Des Moines – Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman Sue Dvorsky released the following statement on the U.S. House of Representatives forthcoming vote to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

“The Violence Against Women Act was first enacted in 1994 and has been reauthorized two different times with broad bipartisan support. The US Senate voted to reauthorize the VAWA last month on a 68-31 vote. The Senate extended protection to immigrants, members of the LGBT community and Native Americans, providing needed protection to all victims.

“For nearly two decades, the Violence Against Women Act has been uncontroversial and has protected women from abuse. But today, the hyper-partisan GOP has made protecting women a political issue. Instead of fully reauthorizing the act, like the Senate did in a bipartisan fashion, Steve King and House Republicans have decided to put women in jeopardy for political gain.

“No victim of violence should be denied services on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability. Continuing any form of this type of discrimination is simply unacceptable.

“The Violence Against Women Act is a much needed tool to help women enact legal protection against their abusers. It is not a political tool for the GOP. I call upon Steve King and all members of the House to fully reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and to stop playing games with women’s health.”

“Today, President Obama echoed the sentiments of countless Iowans who believe all loving couples should be able to honor their commitments through marriage. In 2009, the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously ruled that prohibiting gay and lesbian couples from marrying is unconstitutional. It was a historic day for our state and a tremendous moment for committed couples as well as for the families and friends of Iowa’s LGBT community.

“While this is arguably one of the most important and historic statements President Obama has made publicly on LGBT issues, his remarks follow a series of policies this administration has put forth in support of equal rights for LGBT Americans. The values that the President cares most deeply about are how we treat other people. President Obama recognizes that people are going to have differing views on marriage and those views, even if we disagree strongly, should be respected.

“As we applaud the position taken by President Obama today, we must also acknowledge the fight for full equality for LGBT Americans is far from over. Our opposition continues to push a divisive and well-funded tactical agenda which seeks to undermine equality efforts across the country.

“The likely Republican nominee for President, Mitt Romney, not only opposes same sex marriage, but he believes we should amend the U.S. Constitution to prevent committed gay and lesbian couples from marrying.  A Federal marriage amendment, such as the one Romney supports, would be the first time this country amended the Constitution to deny Americans equal rights. Additionally, his opposition to civil union could potentially rollback a whole range of equal rights and benefits for gay and lesbian Americans.”

And once again, we are inviting talented young people across the state who wish to represent Iowa to apply to participate in the Convention Page Program during the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina this September.

During the course of the convention, which will run from September 3 to September 6, 2012, our delegation will provide pages with a positive educational experience while fostering a new generation of Democrats through direct participation in the convention process.

Consistent with years past, pages will be involved in vital convention-related activities such as acting as floor runners, ushering our delegates to and from locations, assisting with caucus meetings, distributing official convention materials, and assisting with public and media relations related tasks. Meanwhile, there will be several activities planned throughout the week and duties may differ each day.

In Charlotte, the Iowa Democratic Party plans to utilize a range of audio, video, online, and social media communication tools as a means to provide National Delegates, and members of our Party in Iowa and around the country, with the most informative, creative, and memorable convention experience imaginable. Although experience in one or more of these technical areas is preferred, it is not required in order to apply. Pages will work closely with the Iowa Democratic Party staff, and will receive any necessary technical guidance and training in order to most effectively meet our Convention goals.

Candidates for the Iowa Democratic Party National Convention Page Program must be:

• Enthusiastic about helping to re-elect President Obama and other Democrats up and down the ticket
• Willing to volunteer long and irregular hours at times, potentially including weekends (these will be determined by you and the staff member(s) you work with)
• Personally organized and self-motivated
• Comfortable with public speaking and have strong communications skills
• Knowledgeable of communications technology and proficient with social media

Pages will be expected to arrive prior to the start of the convention on Sunday, Sept 2nd and remain in Charlotte until Friday, September 7th. Pages are expected to attend an orientation, work a full day, and attend all scheduled events during the convention.

