssen said the money will be a welcome addition to the capital improvement fund at the Blue Mound Tower.

"Every little bit helps," she said. "We're looking forward to finding good ways to utilize that money, either by upgrading apartments or by making improvements to the building itself."

She said Luverne's HRA has been receiving roughly $72,000 in federal funds for capital improvements, so the $92,287 will allow for extra or more thorough improvements.

HRA owns the Blue Mound Tower apartments, which were built in 1970.

"It's an old building, and there are always capital projects that need attention," Linssen said. "Whether it's air exchange issues, plumbing issues or structural issues."

The Mankato Free Press Dan Linehan reports in Politicians weigh in at Futures Summit:

An ambitious project to identify and seize economic opportunities in southern Minnesota sought advice Friday from hundreds of southern Minnesota leaders from the public and private sectors.

Using hand-held voting devices, 250 participants winnowed six key industries to three: bioscience, health care and renewable energy. It’s in these areas the region has the best resources and opportunity to create jobs, they agreed.

The wider process is called the Southern Minnesota Regional Competitiveness Project, led by the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation. . . .

. . .Next up was Margaret Anderson Kelliher, speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives and a Mankato native.

“This is not the southern Minnesota of the 1970s,” she said. No one here is looking back, Kelliher said.

After her address, she said the best economic strategy takes advantage of home-grown entrepreneurs, who are looking at a range of factors, not just tax breaks.

“Relocation is a bit of the Old World of economic development,” she said.

Both Klobuchar, currently the state’s only senator, and Rep. Tim Walz touted the recently passed $787 billion stimulus bill as promoting similar goals.

Walz acknowledged the bill essentially borrows from the future and said he doesn’t like deficit spending.

But doing nothing was a worse option, and the only way out of the recession is creating growth, Walz said.

Read the entire article about the Summit at the MFP.  A biobusiness in coming to Pine Island. The Post Bulletin has published more about the Elk Run project in Elk Run seems to have all the right stuff. along with companion articles, $1 billion in a 'pile' for Elk Run and Pine Island city administrator pleased with infusion of capital into Elk Run.  There's even more in Much to be found under biotech umbrella and Interchange is necessary, but unfunded, piece of the project.

URBAN LEGEND ALERT: Finally, loyal readers know we're always on the lokkout for false urban legends being circulated as if they are factual. The Worthington Globe has published an LTE attributing a prayer to the late Paul Harvey. The text instantly set our bull detector tingling; sure enough, it's an item at the Urban Legends Reference site. The praye, falsely attributed to both Harvey and Billy Graham, wasn't aired on radio, but rather delivered on the opening day of the Kansas State House in 1996.

Photo: A waggish friend sent us this lolcats, recommending it as an allegory of First District Republican efforts to unseat Congressman Walz. We have some really funny friends.

If you've stuck with us and read this whole post, you deserve a song. How about a little Anthony and the Johnsons:

Thursday digest: just another biotech day in the park edition

Minnesota Public Radio reports in Officials announce $1 billion Elk Run project:

Rochester, Minn. — A real estate developer and a venture capitalist said today they are joining together to launch a biobusiness park near Rochester, reportedly costing nearly $1 billion.

The developer, Tower Investments, and the venture capitalist, Burrill & Co., hope to move forward with the Elk Run master planned development, which would feature what they call a BioBusiness Park to launch medical startup companies.. . .

. . .U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, who represents the area, says the project could revitalize the southern Minnesota corridor.

"They've chosen this because Minnesota had the vision to invest in things like the University of Minnesota, the Mayo Clinic, and the Rochester education system, and all the things that have brought growth to the area before," said Walz.

The development would also include office and warehouse space, retail and residential components.

Walz says to make the project work, more investment in infrastructure is needed. He says he hopes to find a way to help fund a new highway interchange at Elk Run.

The Post Bulletin also wrote up the announcement in It's a go for Pine Island and biotechnology. IN othe news, the paper reports in Appropriations bill funds projects in region:

First District Rep. Tim Walz requested the funding for the projects, including money for an extension of 55th Street and a new 60-bus garage facility in Rochester. Also receiving funding is the Hormel Institute in Austin and the National Child Protection Training Center in Winona.

Officials with Austin's Hormel Institute said they were thrilled with the $323,000 they received.

Previously, Dr. Zigang Dong, Hormel Institute executive director, has noted the importance of the funding.

"The growth we have achieved -- and the future growth we will continue to strive for -- depends on the important partnerships we share with our community and the support we receive from our leaders," he said. "Progress to improve the health of the world is not possible without research."

The story ran in the Austin version of the Post Bulletin under the heading, Federal bill sends funds to Hormel Institute.  Last night, KEYC-TV broadcast 16 Local Laws And Projects Included In Funding Bill,  The Gaylord Hub says Prairie Line won’t receive economic stimulus funds because MN DOT chose to use the money only for bridges and roads.  Other funding sources are being sought:

One Minnesota Department of Transportation report had called for the rail project to receive $10 million from the stimulus package. Proponents of the project state that it is “shovel ready” and a economic contributor to the entire region. The project of upgrading the track is estimated to cost $40 million. This would include allowing 255,000 pound rail cars that could travel 25 mph on the track.

Last month, Minnesota House File 660, authored by Morrow, appropriated $10 million in bond proceeds for a grant to the Minnesota Valley Regional Rail Authority to rehabilitate the track. The track is owned by Carver, Sibley, Renville, Redwood and Yellow Medicine Counties and operated by the Minnesota Prairie Line, a subsidiary of Twin Cities and Western Railroad.

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar and Congressman Tim Walz helped appropriate $950,000 in federal railroad improvement funding.

American Veteran Online: Live from Capitol Hill notes:

Rep. Buyer discussed a new bipartisan bill he plans to introduce with Rep. Tim Walz of Minnesota that would provide equity in DIC compensatio for surviving military widows. The landmark bill would finally provide equity for military widows, who currently receive 12 percent less in compensation compared to civilian federal employees.

FarmPolicy.com notes the call by the House Rural Caucus's call for a White House Office of Rural Ploicy. Walz is a leader in the caucus. 

Recovering Republican blogger Ron Amundson looks at both sides in Employee Free Choice Act egads, talk about spin and ends up supporting the legislation.

How about a tune from a Band of Horses?:

Sixteen Southern Minnesota projects funded with signing of appropriations bill

The Washington Post reports in Obama Signs Spending Bill, Calls for Earmark Guidelines:

President Obama today signed what he called an "imperfect" spending bill to keep the government running even though it contains thousands of lawmakers' pet projects, but he called for more rigorous review of future projects, known as earmarks, that are designated by individual legislators for their states or districts. .  .  .

. . .Obama called on Congress to enact a series of guidelines that he said would not eliminate earmarks but would force lawmakers to be more transparent about them and would crack down on those that benefit private companies. He said it "should go without saying that an earmark must never be traded for political favors." The guidelines are aimed at curbing the number of pet projects in appropriations bills, setting up a potential battle with lawmakers who have clung to the spending items.

So far as we can tell, Congressman Walz is already operating as if those rules are in place. He publicly releases free lists of the budget requests he is making, as the Sunlight Foundation notes here and the Mankato Free Press reported here.  None of the earmarks go to private companies.

A press release from the Walz congressional office:

SIXTEEN LOCAL PROJECTS SIGNED INTO LAW

Walz’s appropriations requests signed into law earlier today as part of the Omnibus Appropriations bill

(Washington, D.C.) – Earlier today, President Obama signed the federal funding of sixteen important local projects into law that will help create and save jobs across southern Minnesota. The funds, which were requested by Congressman Tim Walz are included in the FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill. The bill passed the Senate yesterday.

“Projects like Highway 14 are critically important to southern Minnesota’s economic recovery,” said Walz. “These funds will not only create jobs as we expand the existing highway to four lanes, but it will also create economic opportunity for the majority of southern Minnesota’s businesses, who use Highway 14 to ship their goods.”

