2008 Dubuque County Democratic Platform

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2008 Dubuque County Democratic Platform

As Approved by Dubuque County Democratic Convention Delegates, March 16, 2008

AGRICULTURE

We support reforming = the federal farm program by including real caps on farm program payments at $25= ,000 to $150,000 and by eliminating the loopholes that the nation’s largest farms use to evade payment limits, obtain unlimited subsides and drive their smaller neighbors out of business.

We believe in the wid= espread distribution of land productive resources and a system of individually owned and operated family farms. We believe in opportunities for beginning and re-entry farmers. We believe in dispersed control of our nation’s food processing industry.

We believe in agricul= tural research that focuses on small and medium farms, emphasizes new markets, and encourages new uses for agricultural production and supports sustainable, non-toxic agriculture.

We support mandated r= iverbank buffer zones of at least 20 feet from farm land.

We support a federal = ban on packer ownership of livestock for more than 14 days prior to slaughter.

We support better enf= orcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act, including legislative amendments and administrative rules that prohibit price discrimination by meat packers aga= inst family farm livestock producers.

We support Senator Harkin’s comprehensive livestock market competition title in the 2007 farm bill.

We support public pol= icy that regulates the use of antibiotics and/or hormones in animal culture.

CAFOs, (Confined A= nimal Feeding Operations)

We believe the State = of Iowa should strictly regulate the construction, maintenance, and operation of CA= FOs by issuing permits only after a reasonable public comment period, imposing fines of all clean-up costs, establishing enforceable ambient air quality standards, and aggressively enforcing environmental laws with maximum penal= ties for violators.

We believe that the S= tate of Iowa should cease permitting new construction and expansion of CAFOs until = such time as IDNR has the ability to regulate them effectively, has thoroughly reviewed all existing manure management plans, and new regulations in place= to protect health, quality of life, and the environment.

We believe the State = of Iowa should mand= ate that all CAFOs owners and deed holders carry liability insurance to cover the co= sts of solving current and future CAFO-related public health problems and issue= s as well as the costs of site clean up in the event production stops.

We support the elimin= ation of all subsidies for the purchase and operations of CAFOs.

We believe the State = of Iowa should mand= ate that CAFO owners should fund extensive tree planting of their CAFO site areas. <= o:p>

We support a public p= olicy limiting the number of animals that can be kept in a given space.

We support public pol= icy that assures humane treatment of animals.

We support a public p= olicy requiring frequent testing and inspections for unsanitary conditions.<= /o:p>

We support a public p= olicy requiring farms to control the stench and ground water pollution caused by their operations.

We believe the Iowa Legislature should pass legislation giving counties the ability to exercise local control over the siting of factory farms. This means that local Iowans would have the power to decide whether or not a factory farm can be built in their area.

We believe the Clean = Water Act should be enforced strictly and comprehensively and that states should = be given increased money for research, development, education and enforcement, thereby protecting healthy waters as well as restoring those found to be impaired.

ENVIRONMENT

Bottle Bill

We supp= ort expansion of the Iowa beverage container deposit law to include all beverage containers, including non-carbonated bottles, and maintain the deposit at 5 cents.

We support funding fo= r public school education and a public awareness campaign on ways to reduce individu= al and community environmental impacts, including a “Close the Loop” campaign designed to encourage people to purchase recycled items.

Transportation

We support an increas= e in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for all vehicles, including SUVs and pickups.

We support the implem= entation of vehicle registration fees that reward fuel efficiency.=

We support a mandate = for maximum fuel efficiency for government owned vehicles.

Air Quality

We support banning city open leaf burning and expanding city leaf vacuuming.

Global Warming

We support working wi= th other nations to lower global warming pollution 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. To= ward this end we advocate the use of regional and national cap and trade systems, tightening the cap over time. 100% of credits should be auctioned from the beginning: and the government should invest auction revenues for the public good, e.g., clean, renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency measures.