Pages will also be responsible for paying for their own transportation to and from Charlotte (including airport transfers to and from their hotel), lodging expenses, and any incidentals. Some scholarship monies may be available, to be determined at a later date. Pages will be assigned a roommate and will be housed with the Iowa delegation at a nearby hotel during the week. Upon acceptance, further information on the specific hotel and transportation fees will be sent to the participants.

In order to be eligible to apply, page applicants must be at least 16 years old. All applicants under the age of 18 who wish to apply must have a parent or legal guardian’s consent prior to submitting their application materials. Accepted applicants under the age of 18 must be accompanied to Charlotte, NC, by a parent or legal guardian for the entirety of their time at the National Convention.

The page position is a strictly volunteer role; however the experience will be an incredible opportunity to develop new skills while participating in a truly memorable event you won’t soon forget.

To learn more about the process of becoming a page, please visit the National Convention page on our website. If you have additional questions, please contact our office by calling 515.244.7292.

If this opportunity is one you’d like to pursue, please send us an email describing why you want to become a Page for the 2012 Democratic National Convention, along with your resume and portfolio (if applicable) to kjones@iowademocrats.org.

Up to two Pages will be accepted per state. Therefore, interested individuals are encouraged to apply early in order to be given proper consideration. All applications are due by 5pm on Friday, June 1, 2012.

“Tonight, from beginning to end, Iowa Republicans will use every ill-conceived talking point in their repertoire to gloss over the fact that they’ve had a miserable year. At the state level, we have Republican representatives who, for two consecutive sessions, have abandoned their pledge to focus on jobs and the economy and, instead, returned to the Capitol to pursue a divisive social agenda. In Washington, Republican leaders have doubled down on unprecedented partisan extremism, obstructing legislation that will generate critical economic solutions for the country.

“Keynote speaker Ken Cuccinelli embodies the misguided priorities which currently fuel the Republican Party. Instead of arriving in Iowa to inspire a renewed commitment to grow the economy, Cuccinelli has come to Iowa to continue his reckless crusade against a health care law which currently benefits over 30 million working and middle class Americans.

“The Affordable Care Act restored health care as a basic cornerstone of middle-class security in America. In Iowa alone,1.2 million people no longer have a lifetime limit on coverage; women have seen their coverage for preventive services like mammograms expanded; hundreds of thousands of seniors and people with disabilities who have Medicare have already received free preventive care; and young people who would otherwise be uninsured are now able to stay on their parents’ insurance plans until they turn 26. The Affordable Care Act has provided hardworking families in Iowa with the security they deserve.”

The occasion will take place on June 15 at Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center in Des Moines, on the eve of the 2012 State Convention.

Tickets to this magnificent event are available now online.

This year, we will proudly induct Senator Jack Kibbie and Michael Gartner as Outstanding Elected Official and Outstanding Supporter, respectively.

John “Jack” Kibbie was first elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 1960, and first elected to the Iowa Senate in 1988.  One of the hallmarks of his long and successful legislative career was the formation of Iowa’s community college system.

Michael Gartner has been a long-time supporter of the Iowa Democratic Party, and its candidates across the state.  He chaired the Vision Iowa Fund from 2000 to 2005. In May 2005, Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack named him president of the Iowa Board of Regents.

Consistent with year’s past, our 2012 honorees and Hall of Fame inductees represent the best of political involvement across the state. Each of the recipients has demonstrated a unique combination of leadership and activism, and selflessly given of their time and energy to promote Democratic principles in their communities and across the state.

Honorees were nominated by Democratic leaders across the state in April.

In addition, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has graciously accepted our invitation to be the evening’s keynote speaker. Throughout his professional life, including his service in the U.S. Justice Department and his time working in the private sector, and now in the Massachusetts State House, Governor Patrick has proven to be one of the great advocates for Democratic values and middle class opportunity.