“These funds will do more than just create jobs,” continued Walz. “These investment dollars strengthen the fabric of our communities. Lewis and Clark Regional Water System, Bolder Options, the Sherriff’s Youth Program, and Winona State’s National Child Protection Training Center will ensure that our children drink clean water, receive invaluable support from caring adult mentors, and be less likely to fall pray to child predators. Investments like these in the future of our country are priceless.”

The FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill funding at the request of Congressman Walz for the following projects:

$200,000 for Bolder Options

To expand Bolder Options' youth mentorship program into the Rochester area

$713,625 for the Center for Renewable Energy at Minnesota State University, Mankato

This funding would support on-going research into cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel and other renewable forms of energy.

$290,000 for Crop Disease Research at the University of Minnesota

Research into crop diseases that threaten Minnesota's wheat, oat and barley industries.

$235,000 for the Competitive Farm Benchmarking Program at the University of Minnesota

Funding for a project that helps farmers compare their costs of production and maximize their efficiencies of operation.

$323,000 for Hormel Institute in Austin

Funds would help the Hormel Center develop an International Center of Research Technology to provide cutting edge technology to biomedical researchers from across the country and the world.

$2,375,000 Hwy 14 Waseca-Owatonna

Funds would support the four-lane expansion of Highway 14 from Waseca to I-35 at Owatonna.

$475,000 for 55th Street in Rochester

Funds would provide for final design, right-of-way acquisition and first stage construction of a 1.9 mile extension of 55th Street as a 4-lane expressway.

$27,000,000 for Lewis and Clark Regional Water System

Centered in twenty communities in western Minnesota, northern Iowa, and eastern South Dakota, this pipeline provides treated water from the Missouri River to more than 300,000 people in three states.

Several Members of Congress from three states requested this funding. This area is so desperately short of water that there are restrictions on constructing new small business and residences; the pipeline will be essential to the economic viability of these small towns. Many of the communities involved have pre-paid the local share of the project, in order to keep inflationary costs at a minimum, and are only awaiting the federal share.

$700,000 for the National Child Protection Training Center at Winona State University

The Center trains social workers, teachers, and health care professionals to recognize and report signs of child abuse.

$500,000 for the Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Minnesota and Iowa

This project will support land acquisition to add acreage to the refuge.

$181,000 for St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Fresh Start Disease Prevention Program

Funds would support the expansion of a chronic disease management program in Wabasha to help participants reduce their risk of heart disease.

$190,000 for St. Mary’s University’s Teacher Mentorship Program

Funds would help expand the university's educator professional development programs by using technology to allow greater outreach to teachers in MN with impact on thousands of students in critical STEM subjects.

$200,000 for Sheriffs Youth Program in Rochester.

Funding would support the expansion of SYP’s services for at-risk youth.

$712,000 for Transit Operations Center in Rochester

Would fund the construction of a new 60-bus garage facility; as well as a new park-and-ride facility in Rochester.

$8,604,000 for Upper Mississippi River Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program

This multi-state project was requested by several Members of Congress. It will provide for the first phases of construction of new 1,200 foot lock chambers at several locks and dams along the Mississippi, implement small-scale navigation aids; and begin ecosystem restoration projects along the Mississippi River and Illinois Waterway.

$951,000 for Veterans Re-Entry Education Program in St. Paul

Funds would help Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and three state agencies create programs to help returning veterans find employment and educational opportunities.

While most of the federal funding for FY2009 was delayed until now, some funding bills did become law before President Bush left office. In the FY2009 bills that became law last year, Walz also secured the following funding:

$2 million for the Minnesota National Guard Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Program

$704,000 for the National Guard's Minnesota Army National Guard Armory Emergency Response Generators

$1.3 million for the Minnesota Helicopter Civil Band Radio Communication

$2.224 million for Minnesota Satellite Multi-Modal Collaborative Crisis and Training Network

$400,000 for flood mitigation in Owatonna, Minnesota

Photo: Congressman Walz and a constituent in Luverne. Image courtesy of Cornerhouse Comments.

Tuesday digest: from earmarks to energy edition

 The Washington Post reports Congress Passes Huge $410B Spending Bill. The bill includes earmarks for the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System, Upper Mississippi navigation and environmental improvement, flood migration projects, child safety training, cancer research, and other projects in Southern Minnesota.

The Pipestone Star reports in City supports wind energy legislation:

The City Council voted unanimously Monday evening in support of legislation that would make it easier for municipalities to harness the power of wind.

The council vote followed a presentation by Dan Juhl, founder of the publicly-traded Juhl Wind, based in Woodstock. Juhl Wind pioneered community-based wind farms and has completed 11 wind farm projects to date. Juhl’s goal is to keep wind dollars within the communities where the wind is generated.

“It makes absolutely no sense to give away our energy dollars to France and Spain,” he said.

As he told the councilors Monday evening, Minnesota house bill 357 and Senate bill 399 would enhance existing C-BED (community-based energy development) legislation by leveling the playing field among small community wind projects and large international firms.

Juhl is a frequent panelist in discussions of green energy in Southern Minnesota and a pioneer in the region's wind industry.

The Tri-County News is Rushford reports Ehler impressed with events, treatment in D.C. The local public school superintendent attended President Obama's address to Congress. Unfortunately, the Senate removed money for new construction from the recovery bill, as the paper notes in a separate article.

In Waseca, Mayors gathered to talk passenger trains, the Waseca County News reports. Walz staffer Matt Wohlman attended the meeting.

And since there's been such important labor news today, we dedicated this Ruthie Foster cover of a Lucinda Williams' song to everybody who organized to enjoy the fruit of their labors. There's no good YouTube of the original, but Foster is pretty good:

Thursday digest #1: clean congress and recovery request edition

Over a month ago, we posted about Congressman Walz's support for legislation to prevent members of congress and their staff from profiting from "insider" information. The Post Bulletin and other venues picked up on it. The Washington Independent notes that watchdog groups are picking up on the bill in A Congress of Inside Traders?:

You might think that members of Congress and their staffs would be prohibited from using their privileged access to nonpublic information to cash in on Wall Street. But you’d be wrong.

Congressional insider trading is not, in fact, illegal. In a letter to lawmakers today, several watchdogs groups offer explanation:

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) does not have the authority to hold employees of Congress or the Executive Branch liable for using non-public information gained from official proceedings for insider trading. Under current law, ‘insider trading’ is defined as the buying or selling of securities or commodities based on non-public information in violation of confidentiality — either to the issuing company or the source of information. Most federal officials and employees do not owe a duty of confidentiality to the federal government and thus are not liable for insider trading.

The letter — signed by Public Citizen, Democracy 21, Common Cause, U.S. PIRG and the League of Women Voters — was drafted in support of legislation to prohibit congressional and White House insider trading. Introduced in January by Democratic Reps. Brian Baird (Wash.), Louise Slaughter (N.Y.) and Tim Walz (Minn.), the bill would prevent policymakers from profiting from their access to nonpublic information. At the time of the unveiling, Baird pointed to a 2004 Georgia State University study indicating that investments made by members of Congress return 25 percent more than those made by other Americans.

The watchdog groups point out another reason they say Congress should consider the bill quickly: The hundreds of billions of dollars in bailout cash coming out of Washington will provide wonderful investment opportunities for policymakers who know where the money is going before the public does. . . . .

Read the whole article at the Washington Independent. Closer to home, KEYC-TV reports in Walz Office Flooded With Stimulus Requests:

The nearly 800 billion-dollar stimulus plan was laid out in a bill totaling more than one thousand pages.And now Congressman Tim Walz has set up a point person to help decode the massive piece of legislation.News 12's Ryan Gustafson has the story.Meredith Salsbery has been coordinating the numerous requests from city and county administrators for projects ranging from school repair in Rushford to handicap accessible sidewalks in Slayton . . ..

