Iowa lawmakers on Thursday adjourned the third-longest legislative session in state history with Republicans touting their success in being fiscally responsible and Democrats lamenting what they saw as too little funding for education.

Adjournment finally came on the last day of the state fiscal year and the 172nd calendar day of session. The only times that the legislature has taken longer to adjourn its regular session were 1967 (when lawmakers adjourned July 2 after 175 days) and 1978 (when session adjourned July 15 after 188 days).

"We all just want to go home," said Representative Matt Windschitl (R-Missouri Valley).

The Iowa House adjourned first at 3:36 p.m. after 61-31 passage of the health-and-human-services budget bill and closing-day speeches by leaders. The Iowa Senate followed by approving that same bill 27-18 and adjourning at 3:43 p.m. Both chambers also approved a one-month budget that continues state services while giving the governor 30 days to review the just-passed bills.

On May 26, 1776, John Adams - who represented Massachusetts at the Second Continental Congress - wrote exultantly to his friend James Warren that "every post and every day rolls in upon us independence like a torrent." Adams had reason for rejoicing, for this was what he and others had hoped and worked for almost since the Congress had convened in May of the previous year. It helped, to be sure, that George III had proclaimed the colonies in rebellion, and this encouraged the Americans to take him at his word. Later, George Washington proceeded to drive General Howe out of Boston. This demonstrated that Americans need not stand on the defensive, but could vindicate themselves in military strategy quite as well as in political.

However exciting to some, America was going through the difficult process of being born. In any event, the stage of history was being set. On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia introduced three resolutions calling for independence, foreign alliances, and confederation. Some wanted unity and voted to postpone the final vote for three weeks. This allowed time for debate and for the hesitant and fainthearted to come over or step out. In the meantime, Congress appointed a committee to prepare a "Declaration of Independence." This committee consisted of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson.

Jefferson had come to the Continental Congress the previous year, bringing with him a reputation for literature, science, and a talent for composition. His writings, said John Adams, "were remarkable for their peculiar felicity of expression." In part because of his rhetorical gifts, in part because he already had a reputation for working quickly, in part because it was thought that Virginia - as the oldest, the largest, and the most deeply committed of the states - should take the lead, the committee unanimously turned to Jefferson to prepare a draft declaration.

Governor Pat Quinn was willing to offer up only the tiniest of face-saving possibilities to the Illinois Senate Democrats last week: Drop your budget demands - and we'll talk about them this fall - but do it soon or bad things will happen.

On the last day of the spring legislative session, the Senate Democrats tried to add about $430 million in extra state program spending to a bill that was supposed to only pay for construction projects. They tacked on the spending to force the House to bow to their demands. The idea was that the House would want to protect the construction projects so much that they'd be willing to accept the Senate's increased budget spending.

It didn't work.

Iowa Workforce Development is shutting down 37 field offices statewide, despite top legislators from both political parties saying they oppose the plan.

The plan is expected to most affect rural parts of the state. Lawmakers say it would force some unemployed Iowans to drive 80 miles to one of 16 regional workforce-development offices, rather than having a satellite office that's closer to home.

It also would spur the layoff of 85 state employees and the elimination of another 40 vacant positions, according to the department. However, most of those who would be laid off are union members, and collective-bargaining agreements would allow them to use their seniority to bump workers with less experience.

"Maybe they should change their name to Workforce Un-Development," said state Senator Bill Dotzler (D-Waterloo), co-chair of the legislature's Economic Development Appropriations subcommittee. "Everything they've been doing has reduced services to dislocated workers. I'm very disappointed."