Archived Podcasts
December 6, 2007
"President Bush's "Train Wreck" strategy might be good politics but its not good policy for the American people"
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File Size: 3.33MB
Duration: 3 minutes 38 seconds
November 15, 2007
Tom talks about how President Bush's values and priorities are out of touch with Iowans and the rest of the American people with his vetoes and veto threats.
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File Size: 2.36MB
Duration: 2 minutes 34 second
November 8, 2007
Tom talks about the the farm bill and President Bush’s veto threat.
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File Size: 3.69MB
Duration: 4 minutes 1 second
October 18, 2007
Tom talks about the status of the farm bill and discusses some of the details in the areas of health & nutrition, alternative energies, conservation, rural development and commodities.
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File Size: 5.29MB
Duration: 5 minutes 46 seconds
October 4, 2007
Tom talks about President Bush's veto of the SCHIP bill. (The State Children's Health Issuance Program)
Tom also talks about the veto threats the President has made regarding other bills that will provide funding for education, health and bio-medical research.
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File Size: 2.71MB
Duration: 2 minutes 58 seconds
September 27, 2007
Tom talks about the importance of properly funding the "State Children's Health Issuance Program." (SCHIP)
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File Size: 3.47MB
Duration: 3 minutes 47 seconds
September 20, 2007
Tom talks about the recent increase of contaminations within the food supply and his bill, the Fresh Produce Safety Act, which will address these problems.
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File Size: 2.99MB
Duration: 3 minutes 15 seconds
September 6, 2007
Tom talks about the Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention Act. This bill - which is named for a soldier from Grundy Center, Iowa, who took his own life after returning from Iraq - directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to step up screening, counseling and other mental health services for returning war veterans.
The aim of the bill is to reduce the shocking rate of suicide among our men and women retuning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The VA estimates that more than 5,000 veterans take their lives each year. Suicide rates are 35 percent higher for Iraq veterans than for the general population. And the Department of Defense recently reported that the Army is now seeing the highest rate of suicide since the Vietnam War.
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File Size: 3.09MB
Duration: 3 minutes 22 seconds
August 2, 2007
Tom talks about the importance of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and the need to properly fund it.
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File Size: 2.30MB
Duration: 2 minutes 30 seconds
July 26, 2007
Tom talks about legislation he is introducing to restore the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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File Size: 3.83MB
Duration: 4 minutes 11 seconds
July 19, 2007
Tom talks about the College Cost Reducation Act.
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File Size: 2.76MB
Duration: 3 minutes 0 seconds
July 12, 2007
Tom talks about the National Defense Authorization Act.
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File Size: 3.97MB
Duration: 4 minutes 20 seconds
June 21, 2007
Tom talks about funding for education, health and labor programs. Tom also talks about the President's veto of the Stem Cell bill.
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File Size: 3.32MB
Duration: 3 minutes 38 seconds
June 14, 2007
Tom talks about the current unfair distribution of funds from commodity programs. Tom is going to address this problem in the upcoming Farm Bill.
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File Size: 3.58MB
Duration: 3 minutes 54 seconds
May 17, 2007
Tom talks about the marketing of junk foods to kids.
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File Size: 2.89MB
Duration: 3 minutes 8 seconds
May 10, 2007
Tom talks about his efforts to fight methamphetamine.
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File Size: 2.39MB
Duration: 2 minutes 36 seconds
May 3, 2007
Tom talks about the safety of America's food supply.
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File Size: 2.53MB
Duration: 2 minutes 46 seconds
April 26, 2007
Tom talks about the poor conditions at Walter Reed and the under funding of programs by the Bush administration that help veterans.
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File Size: 4.55MB
Duration: 4 minutes 58 seconds
March 22, 2007
Tom talks about the upcoming farm bill and the listening sessions he is holding to gather information and ideas about what needs to be included in the farm bill.
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File Size: 2.67MB
Duration: 3 minutes 1 second
March 15, 2007
Tom talks about his bill, the Coming Together for Guard and Reserve Families Act.
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File Size: 4.37MB
Duration: 4 minutes 46 seconds
March 8, 2007
Tom talks about the outrageous conditions at Walter Reed Medical Facility and announces that he is co-sponsoring the "Dignity for Wounded Warriors Act." This legislation will ensure that wounded service members get the treatment, care, and services they deserve.
Tom has also re-introduced the "Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention Act" of 2007 which directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop and implement a comprehensive program to address suicide prevention among vets, including emphasizing the importance of social support, family involvement, readjustment services, and further research to prevent suicide among our nation's veterans. It also boosts training for all Department of Veterans Affairs' staff, contractors, and medical personnel who interact with veterans to identify risk factors for suicide and refer them to the appropriate mental health counseling and crisis services.