. . .Salsbery wants to encourage Congressman Walz's constituents to call with any questions, because in a thousand page document, it's easy for things to get overlooked.Meredith Salsbery says, "The recovery package also includes a one-time payment of 250 dollars to people who receive social security disability or veterans disability - a lot of them don't know about that."The checks are expected to arrive in May and June. . . .

Sadly, the Senate's reluctance to include money for school construction has left the Rushford-Peterson district out, the Rochester Post Bulletin reports in No construction funding for Rushford-Peterson included in stimulus bill:

Rushford-Peterson school district won't receive stimulus money to help build a new school.

The school district had hoped to receive some money to build a $25 million replacement for its century-old high school, but the money wasn't included in the final stimulus bill.

Superintendent Chuck Ehler had traveled to Washington, D.C., with 1st District Rep. Tim Walz last week to lobby federal education officials for funding, but no money was set aside for new school construction.

"It's a little disheartening, but we are hopeful that our new school initiative will move forward," Ehler said. "We're not real optimistic about the stimulus funds, but we'll explore other avenues."

Ehler said when the House and Senate met, they had to compromise and the Senate advocated for the removal of new construction funding. . . .

According to the New Ulm Journal, Stimulus funds go to roads, bridges rather than the local short line rail, but Senator Klobuchar and Cognressman Walz are working on securing other federal funds to assist the rail rehab:

On Feb. 26, Minnesota House File 660, authored by Morrow, appropriated $10 million in bond proceeds for a grant to the Minnesota Valley Regional Rail Authority (MVRRA) to rehabilitate track.

He added that a separate pot of money will be available for nationwide rail projects.

Morrow said Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar and Congressman Tim Walz helped appropriate $950,000 in federal railroad improvement funding.

He said his office expects to receive federal guidance on funding criteria and application procedures in the next few months.

The project is already attracting businesses to the area. According to the article, Land O' Lakes will be building an 80,000-square foot distribution facility in Winthrop.

Not all job losses are cuased by cuts; some are triggered by off-shoring work. In Moving to China?, KTTC looks at the corporation's transfer of jobs to other countries:

In the last month, hundreds of high-paying jobs have been slashed at IBM/Rochester. Tonight, how jobs with very similar descriptions are now popping up a half a world away.  In places like China, India, and Brazil.

IBM stands for International Business Machines, and IBM has facilities around the globe.

So it should be no surprise that a world-wide company would come up with something it calls "Project Match."

It's a program that offers those recently laid-off in Rochester and other U.S. sites a chance at jobs opening up in countries that have developing markets. . . .

. . .If you would leave IBM Rochester to go to IBM China, you would be paid at the IBM China rate.

"It's a real concern. We're not opposed to trade but one of the problems we see in this country is that if we have a race to the bottom on wages, we aren't going to beat the Chinese to the bottom. They're going to continue to undercut us," said U.S. Representative Tim Walz.

"It's the job you thought you would retire from but now have lost," said President Barack Obama.

President Barack Obama addressed the issue of offshoring jobs in his address to Congress, promising to restore a sense of fairness and balance to the tax code by ending tax breaks for corporations that ship jobs overseas.

It's certainly not illegal for a company like IBM to bulk up its work force in China or Brazil, but it might seem like the "end of the world" if you've lived and worked at IBM Rochester for decades and then suddenly see your job popping up on the other side of the globe.. . .

Read the whole article at the station's web site. We'll be back later with part two of the news digest.

Quick post and on the road: education and housing

We're about to go deal with the pleasures of air travel in a snowstorm, so posting after this will be light. The Sunlight Foundation's Transparency Camp was a great experience that brought together activists from across the political spectrum to discuss a common issue. We look forward to working on and writing about these issues as the weeks roll on (we hope a flight home will leave Reagan National within that time...).

Workday Minnesota reports in Despite economy, nation still committed to education, Walz tells teachers:

Despite the nation’s severe economic crisis, lawmakers are poised to make a renewed commitment to education, Congressman Tim Walz told members of Education Minnesota. And he invited educators to take the lead. “The future will be written by you with the next generation,” the 1st District Minnesota Democrat told more than 100 presidents of Education Minnesota locals gathered Feb. 21 for the union’s annual Presidents’ Conference. Walz addressed the members at the conference luncheon, where they were joined by their spouses and children. . . .

Read the rest at Workday Minnesota. The Mankato Free Press writes in First to benefit: public housing:

Money to public housing agencies, including about $400,000 for Mankato, is the first stimulus funding to be allocated to this region.

The stimulus bill, called the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, gives $4 billion to housing agencies across the country, Mankato housing programs coordinator Patti Ziegler said. Three-fourths of that is allocated using normal methods, and the rest is competitive.

Ziegler said Mankato’s share of the housing stimulus will be spent on improvements to 80 of the city’s public housing units. That means new roofs as well as repairs and renovation to the units.

The 101-unit Orness Plaza may not get its long-planned repairs from the new cash because the $10 million project is using another source of money.

“We’re thrilled at the opportunity to provide safe, decent and affordable housing for working families in Mankato,” she said. . . .

. . .But it will be at least April 10 before the money is spent, Ziegler said, because local governments have to send their budgets to the federal government for approval.

Much of the stimulus money will go toward remodeling existing housing units.

Read the rest at the Free Press. The article notes that most work in the housing market by local contractors now involves remodeling. Only two new housing starts were reported in Mankato and North Mankato in January.

Saturday afternoon digest: recovery, Hmong, and housing edition

The Albert Lea Tribune reports in Tax credits will impact workers and businesses:

Money for workers in the $787 billion federal economic stimulus package isn’t set up the same way it was in last year’s $700 billion measure.

Many people used their stimulus checks last year for big-ticket items or for battling debts, rather than everyday spending.

This time, the dollars are coming in the form of a tax break. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act calls for fewer tax dollars being taken out of paychecks of 95 percent of Americans.

“The total cumulative effect of the measure makes it the largest tax cut for the middle class ever,” said 1st District Congressman Tim Walz.

The Making Work Pay credit starts April 1. The math works out to be on average of $13 a week more in your wallet if you have FICA taxes taken out of your paycheck. It lasts two years, so in January, the average amount will be $9.

Read the rest at the Tribune. The paper also reports School leaders hoping act will save teacher jobs and City awaits word on airport assistance. From the latter:

Albert Lea city staff will find out this week whether the economic stimulus funds they applied for through the Federal Aviation Administration have been approved.

If obtained, the money would be used for the runway project at the Albert Lea Airport.

City Engineer Steven Jahnke said the city already has $2.1 million of federal funds for the project and has applied for $5.15 million more through economic stimulus funds.

In the Winona Daily News, we read the article Walz, Kind, other lawmakers call for protecting Hmong in Thailand.  The LaCrosse-Winona area is home to many Hmong people. The gist:

U.S. Reps. Tim Walz, Ron Kind and 17 other members of Congress have written to the State Department on behalf of 5,700 Hmong refugees in Thailand who fear they will be forced to return to Laos.

Many of the refugees have been in Thailand since the 1970s, after unsuccessfully fighting against the communist movement that became the government of Laos. 

“Many Hmong people fought alongside us in Vietnam and sacrificed a lot for our country,” Kind, D-La Crosse, Wis., said in a statement. “Reports coming from a number of my constituents who have friends and family in Laos indicate there is still discrimination and persecution towards Laos’ Hmong population.”

Kind discussed the issue Wednesday with Damrong Kraikruan, Thailand’s acting ambassador to the U.S.

Walz, D-Mankato, and the other 18 members of Congress want the United Nations High Commission on Refugees to be allowed to screen the detainees to determine their refugee status.

The Austin Herald reports HRA to get stimulus funding and the Jackson County Pilot reports in Public housing gets $124K in stimulus:

The first economic stimulus funds allocated from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will put $124,617 into the hands of the Jackson Housing and Redevelopment Authority's board of directors, according to an announcement Friday by U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, DFL-Minn.