We support legislation requiring utilities to generate a higher percentage of their electricity fr= om renewable energy sources. Such legislation might well include the establishment of a national renewable en= ergy portfolio standard (the amount of renewable energy that utilities must deli= ver to consumers) of 30% by 2020.

We support strengthen= ing energy efficiency policies for utility companies, buildings and appliances.=

We support policies a= nd incentives that encourage the smart growth of cities and the conservation of energy used in building, heating, cooling and transportation.

Energy, Air, and G= lobal Warming

We support endorsing = and enacting the terms of the Kyoto Protocol and subsequent international clima= te protection agreements.

We support enacting a= carbon tax to fund research and the development of renewable energy.

We support investing = in research intended to foster the development of new technologies and clean energy industries, thereby not only providing new and improved clean energy sources but also by creating millions of jobs in renewable energy and efficiency.

We support repealing government subsidies for big oil companies.

We support balanced f= ederal funding for transportation and road construction.

We support protecting= soil and water quality by investing in efficient and sustainable next-generation biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol.

Coal Plants

We support reinstating numeric limits on mercury emissions.

We support banning th= e use of mountain top removal coal in = Iowa.

We support requiring = existing coal-fired powered plants to capture and sequester carbon.

We oppose the constru= ction of new coal-fired power plants.

Park and Nature Land Use

We support preserving= all cemeteries and Native American sacred and historic sites.=

We support preserving= unique land forms such as Loess Hills, Sand Prairies, and the Algific Slopes.=

We oppose policies th= at lead to the destruction of wilderness areas for oil and gas exploration and drilling.

We support providing = incentives for the rehabilitation or construction of buildings and homes that meet gre= en building standards.

We support “sma= rt growth” policies calling for and guiding urban development in an environmentally responsible and socially equitable manner. Using infill development, coordinated residential, economic and transportation planning, sound land use and zoning policies, the goal should be to promote mixed-zone pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, conducive to the use of mass transit and bicycling, reducing automobile dependence, increasing community interaction= and creating vibrant urban places.

Renewable Energy

When considering new = energy sources, we support making decisions based on public health, economic sustainability, environmental sustainability, and quality of life of immedi= ate communities, state, nation, and world.

We support subsidizing research, development and production of wind and solar energy, industrial h= emp, switch grass and other renewal energy sources.

We support ordinances allowing small cities to erect city-owned turbines.

We support mandating = net metering for all utilities and rural elect co-ops and participating in ener= gy saving programs and rebates.

<= /span>

Energy Efficiency<= o:p>

We support energy conservation and efficiency improvements by homeowners and rental property owners through grants, loans and incentives.

We support requiring = all utilities, including municipal and rural electric co-ops, to increase conservation and efficiency gains by an annual numeric percentage.

Water Quality=

We support funding and implementing statewide mercury monitoring and educating the public about the risk of methyl mercury consumption through contaminated fish and seafood.

We support efforts to= improve and protect municipal water facilities to provide sufficient, clean, availa= ble water to all residents within the area.

We support legislatio= n to discourage private enterprise from depleting underground sources of water.<= o:p>

ENERGY

We believe our countr= y needs to decrease our dependence on foreign oil through the use of sustainable en= ergy sources.

We support enacting a= federal program akin to the 2003 Apollo Project that calls for a government investm= ent of $300 billion over ten years to develop renewable sources of energy, prom= ote new manufacturing technologies, retrofit buildings and factories, and rebui= ld public infrastructure resulting in the creation of millions of new jobs.

We support establishi= ng a statewide energy efficiency goal, applicable to all utilities, of a 1.5% per capita reduction in energy usage per year. Toward this end, utility compani= es should be given flexibility in meeting this goal, incentives for achieving = it and remedies if goals are not met.

We believe that tax incentives for new construction of buildings should be limited to those that meet green building standards such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEEDS) certification.