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File Size: 3.32MB
Duration: 3 minutes 37 seconds
March 1, 2007
Tom talks about the President's proposed budget cuts to the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). In Iowa, the program is called HAWK-I and it provides health insurance coverage to children in needy families below 200 percent of the poverty level. Thanks to HAWK-I, nearly 35,000 children in Iowa have access to doctor's visits, hospitals, emergency care, and preventive care. Tom talks about the impact on Iowa's uninsured children if President Bush's budget cuts are not removed.
Tom also thanks the members of the Iowa National Guard who helped Iowans during the large winter storms of the previous week.
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File Size: 3.48MB
Duration: 3 minutes 48 seconds
February 15, 2007
Tom discusses "The Competitive and Fair Agricultural Markets Act" which is legislation introduced by Senator Harkin to correct deficiencies in USDA's enforcement over agricultural markets and provide needed protections for producers involved in production contracts for agricultural commodities. This bill will be the basis for the development of a proposed competition title in the upcoming farm bill.
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File Size: 2.81MB
Duration: 3 minutes 3 seconds
February 8, 2007
Tom talks about the attempt by Senate Republicans to limit debate regarding the proposed troop escalation plan. He also reads some letters from Iowan's opposed to troop escalation in Iraq.
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File Size: 2.91MB
Duration: 3 minutes 10 seconds
January 18, 2007
Tom discusses the importance of three conservation programs; the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the Conservation Security Program (CSP), and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).
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File Size: 2.83MB
Duration: 3 minutes 05 seconds
January 11, 2007
Tom talks about his opposition to President Bush's proposed troop surge in Iraq.
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File Size: 3.53MB
Duration: 3 minutes 51 seconds
January 4, 2007
Tom talks about two of his bills, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act and the BioFuels Security Act.
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File Size: 3.38MB
Duration: 3 minutes 41 seconds
December 7, 2006
Tom reflects on the failures of the 109th Congress under Republican control. And he looks ahead to the 110th Congress where Democrats will control the House and Senate. Tom also reflects on the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
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File Size: 2.98MB
Duration: 3 minutes 15 seconds
Novemeber 16, 2006
In today's podcast, Tom looks ahead to the next Congress, which will chart a new direction for America, including a new farm bill, passing a stem cell bill, much-needed oversight of the war in Iraq, and balancing the budget.
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File Size: 4.16MB
Duration: 4 minutes 32 seconds
September 28, 2006
Today's broadcast looks at the Reading First scandal involving the Department of Education, the approval of the U.S. Senate to award Iowa-native Dr. Norman E. Borlaug the Congressional Gold Medal, and funding problems for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).
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File Size: 4.68MB
Duration: 5 minutes 6 seconds
September 21, 2006
In this podcast, Tom takes to task the Republican spending priorities, including massive cuts to education and medical research.
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File Size: 3.69MB
Duration: 4 minutes 1 second
September 14, 2006
Tom announces he will introduce legislation to help mothers on Medicaid stop smoking during pregnancy. The Smoke-Free Mothers and Babies Act of 2006 will encourage states to provide pregnant women enrolled in Medicaid with access to comprehensive tobacco cessation services.
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File Size: 2.45MB
Duration: 2 minutes 40 seconds
September 7, 2006
Listen as Tom discusses a new bio-based product showcase at the U.S. Pentagon, presses for new "truth in labeling" legislation for tobacco products, and reiterates his call for Defense Secretary Rumsfeld to resign.
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File Size: 4.90MB
Duration: 5 minutes 21 seconds
August 3, 2006
Tom talks about the "trifecta" bill - the estate tax, pension and minimum wage bill. Tom also talks about a bill he is introducing called the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act of 2006. This bill will direct the Veterans Affairs Administration to create a comprehensive program to address the growing suicide rate among combat Veterans.
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File Size: 3.95MB
Duration: 4 minutes 19 seconds
July 27, 2006
Tom talks about S. 3711, a Senate bill that would allow the expansion of oil and natural gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.
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File Size: 3.03MB
Duration: 3 minutes 19 seconds
July 20, 2006
Tom talks about the passage of the Stem Cell bill (HR 810) in the Senate and the veto of the bill by President Bush.
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File Size: 4.60MB
Duration: 5 minutes 1 seconds
July 13, 2006
Tom talks about HR 810, the Stem Cell bill. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has finally agreed to allow a vote that is scheduled for the week of July 17, 2006.
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File Size: 2.84MB
Duration: 3 minutes 5 seconds
June 22, 2006
Tom talks about funding for agriculture, rural development, conservation, and renewable energy initiatives.
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File Size: 3.54MB
Duration: 3 minutes 51 seconds
June 15, 2006
Tom talks about contractor fraud in Afghanistan and in Iraq and his Amendment that he is introducing to the DoD Authorization bill to try to get the Justice department to do something about the waste fraud and abuse. Tom also talks about the Special Olympics' USA National Games being held in Ames, Iowa.
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File Size: 3.85MB
Duration: 4 minutes 12 seconds
May 18, 2006
Tom talks about legislative activity aimed at improving the production of alternative fuels.