"We're very excited about the AARA," said DeeAnna Bakken, executive director of the Jackson HRA. "... We were hoping so and talking to our legislators about this because they keep cutting our capital fund. We're very relieved to see it in there and that it didn't get cut out."

Bakken said the local HRA board will meet next Friday, March 6, to approve a plan for how that money will be spent.

Stricter regulations for the one-time allocation require projects to be completed within a year, she said, so spending is likely to go toward projects already on the agency's five-year plan.

The Jackson HRA will still get its annual appropriation of approximately $85,000 in October, as well.

"We appreciate our legislators at the federal level who have been going to bat for us and encouraging others to approve the inclusion," Bakken said.

HRAs across southern Minnesota were the recipients of $4.5 million to modernize and develop public housing.

“I am thrilled that just two weeks after I voted for the economic recovery package we are beginning to see funds flow directly to local communities,” Walz said. “This funding will create and save jobs by investing in improvements and expansions to public housing across Minnesota.”

Back to the geekfest.

Friday digest: transportation edition

Will state transportation funds freed by federal recovery dollars be used to speed the upgrade of Highway 14, one of the most dangerous raods in Minnesota? Maybe not, the Owatonna People's Press in Freed state funding may not be used for Highway 14:

When Minnesota congressmen announced federal funds would be earmarked for U.S. Highway 14 in the 2009 appropriations bill, it sounded like great news. But, the nearly $2.4 million may not actually help the project.

The $52 million project — expanding Highway 14 from two lanes to four from Owatonna to Waseca — already had state and federal funding set aside for construction to begin in 2009.

The hope of congressmen and Minnesota Department of Transportation representatives is that this new $2.375 million would free up state matching funds that could be put toward another section of Highway 14.

However, those freed state funds would not necessarily be put toward a Highway 14 project.

“If the money gets freed up, it goes back to the Statewide Corridor Project. So it wouldn’t go for necessarily a Highway 14 project,” said Kristine Hernandez, a representative for MnDOT District Seven. “It could go anywhere in the state.”

In 2008, the Minnesota Department of Transportation applied for more federal funding to expand that section of Highway 14. However, the 2009 appropriations bill was not passed in 2008. Instead, it passed the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday and is expected to pass the Senate yet this week.

“Normally, the appropriations bills get done in the fall, but because of a disagreement with President Bush it didn’t pass,” said Meredith Salsbery, director of communications for Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn. “We’re discussing with MnDOT how we can work together to use that money. Our hope is that they can use it in substitute for some of the state allocated funds. At this point, we can’t change that earmark.”

The funding for Highway 14 is distributed by the state corridor system, this includes federal earmarks and funds from the state. Bids for the Owatonna-to-Waseca project were let out in January, with the funding to be paid for in the 2010 fiscal year which starts July 1.

“The problem was the bill came after we let the project,” Hernandez said. “Luckily, the project is what we call an ELLA, an Early Let Late Award project. If it is not an ELLA, we would award it within 30 days of the letting and this money would have been too late.”

Hernandez said MnDOT District Seven has applied for funding of the Highway 14 portion from Owatonna to Dodge Center in 2010 and hopes this new money can be used in that direction.

An environmental impact study was completed in 2008 and a design decision has been made. However, no money has been granted for right-of-way acquisition or construction.

“We will continue to look at trying to find some additional money in the 2010 package. I think that project should be complete and ready for bids in 2010, and hopefully with the federal government’s help and some assistance from the state we can move that project instead of seeing it go into 2015,” said Owatonna Mayor Tom Kuntz.

Salsbery said Walz also hopes the freed state money will be re-allocated to another portion of Highway 14.

“People are eager to see those improvements,” she said. “We’ll do everything we can to make sure they can use the money.”

The Mankato Free Press said that St. Peter benefits from stimulus money:

The Highway 169 reconstruction project through St. Peter was the big benefactor in the area from federal stimulus money.

The project will get $11 million and construction will begin this spring.

It is one of 60 transportation projects in greater Minnesota that will get funding from the federal stimulus package. Gov. Tim Pawlenty stopped at the Mankato airport Wednesday as he traveled around the outstate to announce the projects. . . .

The paper has posted a searchable list of MNDOT projects funded by the recovery bill. The article notes that Highway 14 isn't among the projects toward which Pawlenty is directing recovery money:

The ongoing construction of Highway 14 into a four-lane was not given added funding through the stimulus bill. MnDOT officials said the stimulus money needs to go to projects that are “shovel ready” and the next phase of the Highway 14 project — from Owatonna to Dodge Center — isn’t ready to go this spring.

“That project from Owatonna to Dodge Center will get done,” Pawlenty said. “It just didn’t fit here.”

Still, the recovery bill bumped up available federal funding:

Greg Ous, assistant district engineer for MnDOT, said the $19 million for the Mankato district is significant. “It almost doubles the amount we’d get from the federal government normally over two years.

“It’s quite a boost.”

Funding for area roads is also coming via earmarks in the House spending bill. The Free Press also reports in Area projects secure in spending bill:

A federal appropriations bill that will bring nearly $4 million in earmarks for south-central Minnesota is long delayed but moving much faster than normal through the U.S. House and Senate budget-setting process.

The omnibus appropriations bill is for the current fiscal year, meaning it was supposed to be enacted last year. Disagreements with then-Pres. George W. Bush prompted Democratic congressional leaders to put off passage of parts of the bill where agreement couldn’t be reached.

Now, with a Democratic president in place, the bill is moving quickly. It passed the House on a heavily partisan vote Wednesday. And the Senate version of the bill is basically identical to the House version, meaning a long conference committee to work out a compromise shouldn’t be necessary, said Meredith Salsbery, communications director for Congressman Tim Walz.

“Once it goes through the Senate, it’s pretty much headed to the president,” Salsbery said.

Read more about the Mankato area projects in the Free Press. The Rochester Post Bulletin notes in Transit center in line for federal funding:

A transit operations center in Rochester is one of 10 southeastern Minnesota projects that will receive federal funding through the 2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill.

The U.S. House of Representatives approved it 245-178 Wednesday. The Senate will act on it in the coming days. If passed, it will be sent to President Obama for his signature.

The $712,000 apportioned for the operations center would help pay for the multi-million dollar facility, which will include a 60-bus garage and a park-and-ride facility for Rochester.

"Any type of funding is welcome," Rochester transportation director Tony Knauer said Wednesday. "We're still waiting for the stimulus."

In Winona, the Daily News reports WSU child protection center may get earmarks

The Winona State University-housed National Child Protection Training Center may be on firm financial footing after years of scrambling for the funding just to stay open.

The 2009 omnibus budget passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday contains two earmarks that devote $1.2 million to the center. The funding should give the center financial stability for the next 24 months, director Victor Vieth said.

Founded in 2003, the center provides training to law enforcement and child protection professionals who handle child abuse cases.

“We’ve never had a moment before where I could say we look solid for two years,” Vieth said. “That’s really encouraging.”

Minnesota’s Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Tim Walz requested $700,000 for the center’s main office at WSU. If approved by the Senate and signed by President Barack Obama, the funding would build on the $1.22 million appropriated to the center in 2008.

“These funds will do more than just create jobs,” Walz said in a press release. “These dollars strengthen the fabric of our communities.”

Despite the funding, the center nearly closed its doors last year because bureaucratic delays held up the money for months. This new appropriation should eliminate cash flow problems at the center for the foreseeable future, Vieth said.

Another earmark in the bill includes training for teachers in science and other disciplines (STEM) according to the WDN article Earmark may help SMU teacher training:

In some rural districts, science teachers may be forced to handle disciplines for which they were not trained. Continued teacher education can help someone certified in chemistry instruction also teach biology courses, but not every district can afford that training.

“School districts can only provide so much,” said Rebecca Hopkins, SMU graduate school of education dean.

