Congressman: This problem deserves additional attention

Washington, D.C. - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) today wrote the House Transportation and Infrastructure's Chairman Bill Shuster and Ranking Member Nick Rahall to urge the Committee to hold hearings on school bus safety before the session ends this year.

"Simply put, there are too many accidents killing children in and around school buses every year," Braley said. "There are things we can do to make our children safer, and I urge the Committee to take up this important matter before one more child is involved in a preventable accident."

An average of 6 children are killed in school bus related accidents each year while an average of 12 children are killed each year in pedestrian deaths outside of the school bus.

"According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an average of 19 school-age children die each year due to school transportation accidents. Given these statistics, it's evident that more attention should be given to addressing school bus safety," Braley's letter reads.

Earlier this year, Braley introduced the most comprehensive overhaul of school bus safety in 15 years. Braley's School Bus Safety Act is a five-pronged approach that would protect students both in and around school buses.

·         Title I: "Kadyn's Act"?named after Northwood student Kadyn Halverson, requires states to enact tough penalties for drivers who pass stopped schools buses. Kadyn's parents helped enact this portion of the law in Iowa, but in many other states, this activity, which puts children's lives in danger, is punishable by fines as low as 30 dollars.

·         Title II creates grants for Motion Activated Detection Systems on the exterior of buses?these systems alert a driver when a moving target is detected within the danger zones near the front, rear and sides of the bus.

·         Title III requires background checks on school bus drivers. In 2012, Iowa enacted such a law, but some states are still operating without this requirement.

·         Title IV is a School Bus Seat Belt Demonstration Program. The Department of Transportation would create a Demonstration Program which would allow states to apply for funding to purchase new school buses with seat belts or to equip current ones with seat belts. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has estimated that deaths from frontal crashes could be significantly reduced with mandatory seatbelt use.

·         The last portion of the legislation would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to assess using technology to get drivers to stop for school buses. For example, studying how a particular lighting system might help prevent motorists from illegally passing stopped buses. This could also help with the situation that led to Kadyn Halverson's tragedy - utilizing technology that can get people to slow down and stop, in addition to increased penalties.

Braley's letter can be found online HERE.

Congressman's proposal helps current students with tuition costs, while providing relief with high levels of student loan debt interest

Washington, D.C. - Rep.  Bruce Braley (IA-01) today continued to roll out his College Affordability Plan by introducing legislation designed to help students and parents manage rising tuition costs, as well as provide relief to those facing significant student loan interest payments.

"The value of the American Opportunity Tax Credit and student loan interest deduction have declined significantly?while at the same time tuition and student debt levels are higher than ever?that's not right," Braley said. "These incentives need to have their value restored and indexed to inflation so that we're not facing the same situation in another five or ten years."

Braley is introducing the College Tuition and Debt Relief Act of 2014 today, which is designed to renew and extend tax incentives that help current and future college students afford rising tuition costs, while providing those with high student loan interest costs tax relief. Braley's legislation would:

1) Strengthen American Opportunity Tax Credit

The American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) provides college students relief from the high cost of tuition. The AOTC is a $2,500 tax credit that can be taken to offset the cost of tuition, fees, and course materials for undergraduate students at two and four year colleges and universities. However, the AOTC is set to expire at the end of 2017. Braley's legislation would:

·         Make the AOTC permanent and increase the credit from $2,500 to $3,000

·         Index AOTC to inflation to ensure that the credit increases as tuition rises

2) Double Student Loan Interest Deduction

This important deduction allows student loan borrowers to deduct up to $2,500 on interest paid on their student loans. The $2,500 limit, originally established in 2001, has not kept pace with inflation or rising tuition costs, significantly reducing its real value. Iowa students graduate with the 6th highest average student debt of any state. According to the Project on Student Debt, the average debt of an Iowa college graduate is $29,456 and Iowa ranks 3rd nationally in the percentage of students who graduate with debt, with nearly 71% taking on student loan debt. Braley's legislation would:

·         Double the deduction from $2,500 to $5,000

·         Index the deduction to inflation ensuring that it will increase as tuition rises

Earlier this week, Braley unveiled the outline of his College Affordability Plan which contains four central components to help students, graduates and parents deal with rising tuition costs and growing student loan debt. The plan includes tax incentives, a grant program for current college students facing financial hardship, and a bill allowing students to refinance their loans at lower market rates.

Yesterday, after asking for and receiving hundreds of stories about Iowans' experiences attaining and paying back student loans, Braley shared those comments with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

For decades college tuition costs have been rising significantly. Student loan debt today totals $1.2 trillion, $864 billion of which is backed by the federal government. More than 70 percent of students who graduated from college in 2012 had student loan debt.

A copy of Braley's College Tuition and Debt Relief Act of 2014 is available online HERE.

Deadline to submit applications is Monday, October 13th

Washington, D.C. - Rep.  Bruce Braley (IA-01) today announced that he is accepting applications from high school students from Iowa's 1st District for nominations to the United States armed services academies for an appointment to the Class of 2019.

"Our military academies provide a world-class education and help develop our nation's next generation of leaders," Braley said. "Iowa has a proud tradition of service and I look forward to reading the applications of Iowa's best and brightest seeking to carry on that tradition by serving in the U.S. armed services academies."

Interested students should contact Braley's district office in Waterloo to request an application packet to be considered for a service academy nomination. The application packet includes specific instructions on the accompanying forms and required documents, including an application form, an essay, high school transcript, ACT/SAT scores, and letters of recommendation.

These materials take time to compile, so interested students are strongly encouraged to start obtaining the materials needed for the packet as soon as possible.

Braley nominates up to 10 candidates from Iowa's First Congressional District for each available vacancy at the four service academies: the US Military Academy, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, and the Merchant Marine Academy.  Applicants are judged on the basis of character, scholarship, physical aptitude, medical fitness, and motivation.

For further information as well as an application packet, contact Braley's Waterloo office at (319) 287-3233.

More information can also be found at http://braley.house.gov/serving-you/military-academy-nominations.

In continued effort to fight for Iowa seniors, Congressman votes to prevent popular scam

Washington, D.C. - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) last night voted in favor of the Anti-Spoofing Act?a bipartisan bill that would help protect Iowa's seniors from fraud.

"Iowa seniors deserve safety and protection from predators engaged in these types of deceptive and destructive schemes," Braley said. "The passage of this bill sends a message to the frauds engaged in this activity that they will be punished."

After reports of caller ID "spoofing" fraud in Iowa, Braley has fought to advance this bill, which would prohibit deceptive caller ID spoofing?a popular scam that defrauds unsuspecting seniors by displaying a name or entity on caller ID that appears to be trustworthy. In April, Braley toured senior living centers in Cedar Falls, Dubuque and Clinton to discuss popular frauds targeting seniors, and how seniors can protect themselves against those frauds.

In 2009, the Truth in Caller ID Act was signed into law to prohibit caller ID spoofing when it is done to defraud or otherwise cause harm. The Anti-Spoofing Act improves, updates, and expands upon this existing law by broadening it to include text messaging and new internet-based telephone services as well as expanding the law to prevent spoofing from foreigners.

Braley has set up a Consumer Protection page on Congressman Braley's website for constituents to read more about other deceptive and fraudulent practices and how consumers can protect themselves.