2012 Hall of Fame Honorees:

Outstanding Elected Official Hall of Fame Award: Iowa State Senate President Jack Kibbie
Outstanding Supporter Hall of Fame Award: Michael Gartner
Minnette Doderer Award for Outstanding Leadership: Linda Nelson
Jim Lodwich Award for Outstanding SCC Member: Bill Brauch
Creech Award for Outstanding County Chair: Tom Henderson
Dixon Terry Award for Outstanding Activist: JoAnn Zimmerman
Edward Campbell Rising Star Award: Gracie Brandsgard

So, why wait? Order your tickets today!

We hope you will be able to join us for this exciting event.

“The District conventions demonstrated once again our state party’s tremendous capacity to identify outstanding activists and leaders who will represent our Iowa and Democratic values at the National Convention in September,” said Chairwoman Sue Dvorsky.

The Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C, will run from September 3 to September 6, 2012.

In addition to electing National Delegates, the Conventions, held in each of Iowa’s four congressional districts, also produced four alternate National Delegates, four Presidential Electors, and several new members of the Party’s State Central Committee.

Chairwoman Sue Dvorsky, Congressman Bruce Braley, Congressman Leonard Boswell, Congressman Dave Loebsack, Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, as well as other Democratic elected officials and candidates visited Convention locations throughout the day.

While each state Democratic Party’s delegate selection process is unique, the Iowa Democratic Party is committed to sending delegates to the convention that represent every segment of the state.  Thus, the Party has proactively reached out to diverse groups to encourage participation in the delegate selection process. Among those elected to serve as National Delegates this year included seniors, veterans, students, and members of Iowa’s LGBT community.

“The individuals elected this weekend to serve as National delegates are validation of our enduring commitment to diversity at our National Convention,” said Dvorsky.  “Our State Party has a reputation for being highly organized, enthusiastic and inclusive. We’re proud to see that our aggressive outreach effort has brought a diverse mix of new voices into the effort to reelect President Obama in November.”

District Convention delegates were elected at the County Conventions held in March and will also serve as delegates at the State Convention on June 16. The State Party will continue to elect delegates and State Central Committee members at the upcoming State Convention on June 16.

The the names of the 2012 National Delegates and Alternates can be found here.

The saga continued in April with Iowa House Republicans holding the state’s largest budget hostage over demands to include anti-abortion and anti-family planning language.

The Health and Human services budget passed by House Republicans (SF 2336) is extreme and would take away the rights of women who are survivors of rape or incest to end their pregnancy and also defunds Planned Parenthood. Since their bill is also in violation of federal law, it also puts federal health care funds for children and hard-working families in jeopardy.  Other states, including Texas, that have passed similar measures have been court-ordered to reinstate coverage using only state funds.

“After promising to avoid social issues in order to focus on jobs, the economy and putting Iowans back to work, House Republicans have duped the people of Iowa once again and brought the Republican war on women to Iowa,” said IDP Chair Sue Dvorsky. “This time they have decided to put thousands of Iowans’ lives in danger by cutting off funding for live-saving programs and risk the economic sustainability of the state.

Nearly 700,000 Iowans are currently enrolled in Iowa Medicaid. The $1.2 billion in federal funding pays for programs for children in the foster care system, seniors in assisted living facilities, and support for Iowans with disabilities who are unable to work.

Over 50,000 Iowans visit the 24 Planned Parenthood health centers in Iowa for reproductive health and family planning services each year. In 2011, 81,831 individuals received health care at family planning agencies across the state. House Republicans have not explained how thousands of Iowans served by planning agencies will continue to get the health care they need.

Instead of putting vital health care programs and services on the chopping block, House Republicans should focus on creating jobs, promoting economic growth and increasing the economic sustainability of the state – all of which will better the lives of Iowans, not put them in danger.

“Our 2012 honorees and Hall of Fame inductees represent the best of political involvement across the state,” said Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman Sue Dvorsky. “Each of the recipients has demonstrated a unique combination of leadership and activism, and selflessly given of their time and energy to promote Democratic principles in their communities and across the state.”

John “Jack” Kibbie was first elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 1960, and first elected to the Iowa Senate in 1988.  One of the hallmarks of his long and successful legislative career was the formation of Iowa’s community college system.