SMU has for years provided training and certification programs to teachers, but it can be hard for teachers to drive to Winona from western Minnesota for a workshop. The program expansion would attempt to bring the workshops to teachers through video and online systems, Hopkins said.

The emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) is a priority for the Pawlenty administration, business, and education leaders. We can't wait to hear the Republicans whine about this earmark.

We find welcome news for rural vets in an AP story, Obama proposes expansion of VA health care:

Obama would provide extra funding for programs targeting homeless veterans and those in rural areas. And it would pay for upgrades to the VA's technology system to help eliminate the average six-month wait to have a disability claim processed.

Overall, it would increase the agency's discretionary spending by 10 percent to $53 billion.

The Army Times quotes Walz in Veterans optimistic about progress on VA ills:

But Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., noted that the Defense Department, which also is dealing with a suicide epidemic, problems with TBI and PTSD, and a disability case backlog, needs to pick up the pace on the front end, rather than passing all problems to VA.

“DoD simply can’t see the warriors as another piece of equipment that, when its shelf life is over, is handed to someone else,” Walz said.

Via Polinaut, we learn that the National Journal's House vote rankings are out for 2008. Walz had the 175th most liberal voting record; go to the National Journal site to figure out what that means.

We're traveling most of the day. Drive carefully and enjoy the sun.

Omnibus bill: Highway 14, renewable energy--and block on congressional pay raise

The House passed the omnibus funding bill yesterday; MinnPost's Cynthia Dizikes summarizes statements by Minnesota's delegation in Peterson joins Republicans and votes against 'omnibus' spending bill.

KEYC-TV reports in Area Projects Benefit From Stimulus Money:

An important vote in the U - S House means extra funding may be on the way for projects in our area...Representative Tim Walz announcing the House approved federal funding today for sixteen projects in southern Minnesota... Projects that will help keep and create jobs in our area.Rep. Tim Walz says, "What these things will do is create jobs in ,pthe short term... like what President Obama said last night... we need to focus on education, jobs, research and health care."Two major projects in our area include over 700 thousand dollars for the Center for Renewable Energy at MSU and nearly 2 point 5 million dollars to support the four - lane expansion of Highway 14 from Waseca to Owatonna.Mayor Gary Zellmer says, "If we can continue to get little bits at a time it's always encouraging... it's been a long struggle so just getting something is really key."The funding is in addition to dollars already set for these projects through the regular state budget and the Recovery Bill...The Senate is expected to take action on the bill this week.

The money for MSUM's project should give more of those young engineering students at last Friday Repower America Town Hall Forum an opportunity to learn more about green energy and jobs.  And more for improving Highway 14?  Simply a life saver.

The bill also ncludes a provision to block the COLA increase for members.  Walz was an original co-sponsor of a separate provision to do so, H.R. 156. Peterson and Kline signed on later. Insert our own snark about Paulsen and Bachmann being for pay raises for themselves buy voting against the omnibus bill and failing to co-sponsor the separate item (H.R. 156).

Walz's congressional office issued a press release about funding in the bill for Southern Minnesota. Other familiar items on the list include funding for the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System, Upper Mississippi River navigation and ecosystem projects, the Child Protection Training Center at Winona State University, flood mitigation in Owatonna and other requests from the lists of earmarks (2007 and 2008) that Walz has published earlier in order to help make the process more tranparent for his constituents.

While some political observers like to kvetch about earmarks in the abstract, Walz's specific requests have largely met with approval in the district press.  The Owatonna People's Press pointed out in An Earmark That Makes Sense, an editorial last year about the flood migitation project:

". . .there are times when the projects are worthwhile. The earmark that Mr. Walz has proposed for Owatonna is one such case. What makes it important is that it is not a bridge to nowhere, but funds which will help a community prevent flooding and help residents keep their homes from being damaged. Keeping people and their property safe from the ravages of Mother Nature seems a worthwhile goal for the government."

A day later, we made the case for funding the work of the Hormel Institute in a post Another common sense earmark: Austin's Hormel Institute. The biomedical at the Institute is largely directed at finding cures for cancer.

Yesterday's release:

WALZ ANNOUNCES FUNDS FOR KEY LOCAL PROJECTS, KEEPING JOBS IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA

Appropriations requests clear major hurdle, likely to become law in March

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Congressman Tim Walz announced that Congress is likely to approve federal funding this week to sixteen important local projects that will help create and save jobs across southern Minnesota.

Walz said the funds are included in the FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill, which is expected to pass the House of Representatives later today. The Senate is expected to take action on the bill in the coming days before sending it to President Obama for his signature.

“Projects like Highway 14 are critically important to southern Minnesota’s economic recovery,” said Walz. “These funds will not only create jobs as we expand the existing highway to four lanes, but it will also create economic opportunity for the majority of southern Minnesota’s businesses, who use Highway 14 to ship their goods.”

The funding in the FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill is in addition to dollars already targeted for these projects through the regular state budget and through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which was enacted earlier this month.

“These funds will do more than just create jobs,” continued Walz. “These dollars strengthen the fabric of our communities. Because of projects like the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System, Bolder Options, the Sherriff’s Youth Program, and Winona State’s National Child Protection Training Center, our children will drink clean water, receive invaluable support from caring adult mentors, and be less likely to fall pray to child predators. Investments like these in the future of our country are priceless.”

“Finally, these funds support the ongoing investment in renewable energy production, medical research, and education that President Obama called for last night in his address to Congress. The alignment between southern Minnesota’s priorities and the President’s goals could not be more apparent than in this list of projects I requested on behalf of the community leaders and citizens of southern Minnesota,” concluded Walz.

The FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill funding at the request of Congressman Walz for the following projects:

$200,000 for Bolder Options

To expand Bolder Options' youth mentorship program into the Rochester area

$713,625 for the Center for Renewable Energy at Minnesota State University, Mankato

This funding would support on-going research into cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel and other renewable forms of energy.

$290,000 for Crop Disease Research at the University of Minnesota

Research into crop diseases that threaten Minnesota's wheat, oat and barley industries.

$235,000 for the Competitive Farm Benchmarking Program at the University of Minnesota Funding for a project that helps farmers compare their costs of production and maximize their efficiencies of operation.

$323,000 for Hormel Institute in Austin Funds would help the Hormel Center develop an International Center of Research Technology to provide cutting edge technology to biomedical researchers from across the country and the world.

$2,375,000 Hwy 14 Waseca-Owatonna

Funds would support the four-lane expansion of Highway 14 from Waseca to I-35 at Owatonna.

$475,000 for 55th Street in Rochester

Funds would provide for final design, right-of-way acquisition and first stage construction of a 1.9 mile extension of 55th Street as a 4-lane expressway.

$27,000,000 for Lewis and Clark Regional Water System Centered in twenty communities in western Minnesota, northern Iowa, and eastern South Dakota, this pipeline provides treated water from the Missouri River to more than 300,000 people in three states.

Several Members of Congress from three states requested this funding. This area is so desperately short of water that there are restrictions on constructing new small business and residences; the pipeline will be essential to the economic viability of these small towns. Many of the communities involved have pre-paid the local share of the project, in order to keep inflationary costs at a minimum, and are only awaiting the federal share.

$700,000 for the National Child Protection Training Center at Winona State University

The Center trains social workers, teachers, and health care professionals to recognize and report signs of child abuse.

$500,000 for the Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Minnesota and Iowa

This project will support land acquisition to add acreage to the refuge.

$181,000 for St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Fresh Start Disease Prevention Program

Funds would support the expansion of a chronic disease management program in Wabasha to help participants reduce their risk of heart disease.

$190,000 for St. Mary’s University’s Teacher Mentorship Program

Funds would help expand the university's educator professional development programs by using technology to allow greater outreach to teachers in MN with impact on thousands of students in critical STEM subjects.

$200,000 for Sheriffs Youth Program in Rochester.

Funding would support the expansion of SYP’s services for at-risk youth.

$712,000 for Transit Operations Center in Rochester

Would fund the construction of a new 60-bus garage facility; as well as a new park-and-ride facility in Rochester.