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File Size: 2.49MB
Duration: 2 minutes 43 seconds
May 11, 2006
Tom talks about his plan to lower gas prices. He also says good-bye to a departing staffer.
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File Size: 3.98MB
Duration: 4 minutes 21 seconds
May 4, 2006
Tom talks about Stem Cell research and why Bill Frist will not allow the Stem Cell bill, HR 810, to come up for a vote in the Senate.
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File Size: 2.73MB
Duration: 2 minutes 58 seconds
April 28, 2006
Tom talks about the additional problems faced by people with disabilities in disasters like Katrina. Tom also talks about the high gas prices and the failure of the Bush Administration to do anything to help. Including Bush budget cuts that have hurt efforts to get more ethanol and other biofuels to market and opposition to requirements for cars to get better gas mileage.
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File Size: 6.97MB
Duration: 7 minutes 36 seconds
March 9, 2006
Tom talks about Dana Reeve and her work to create awareness of spinal cord injuries, her fight to find money for research and for the care of people with spinal cord injuries, and her support of Stem Cell Research. Tom also talks about the promotion of the Government use of Biobased products.
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File Size: 5.05MB
Duration: 5 minutes 31 seconds
March 2, 2006
Talks talks about cuts to education in the Bush Budget.
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File Size: 3.62MB
Duration: 3 minutes 57 seconds
February 16, 2006
Tom talks about the Whitehouse memo that exposes the Bush Administration's shameful attempt to make it difficult for Ames lab workers to make claims for compensation for the cancers they got as a result of working with nuclear materials during the Manhattan Project. Tom also talks about his new proposed program, the "Competative and Fair Agricultural Markets Act of 2006."
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File Size: 4.02MB
Duration: 4 minutes 23 seconds
February 9, 2006
Tom talks about the 2006 Bush budget and the proposed cuts to programs that help seniors, people with disabilities, students, and the working poor. The Bush budget also includes cuts to cancer research, law enforcement, drug enforcement, and various other cuts so the President can pay for his tax cuts for the wealthy.
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File Size: 3.14MB
Duration: 3 minutes 25 seconds
February 2, 2006
Tom talks about the pledges President Bush made in his State of the Union address.
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File Size: 4.37MB
Duration: 4 minutes 46 seconds
January 26, 2006
Tom talks about the unnecessarily complicated Medicare drug plan designed by the Bush Administration and insurance companies. Tom also talks about Bush's proposed tax cuts for the wealthy.
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File Size: 4.68MB
Duration: 5 minutes 6 seconds
January 19, 2006
Tom talks about Judge Alito
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File Size: 6.58MB
Duration: 7 minutes 11 seconds
December 15, 2005
Tom talks about the republican cuts to the budget so they can pay for their tax cuts for the wealthy. Tom also talks about UNI going to the I-AA championship.
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File Size: 5.26MB
Duration: 5 minutes 45 seconds
November 10, 2005
Tom talks about the high energy costs facing Iowans this winter and his work to secure funding for energy assistance.
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File Size: 3.26MB
Duration: 3 minutes 33 seconds
November 3, 2005
Tom talks about the Republican budget process and their immoral priorities to cut taxes for the wealthy, continue to increase the deficit, and to make cuts to programs that help the needy.
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File Size: 2.66MB
Duration: 2 minutes 54 seconds
October 27, 2005
Tom talks about the amendment he filed that will allocate $8 billion for Avian Flu preparedness. Tom also speaks about the withdrawal of Harriet Miers as a nominee for the Supreme Court.
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File Size: 4.94MB
Duration: 5 minutes 24 seconds
October 20, 2005
Tom talks about new guidelines for Section 8 housing and continued budget mismanagement by Republicans who are trying to get an additional $70 billion in new tax cuts which will increase the deficit this year and years to come.
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File Size: 3.34MB
Duration: 3 minutes 39 seconds
October 6, 2005
Tom talks about the Republican cuts to programs that help the poor and needy so they can give tax cuts to the privileged.
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File Size: 4.23MB
Duration: 4 minutes 37 seconds
September 29, 2005
Tom talks about the upcoming Continuing Resolution (CR) that the Republican controlled House of Representatives sent over to the Senate, it's negative impact on social programs that help 6.5 million low income people. (2 million of which are children.) Tom also discusses Avian Flu and steps we need to take to prepare for it.
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File Size: 4.92MB
Duration: 5 minutes 22 seconds
September 22, 2005
Tom talks about the nomination of John Roberts to be Chief Justice, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the power of the Supreme Court.
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File Size: 4.08MB
Duration: 4 minutes 27 seconds
July 28, 2005
Tom talks about the fight against meth, energy and renewable fuels legislation, and his upcoming visit through Iowa.
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File Size: 4.33MB
Duration: 4 minutes 44 seconds
July 15, 2005
Tom on stem cell research
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File Size: 3.08MB
Duration: 3 minutes 22 seconds