We support the expans= ion of mass transit on local, state, and national levels with special attention gi= ven to expanding Amtrak service to Dubuque and= the Quad Cities.

We support a standard= ized interconnect between all energy companies and farmer/neighborhood owned renewable energy producers.

Because bio-fuels, su= ch as corn-based ethanol, are not sustainable and may even release more carbon emissions into the atmosphere when the energy used for production is taken = into account, we support tax incen= tives for new ethanol production that are limited to investments in next-generati= on bio-fuels such as sustainable cellulose ethanol.

We support the adopti= on of California Greenhouse Gas limits in Iowa and across the nation.

ECONOMY, COMMERCE, AND LABOR

We support legislatio= n to insure all of our trade agreements include labor and environmental standard= s, and which ends the tax advantage for companies that outsource their factori= es, technology, or financial operations.

We support legislatio= n that requires U.S. based companies to comply with all U.S. regulations in their factories both inside and outside of U.S. bo= rders.

We believe all workers covered by and benefiting from a negotiated contract should share in the co= st of the service provided.

We support passage by Congress of the Employee Free Choice Act to protect the rights of workers to form unions and bargain collectively.

We support legislation expanding the scope of bargaining for public sector employees. <= /span>

We support a prevaili= ng wage law for Iowa construction workers on all government projects, thereby promoting its prov= en beneficial effects on the economy, on construction quality and on worker safety.

We support legislation allowing Iowa workers who are injured on the job to choose their own medical care provide= rs.

We support raising the minimum wage to $10.00 an hour by 2010 and indexing it for inflation.<= /o:p>

We support adopting t= he goal of the U.S.= becoming energy-independent by 2050.

We support establishi= ng a national “high speed internet for all” policy that preserves an open internet.

We support the fundin= g and construction of State Freeway 32 around Dubuque and connecting with highways 61 and 20.

We support creating a= policy whereby hedge fund management fees are treated as ordinary income and not capital gains.

EDUCATION

We believe that the N= o Child Left Behind Act should be repealed and educational standards and decision-making authority should be returned to state and local control; thereby granting states flexibility on ways to improve schools and in measuring their progress.

We support full feder= al funding of special education.

We oppose diverting p= ublic money from public schools to fund vouchers; tuition tax credits; or private, for-profit education businesses.

We support paying professional salaries for educators that are in line with their levels of education and increasing the wages of support professionals in our public schools.

We call for academic = studies on philosophical, ethnic, cultural, and religious traditions in public scho= ols in order to better equip our citizens with the social skills and understand= ings that are needed in our increasingly diverse communities.<= /p>

We believe that there= should be certified teachers in alternative public schools and juvenile facilities= and that they should be paid wages commensurate with public school teachers.

We believe in providi= ng adequate funding for public schools, community colleges, and Area Education Agencies to maintain our rich tradition of high quality education in Iowa.=

We believe in hiring = of qualified librarians in Iowa<= /st1:place> schools and paying them a professional wage.

We believe there should be permanent legislation that keeps Iowa teacher’s compensation = above the national average, thereby attracting and retaining highly qualified teachers and staff in the state of Iowa.

We support the adopti= on of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act a= t both the state and national level.

We support funding fo= r the education and training of inmates and prisoners in skilled work for a caree= r, in Iowa jails and prisoners.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES<= /p>

We endorse seamless, accessible, and portable health care, comprehensive health care, negotiation for drug products at fair market prices by the Federal government, reform to focus on new technology for the management of chronic disease, investment in electronic records systems for health care and increased availability of he= alth care services.

We support expanding = public financial health-care benefits, especially Medicare and Medicaid to include Medical Nutrition Therapy as indicated for all diagnoses provided by licens= ed dieticians for all age groups.

We support creating a universal, single-payer, government administered national health care syste= m as an expanded and improved version of Medicare.