$8,604,000 for Upper Mississippi River Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program

This multi-state project was requested by several Members of Congress. It will provide for the first phases of construction of new 1,200 foot lock chambers at several locks and dams along the Mississippi, implement small-scale navigation aids; and begin ecosystem restoration projects along the Mississippi River and Illinois Waterway.

$951,000 for Veterans Re-Entry Education Program in St. Paul

Funds would help Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and three state agencies create programs to help returning veterans find employment and educational opportunities.

While most of the federal funding for FY2009 was delayed until now, some funding bills did become law before President Bush left office. In the FY2009 bills that became law last year, Walz also secured the following funding:

$2 million for the Minnesota National Guard Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Program

$704,000 for the National Guard's Minnesota Army National Guard Armory Emergency Response Generators

$1.3 million for the Minnesota Helicopter Civil Band Radio Communication $2.224 million for Minnesota Satellite Multi-Modal Collaborative Crisis and Training Network $400,000 for flood mitigation in Owatonna, Minnesota

Wednesday quick digest: always late edition

We're off to a meeting in the Cities, so a few quick hits for now. The district media is filled with Congressman Walz's response to Obama's speech to the congress last night. The Albert Lea Tribune reports Tim Walz says he was ‘very pleased’.

 “I was very pleased,” Walz said, during a Tuesday night conference call with Minnesota media. “I think he hit on everything we wanted to hear and the people of Southern Minnesota wanted to hear.”

 Walz said Obama touched on several key areas that southern Minnesota is well-positioned to succeed in, including the need to reinvest in renewable energy and healthcare reform.   

 Walz cited the region’s wind farms as an example of the region’s commitment to renewable energy and cited the Mayo Clinic and the Hormel Institute as the region’s commitment to health care and cancer research.

Walz also said he agreed with the president’s comments on aiming to have the largest number of college graduates in the world by 2020.

 “We’ve got work to do, but we have a very clear path ahead of us,” he said.

 Walz was joined at Tuesday night’s speech by Rushford-Peterson Schools Superintendent Chuck Ehler. Walz stated he chose to invite Ehler to highlight not only the jobs that will be saved in the Rushford-Peterson schools because of the Title I  and special education recovery funds coming their way, but also because of the potential to create jobs by reconstructing a school that is in a dire state of disrepair. . . .

KEYC-TV reported Walz Discusses Obama's Speech, the MinnPost, Minnesota's members of Congress analyze Obama speech and the Post Bulletin says in Obama plan to rebuild gives hope:

Rushford-Peterson Superintendent Chuck Ehler, who attended Obama's speech as a guest of First District Democratic Rep. Tim Walz, said he was encouraged by the president's emphasis on education including early-childhood education.

Obama's speech gave Ehler hope that the deteriorating Rushford school may also get some federal help to rebuild. He will be meeting with federal education officials this morning with Walz to see if federal stimulus dollars might be available to help rebuild the 103-year-old school.

"Why not Southeastern Minnesota? If those dollars are going to be available, I feel our school has as great a need as any school in the nation," Ehler said.

Walz said he liked Obama's emphasis on renewable energy, considering the local wind farms and biofuel research.

"Nobody anywhere in this country is better positioned than in southern Minnesota from the infrastructure that is there," he said.

The MSU Reporter covers Friday's Town Hall meeting in Clean and green.

We hear from a friend that Congresswoman Bachmann was economizing by reading 12 day old issues of the WSJ on a recent flight to Washington, D.C. No doubt about it, she feels your pain.

From the Rochester airport, a buddy tweeted our cheatin' governor's press conference about recovery bill road projects.  Since the plane was late and Pawlenty was in bash and spend mode, we thought that Merle Haggard's cover of a great old cheating song, "Always Late", would be ideal for a sunny day before the storm:

Photo: Congressman Walz and Superintendent Ehler.

Walz statement of the president's address: the right focus

From the congressional office:

Walz says President Obama's speech focuses on the right priorities
Rescuing the economy, creating jobs and fiscal responsibility are the right priorities says Walz

(Washington, D.C.) - Congressman Tim Walz, a public school teacher and retired National Guard Command Sgt. Major, released the following statement regarding President Obama's address to the Joint Session of Congress.

"President Obama's speech tonight focused on the right priorities: creating jobs, getting our economy back on track and fiscal responsibility.
  
"President Obama was honest about the terrible economic mess we've inherited and how difficult it is going to be to get out of it. But he also showed confidence that we can get out of this mess and that our best days lie ahead of us.

"The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act he just signed into law was our first step in the right direction. It will create and save millions of jobs and get money flowing through the economy quickly again.

"One way it will do that is with crucial investments in economic priorities such as education. That's why I am very pleased that Rushford-Peterson Schools Superintendent Chuck Ehler was able to be my guest at the President's address this evening. He understands why this is such an important first step.

"I was especially impressed by President Obama's commitment to cutting the deficit in half by the end of his first term. It is a serious commitment and he has a real plan to do it. I look forward to getting his budget outline later this week.

"I was also pleased that President Obama put us on a path to long-term growth by addressing the serious need for health care reform, committing to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and recognizing the importance of modern schools that will help our children can compete in the global economy.

"All of this is going to require hard choices and shared sacrifice.  But I know that we are capable of it.  And I share President Obama's confidence that we will come out of this stronger than ever."

Photo: Congressman Walz and Superintendent Ehler.

Rushford-Peterson Superintendent Ehler to join Walz during Obama's address to Congress

Update:  Walz, area schools, and the recovery bill

There's a lot of back story behind Congressman Walz's invitation to Rushford-Peterson Schools Superintendent Ehler to watch President Obama's address to Congress and to meet with leaders while in DC. It's documented in the press release below.

Rushford residents initially took shelter in their high school, but it too flooded and the Red Cross set up a shelter in the empty TRW building.

In a story no long publicly accessible to non-subscribers (but preserved in part in a BSP post), the Post Bulletin noted that Congressman Walz had plans to travel to Iraq the day after the downpour that triggered  the flooding, but canceled his trip in order to visit the flood stricken area. From the PB:

U.S. Rep. Tim Walz got up early on Sunday, Aug. 19. He was heading to Iraq and wanted to finish packing for the trip.

But those plans would soon be disrupted by news of the massive flooding in southeast Minnesota.

Within hours, Walz was heading east toward flood-stricken areas, his trip to Iraq canceled. His first sight of the scope of the devastation came when he reached Rushford, a city of 1,700. There, he found a city underwater -- except for a small, dry bit of land.

"It was pretty dramatic," Walz said. "There was a small island with one church, a part of the school and a city building that was dry, and 15 feet away there were probably half a dozen boats docked, picking people up and shuttling them in and out."

. . .Since the flooding, Walz has made virtually daily visits to the flood zone -- at least six visits in the first week alone. Along with the state's two senators, Walz lobbied for an expedited disaster declaration, so that federal dollars could start flowing to flood victims.

When Rushford was in need of a fire truck because all its trucks were damaged by flooding, Walz's staff called around and arranged to have a tanker delivered from Esko, Minn.

As the flood waters receded, the town worked to get the school ready for opening day.  For Ehler, it was an unexpected twist for a job he had begun less than two week before the water rushed into the building. The Strib reported:

It wasn't the way new Superintendent Chuck Ehler expected to begin his tenure with the district, which enrolls 685 students at Rushford's elementary and high schools and the middle school in nearby Peterson.

But Ehler was philosophical. "In some respects, it's been invigorating from the standpoint that it does test your abilities," he said in his office Friday. "You go into overdrive and try to make the best decisions."

With the lower level of its main school complex swathed in sewage and mud, its school buses swamped by rising water and scores of families suddenly homeless, Rushford-Peterson was perhaps the school district hardest hit by the flash flooding that struck the region without warning.

