This makes perfect sense to me:
http://www.whbf.com/...
A local lawmaker is trying to make Veterans Day even more so for military men and women.
Iowa Representative Bruce Braley has reintroduced legislation to make Veterans Day a holiday for all vets.
Right now, private sector employers can choose not to observe it. - WHBF 4, 10/29/13
Here's a little background info:
http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/...
Although Veterans Day is designated a federal holiday, private-sector employers can choose not to observe it. Braley said. The Veterans Day Off Act would require companies with more than 50 employees to give any veteran working for the company Veterans Day off.
Veterans must request the day off at least 30 days in advance and provide proof of veteran status if requested. The leave may be paid or unpaid and an employer may deny the leave if it negatively impacts public health or safety, or causes significant economic or operational disruption.
In addition, any veteran who served with any branch of the military is and received an honorable discharge would be eligible for leave. The legislation excludes public sector veteran employees who already receive Veterans Day off. - Des Moines Register, 10/29/13
You can read the text of the bill here:
http://beta.congress.gov/...
Braley has been great on veteran's issues and no Veteran should have to come into work on the day we honor them. If you want to get more info about Veterans Day Off Act, you can contact Braley's office for more info:
202-225-2911
As you may or may not know, Braley is running for Senator Tom Harkin's (D. IA) seat. Another big thing Braley's been talking about to his constituents is the need for a long-term farm bill:
http://siouxcityjournal.com/...
The 1st District representative toured a Cedar Falls grain elevator Monday, meeting with people in Iowa to talk about the farm bill.
Ben Bader, a farmer from Jesup and board member at the East Central Iowa Cooperative, agreed with Braley that a long-term farm bill is needed.
"It's important to know what direction we’re heading,” Bader said. "We need to know how to plan."
Braley and other Iowans in Congress have been pushing for a five-year farm bill to add certainty for farmers. The bill has been stuck in partisan gridlock, however, like just about everything else in Washington.
"We don’t need another extension of the current farm bill,” Braley said. "We need a new farm bill for the 21st century."
Farmers are operating under an extension to the 2008 farm bill. Political differences over the level of food stamp funding have blocked adoption of a new farm bill. The Senate passed a measure this year only to see it stall in the House.
In the meantime, House Republicans made an attempt to disconnect food stamps from the rest of the farm bill. That would end a long-standing tradition that married farm programs and nutrition programs to attract support from both rural and urban lawmakers.
Braley said that in the current climate, with rural population dwarfed by urban dwellers, it’s important to reach out to both people who live in cities and their elected representatives. A breakdown of the traditional alliances would hurt both farm and food programs, Braley said. - Sioux City Journal, 10/22/13
And former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords (D. AZ) has been hitting the campaign trail for Braley:
http://www.kcrg.com/...
Giffords was in town to support Bruce Braley, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate. He held his ninth annual Bruce, Blues and Barbeque fundraiser.
“Thank you for inviting me here today, it's been a long hard (road),” Giffords said. “I'm getting better.”
Giffords made the rare public appearance to support her friend in his run for Tom Harkin’s seat.
“Gabby has been a close friend, her story is one that every American can relate to,” Braley said.
At Braley's fundraiser at the State Fairgrounds, Gifford’s husband, Mark Kelly, spoke on her behalf. The big messages that came out of the rally were about bringing more people into the middle class and fighting for tighter gun control laws.
“You know we’ve all seen tragically that when dangerous people get guns, we’re all vulnerable,” Kelly said. “When I think of needing more people like Gabby in Congress, do you know who I think about? I think about Bruce Braley.” - KCRG 9, 10/27/13
If you would like to get involved or donate to Braley's campaign, you can do so here:
http://www.brucebraley.com/...