Michael Gartner has been a long-time supporter of the Iowa Democratic Party, and its candidates across the state.  He chaired the Vision Iowa Fund from 2000 to 2005. In May 2005, Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack named him president of the Iowa Board of Regents.

Honorees were nominated by Democratic leaders across the state in April. The 2012 Hall of Fame celebration will take place on June 15 at Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center in Des Moines. Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick will be the event’s keynote speaker. Tickets to the event will be available online soon.

2012 Hall of Fame Honorees:

Outstanding Elected Official Hall of Fame Award: Iowa State Senate President Jack Kibbie

Criteria: This award is presented to an elected official whose tremendous support and dedication influenced both the State of Iowa and the Democratic Party. The nominees for this award may be selected from all levels of government including elected officials of the United States or State of Iowa, and county elected officials.

Outstanding Supporter Hall of Fame Award: Michael Gartner

Criteria: This award will honor an individual who has supported the Iowa Democratic Party and all aspects of Democratic politics throughout the years. This individual has selflessly been a resource to Iowa Democrats through means of organizational efforts, monetary support, volunteer work, and overall steadfast dedication.

Minnette Doderer Award for Outstanding Leadership: Linda Nelson

Criteria: Presented in recognition of outstanding leadership as a Democratic Party Activist.  

Jim Lodwich Award for Outstanding SCC Member: Bill Brauch

Criteria: Presented in recognition of outstanding leadership as a Democratic State Central Committee Member.

Creech Award for Outstanding County Chair: Tom Henderson

Criteria: Presented in recognition of outstanding leadership as a Democratic Party County Chair.

Dixon Terry Award for Outstanding Activist: JoAnn Zimmerman

Criteria: Presented in recognition of outstanding service as a Democratic Party activist.

Edward Campbell Rising Star Awards: Gracie Brandsgard

Criteria: Presented to a volunteer or staff member who has recently become involved in Democratic politics in Iowa and shows promise to become an outstanding activist and Party supporter.

“It’s an honor to welcome Governor Patrick to the state for our 13^th annual Hall of Fame Celebration,” said Democratic Party Chairwoman Sue Dvorsky. “Throughout his professional life, including his service in the U.S. Justice Department and his time working in the private sector, and now in the Massachusetts State House, Governor Patrick has proven to be one of the great advocates for Democratic values and middle class opportunity.”

Tickets to the event will be available online soon . The Hall of Fame Celebration is an annual event hosted by the Iowa Democratic Party featuring national leaders in the Democratic Party.

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District Convention delegates were elected at the County Conventions held in March and will also serve as delegates at the State Convention on June 16.

District Convention delegates will elect members to the Iowa Democratic Party’s State Central Committee and discuss the Party’s platform. In addition, some of Iowa’s delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC, will be also elected on Saturday.

Chairwoman Sue Dvorsky, as well as current Democratic elected officials and candidates, will be visiting Convention locations throughout the day.

All conventions will take place on April 28,and will be called to order at 9:00 AM, with registration beginning at 8:00 AM.  These events are open to the public and media.

For more information, please visit the 2012 District Convention page on our website: http://www.iowademocrats.org/2012conventions/district-conventions/

For specific District Convention information, please see list below.

1st District Convention WHEN: 9:00 AM WHERE: Central Intermediate School 1350 Katoski Dr. Waterloo, IA. SPEAKERS: Congressman Braley; State Senator Bill Dotzler; State Representative Pat Murphy; and Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman Sue Dvorsky.

2nd District Convention WHEN: 9:00 AM WHERE: Fort Madison High School Fort Madison, IA. SPEAKERS: Congressman Dave Loebsack.

3rd District Convention WHEN: 9:00 AM WHERE: Valley High School 3650 Woodland Ave. West Des Moines, IA. SPEAKERS: Congressman Leonard Boswell; and Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Sue Dvorsky.

4th District Convention WHEN: 9:00 AM WHERE: Storm Lake Middle School 1811 Hyland Drive Storm Lake, IA. SPEAKERS: Fourth District Democratic congressional candidate Christie Vilsack; and Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Sue Dvorsky.