The Star Tribune noted that the schools opened on schedule in School begins for Rushford's kids amid flood debris

As students reported for the first day of class in the Rushford-Peterson schools on Tuesday, plastic sheeting sealed off the high school building's lower level. Powder that attacks mold and mildew coated the choir room in ghostly white as the flood's dank stench hung in an unusable classroom.

Upstairs, the bathroom sinks and drinking fountains were wrapped in plastic, because the tapwater still was unfit to drink.

But with so much of life disrupted by the devastating floods that struck southeastern Minnesota last month, the school's leaders were determined to open classes on schedule.

Walz returned to Rushford in Oct 2007 and got an earful from the superintendent, according to the Tri County News:

WaIz seemed firmly in Ehler's corner [about the school's needs].

"These are not 'nice to have' things," WaIz said, "these are necessities. If you're going to replace computers or books for this year's classes, they have to be done.

"This is where we can play a role in this and get some answers," he added.

In some ways, the flood has been a test of leadership for both Walz and Ehler.

Flood damage wasn't the only issue for the district; its building is nearly 100 years old. The Rushford school district looked to Walz when the recovery bill began to be crafted,as the TriCounty News reported in Could Obama economic stimulus plan help R-P district schools? The Winona Daily News picked up the story in Rushford-Peterson hoping for federal funding for new school.

Walz fought to keep education in the recovery bill, as we noted in the post Walz takes lead on restoring education cuts in stimulus bill,

During this district work break, Walz toured another one of the First District's school in need of an upgrade.The Mankato Free Press reported in Walz tours USC school:

The United South Central School Board asked area property owners to approve a referendum to replace the district’s crumbling 76-year-old school and was turned down three times in three years.

The school district’s representative in the state House, Rep. Tony Cornish, asked lawmakers twice to cover half of the $25 million cost of a new K-12 school in Wells and was refused twice.

Hoping the sixth time, and the federal government, will be the charm, USC is now hoping a solution to their building problem will come from the federal economic stimulus bill to be signed today by President Barack Obama.

With the cost of the school project now expected to be at least $28 million, School Board Chairwoman Christie Wetzel would love to see $20 million or more in federal stimulus funding come to the district. But even $14 million would eliminate half the burden on taxpayers, possibly making it realistic that they’d see a bond referendum as affordable.

“It’s so hard right now to predict with the economy,” Wetzel said. “... I’d have to say we’d need half the money.”

Congressman Tim Walz toured the school Monday, agreed that the need for a new building was undeniable, but couldn’t offer anything close to a guarantee the school will receive that sort of a contribution from the stimulus bill. Walz, a former teacher at Mankato West High School, played a role, however, in guaranteeing that the district will at least have a shot at some money.

The House bill contained $20 billion for school construction projects. The Senate version had none. Walz helped line up a total of 46 House Democrats who sent a letter to congressional leaders saying school funding needed to be restored to the compromise bill, and $6 billion was put in the final $787 billion bill. . . .

The Star Tribune has posted an article about the Ehler trip to DC, and the comment section is ripping on the Rushford school's need for resources. Too bad they didn't listen to conservative state legislator Tony Cornish, who gets it about schools in the Free Press article:

But after touring the school in Wells, [Walz] thinks it would be an excellent use of the federal funds to get a new school built. Not only is it needed, it would create a substantial number of construction jobs and provide lasting economic development benefits by improving the educational opportunities of students there.

“We think this is exactly the type of project that fits the bill,” Walz said.

Cornish, R-Good Thunder, agreed.

“I can’t think of a better place to spend these dollars than education — a core function of government,” Cornish said. [emphasis added]

We hope Ehler speaks up in DC for all rural schools--and that people listen.

More on the UCS story from KEYC-TV in Walz: Stimulus Bill Could Help Revive Area School. [end update]

The press release from Walz's office:

strong>WALZ TO BE JOINED BY RUSHFORD-PETERSON SUPERINTENDENT WHEN OBAMA ADDRESSES JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS

Rushford-Peterson school in dire need of recovery funds to create and save jobs through school reconstruction

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Congressman Tim Walz announced he has invited Rushford-Peterson Schools Superintendent Chuck Ehler to hear President Obama address the Joint Session of Congress to be held on February 24, 2009. Rushford is located in northeastern Fillmore County.

Walz, who like all Members of Congress received only one additional ticket to the Joint Session said, “I chose to invite Superintendent Ehler to highlight not only the jobs that will be saved in the Rushford-Peterson schools because of the Title I and special education recovery funds coming their way, but also because of the potential to create jobs by reconstructing a school that is in a dire state of disrepair.”

Walz toured the Rushford-Peterson High School shortly after the 2007 flooding which damaged the already crumbling 1906 structure. In December alone, the district spent more than $17,000 to heat the aging, inefficient building. Because of the flood, the small community of Rushford lost part of its property tax base and the community continues to be unable to support a bonding referendum to rebuild the school.

Superintendent Chuck Ehler said, “We have the tremendous task of providing a quality education for all students during these difficult economic times. Our children are one of our greatest resources, and it is our duty and responsibility to provide them with an education that will prepare them for an ever-changing global economy and world.”

“Schools across the State of Minnesota and the nation need financial resources to continue providing education for our future,” continued Ehler. “In our situation, we also desperately need a modern facility that assists us in supporting our educational mission, rather than diverting precious resources from the task of educating our children.”

Dr. Charlie Kyte, Executive Director of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators observed, "You cannot cut your way to success. To have a strong future economy, the current generation of children must be able to compete in a global economy. Funding for education in the American Recovery Act will help preserve the jobs of our excellent teachers and will create new jobs as we retrofit school buildings to be more energy efficient."

The Walz office will be arranging an opportunity for Superintendent Ehler to meet with federal Department of Education officials to discuss ways the Rushford-Peterson school might get funding for the reconstruction of the school while he is in Washington DC next week.

“Imagine how many jobs we could save if the Rushford-Peterson heating bill was cut in half every month,” continued Walz. “Making this school more energy efficient would not only create short-term construction jobs, but also save enough money long term to keep more teachers teaching in their classrooms.”

President Obama will address the Congress on the 24th of February in a State of the Union-style address. Obama’s first official State of the Union will happen in early 2010.

Congressman Walz and Superintendent Ehler will be available via conference call immediately after the speech to share their reaction to the address. Details TBA. For interview requests prior to February 24, please use the contact information listed above.

Video of the Rushford-Peterson High School is available here (click “A Case for Change”): http://www.r-pschools.com/rp/newschool

Photo: Rushford's high school, as flood waters recede in August 2007. Credit: Star Tribune.

Our own posts under the tag "Minnesota August 2007 floods" begin right here. A worthy chronicle offlood and recovery news since August 20, 2007.

White House releases state by state numbers for the recovery act

A friend at the Alliance for a Better Minnesota forwarded this White House press release to us. We're posting it here in order to make the links to state-level details available to our readers.

From the Congressional level estimates of jobs:

Minnesota                                     66,000

Congressional District 1 Minnesota     7,800
Congressional District 2 Minnesota     9,200
Congressional District 3 Minnesota     8,300
Congressional District 4 Minnesota     7,700
Congressional District 5 Minnesota     7,900
Congressional District 6 Minnesota     9,500
Congressional District 7 Minnesota     7,500
Congressional District 8 Minnesota     8,100

Interesting that the three districts gaining the most are held by Republicans who voted against the recovery bill (we're still not happy with Peterson, either). The press release and links:

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to Save or Create 3.5 Million Jobs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The White House today released state-specific details on the local impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is a nationwide effort to create jobs, jumpstart growth and transform our economy to compete in the 21st century. The compromise package of $789 billion will create or save 3.5 million jobs over the next two years. Jobs created will be in a range of industries from clean energy to health care, with over 90% in the private sector.

Below are links to tables and fact sheets outlining the impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  The estimates are derived from an analysis of the overall employment impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act conducted by Christina Romer, Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, and Jared Bernstein, Chief Economist for the Vice President, and detailed estimates of the working age population, employment, and industrial composition of each state.

OVERVIEW ON AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT

IMPACT OF AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT ON WORKING FAMILIES

EMPLOYMENT NUMBERS BY STATE  

EMPLOYMENT NUMBERS BY CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

EDUCATION FACT SHEET

ENERGY FACT SHEET

HEALTH CARE FACT SHEET

INFRASTRUCTURE FACT SHEET

And speaking of the ABM, go entertain yourself with its expose of our unfaithful celebrity governor.

Green recovery: Town hall meeting Friday, February 20 in Mankato

Environment Minnesota sent notice of a Town Hall meeting next Friday in Mankato:

What: Repower America Town Hall Forum

Environment Minnesota is joining with Congressman Tim Walz and other local environmental groups to host our Repower America Town Hall Forum at the Minnesota State University Mankato. We'll focus on green jobs, the federal economic recovery plan, and our local economy. We’ll discuss how we can fight global warming while creating a clean energy economy for Minnesota. This includes efforts to use the federal economic recovery package to fund “ready to go” clean energy and public transit projects, which will significantly reduce global warming pollution and create jobs. We will also discuss other local, state, and federal opportunities to boost clean energy and fight global warming.

Who: Congressman Tim Walz of Minnesota’s 1st District Samantha Chadwick, Environment Minnesota, citizen-based advocacy organization Gerry Parzino, United Steelworkers and the Blue Green Alliance Dan Juhl, CEO of Juhl Wind Tim Penny, former Congressman, President and CEO of the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation J Drake Hamilton, Science Policy Director with Fresh Energy Dr. Vincent Winstead, professor at Minnesota State University Mankato

When: Friday February 20th, 11:00 AM

Where: Centennial Student Union Heritage Room, Minnesota State University Mankato

For more information: Samantha Chadwick, 612-379-1475, [email protected]

The Star Tribune reports that Minnesota's take: About $9.1 billion in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Environment Minnesota sent us a press release that focuses on the green elements of the bill:

Green Recovery Bill Will Deliver Less Pollution, More Jobs through Clean Energy

Washington, DC - This afternoon, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an economic recovery package containing nearly $80 billion in clean energy, energy efficiency, public transit, rail and green transportation funding.

“With the clean energy and green transportation investments in this package, Congress can deliver a green economic recovery that will repower America and recharge our economy,” said Environment Minnesota Washington DC Director Anna Aurilio.

The final bill invests $32.80 billion for clean energy, $26.86 billion for energy efficiency, and $18.95 billion for green transportation. Environment Minnesota highlighted the following provisions:

* Extending and “recession proofing” the renewable energy incentives, which will prevent 55.8 million tons of global warming pollution per year by the end of the three year extension and create or protect 254,000 jobs in the near term;

* Creating a renewable energy manufacturing tax credit;

* Fully funding the Green Jobs Act at $500 million over 2 years which will train 70,000 workers in renewable energy and energy efficiency job;

* Invest $4.5 billion to upgrade our electricity transmission system to better take advantage of renewable energy and improve efficiency;

* Providing $5 billion for the Weatherization Assistance Program, enough to prevent 9.7 million tons of global warming pollution and create 375,000 jobs;

* Providing $4.5 billion to improve energy efficiency of federal buildings, the nation’s biggest energy user;

* Funding the State Energy Program at $3.1 billion to help citizens and business save energy;

* Providing $3.2 billion in block grants for local government energy efficiency and renewable energy projects;

* Providing $8.4 billion in public transit, which will save 10.3 million barrels of oil and create or preserve 252,000 jobs, with $1.5 billion set aside for expanding capacity and upgrades to existing transit systems;

* Investing $8 billion for new high speed rail projects. In 2008, the wind energy industry installed enough new power capacity to avoid nearly 44 million tons of global warming pollution and increased U.S. wind industry jobs by 70 percent. Fixing the renewable energy tax incentives was a top priority to keep increasing the development of clean, renewable energy and reducing global warming pollution. Environment Minnesota also commended the House and Senate leaders who removed billions of dollars in loan guarantees from the final bill that could have been used for nuclear power and liquid coal. “The clean energy investments we need to protect our environment and start solving global warming will create more jobs and stimulate the economy more than the dirty technologies of the past. We urge the Senate to quickly deliver this final bill to President Obama so America can get on the path to a clean energy economy,” concluded Aurilio.

Friday digest: anywhere but in between edition

The House has passed the stimulus bill, 246-183-1, with Blue Dog Collin Peterson joining Minnesota Republicans in voting against it.

The New Ulm Journal reports in Walz supports stimulus bill:

Walz expressed impatience with critics of the bill who wanted to take more time to put their own projects and ideas into the bill.

"Timeliness is important," said Walz. "We don't have time to wait longer. As we dawdle, people are losing their jobs and their livelihood."

President Barack Obama had sought an $800 billion stimulus bill, saying that was how much was needed to provide the needed stimulus to the economy, according to his consultations with economic experts.

Asked if the $790 billion package was big enough, Walz said he hoped it was.

"There is real need out there, and we want to get this right. I'm a little uneasy about that. We don't want to pull a car only half way out of the ditch."

Asked about the bill's trimming away $35 million in state stabilization funds, leaving $54 billion, at a time when Minnesota is anticipating a budget deficit of $6 billion to $7 billion, Walz said that was one of his biggest disappointments.

"As far as job creation and stabilization goes, that was one of the most important parts of the bill," said Walz. "If there is an Achilles' heel to this bill, that is it."

The larger amount of stabilization aid, which would help states make up deficits and fund infrastructure and building projects, was based on what the governors had told Congress.

But Walz said Congress will have other opportunities to help states, through the upcoming transportation funding bill and other legislation that Congress usually handles.

The Alliance for a Better Minesota isn't happy with Governor Pawlenty's political ambitions getting put ahead of Minnesotans' needs. The organization has created a website, My Guv Is Cheating on Me, to help citizens express their disappointment.  Even the conservative Journal wonders if Pawlenty is Upping the crisis.

The Muse Tube has been kind enough to post the full video of Walz's floor speech:

PR reports that Minnesota Republicans blast stimulus bill. Walz bits:

1st District DFL Rep. Tim Walz said the bill is not perfect but is needed. Walz said he's lost patience with Republican criticism.

"I guess I'm a little frustrated," he said. "I see my colleagues trying to zero in on one tenth of 1 percent that they happen to not agree with and miss the fact that as we dawdle people are losing their livelihoods," he said.

Walz said tax cuts, along with research money in the bill, will help the people of his district. And Walz says it's critical that Congress passes the plan.

"What we're doing is addressing an economy that is as difficult as any that most of us have seen in our lifetime," he said. The numbers are staggering. The outlook is pretty bleak in the short-run. This piece of legislation is meant to be the life preserver to put us in the right direction."

KEYC-TV has posted a good interview in Rep. Walz Reacts To Stimulus Bill Deal.  In the netroots, Jeff Rosenberg looks at Pork: The most meaningless word in politics. It's a fine read that echoes what Southern Minnesotans have known about projects like the Lewis and Clark Regional Water system or flood mitigation projects in Owatonna

This story of a Stockton family getting kicked out of their FEMA trailer is very sad.

We don't often agree with Tony Cornish but his proposal to make ATVs to be road legal makes a lot of sense for rural Minnesotans. Allowing more  classes of ATVs to use shoulders would help nesting birds and take some wear and tear off the ditches.

We had a request for the right side of the aisle for a little Crowing Crows. Here's a little ditty inspired by a novel by Saul Bellow, himself a product of the WPA Writers Project in Chicago. Just one more failure of the New Deal we guess, since art isn't very important.

Youtube of Walz floor statement on stimulus bill

The beginning of Walz's fiery remarks about the stimulus bill on the House floor today are missing from this YouTube, but what the poster captured is worth a watch:

Perhaps the MuseTube can find and post the entire speech.