Minority report: We support a commitment= to research to find a remedy in improving our nation’s health care and e= conomic security and a commitment to take action to improve coverage for the uninsu= red, including long-term care coverage.

We believe that the prevention and treatment of chronic disease is a major issue. Therefore, we support public policies that keep people healthier through disease preventi= on, promote healthy lifestyles, improve quality of care for those with chronic diseases, accelerate improvements in quality of health information technolo= gy and reduces access barriers to health care for all.

We support a federal = mandate requiring health insurance and disability insurance to provide equitable coverage for “physical” (health) and “mental and nervous disorders”.

We believe that the prevention and treatment of mental illness and substance abuse should be a priority. Therefore, we support public policies that keep people healthier through prevention, improve quality of care for those with mental illness, improve quality and availability of mental health information technology and reduce access barriers for those with mental illness and substance abuse.

We urge the State of = Iowa mandate tre= atment rather than prison for those people who commit crimes attributable to their being addicted to drugs/alcohol or being severely mentally ill or both.

We believe available treatments for disease should be available to all and that affordable drugs should be released to the public to the extent medically feasible.

We support sensible f= ederal budget priorities as advocated by the Caucus for Priorities and urge direct= ing 15% of the defense budget, or $60 billion annually, from wasteful Pentagon spen= ding on obsolete Cold War weapons to increased federal funding for human needs, thereby avoiding additional taxpayer expense to effect this increase.<= /o:p>

We believe all people= should have access to affordable health insurance for catastrophic and chronic illness, including Alzheimer’s disease and other diseases of old age.=

We believe older Iowa= ns should have access to quality medical care, services and support in an appropriate setting, either in their own homes or other facilities, based on their individual needs.

We support appropriate Medicaid reimbursement for services rendered, funding for the Department of Elder Affairs, restoring funds diverted from the Senior Living Trust, fully funding the Office of Substitute Decision Making, the protection of Older Iowans access to long-term care insurance and the exploration of options to reduce the medication cost to older Iowans.

We support raising the federal per capita veterans’ benefits for Iowa Veterans from 44^t=
h in the nation to 10^th in the nation by 2010.

We support mandatory = complete federal funding for veterans’ health care and urge that services be provided for all physiological and psychological service-related injuries a= nd disabilities.

We believe the Vetera= ns Administration (VA) health care provisions are a contractual agreement earn= ed by veterans. As such, we insi= st that financial means testing, co-pay and any or all other devices used to e= xclude or limit veterans’ health care benefits be rescinded.

We urge that the Rese= rve and National Guard veterans be treated the same under the terms of the Montgome= ry GI Bill as those that apply to Active or Regular Armed Services veterans for all benefits including education.

We believe that the s= tate of Iowa should prov= ide a comprehensive array of prevention and intervention and support services to improve child safety and permanency and to promote child and family well-be= ing in instances where children have been or are at risk of being abused or neglected.

We support a full com= mitment to Iowa’s children, including funds to eliminate abuse and neglect, funds for pre-K a= nd after school programs, health insurance for children and anti-poverty measu= res.

We support the recrui= tment and retention of an educated, skilled, diverse and well-paid workforce of social workers through loan forgiveness, increased educational funding and a linkage of salaries to the living wage standard.

We support the develo= pment of binding arbitration for health care workers similar to that in current use = for public service workers.

We believe in the res= toration of and local, state and federal enforcement of the Americans with Disabilit= ies Act.

We support comprehens= ive immigration policies which include a path to earned citizenship for undocumented immigrants which focus on the dignity of people as well as on border security.

We support strong reg= ulations on smoking in public places.

We urge that nursing = homes not be billed for any additional costs for a surveyor’s revisit to a medical facility.

We oppose the privati= zation of Social Security.

We support a Social S= ecurity Cost of Living Adjustment based on the true cost of living over a full prev= ious year.

We support the remova= l of the current $90,000 income cap on the Social Security payroll tax.

We support increasing= the number of housing vouchers for the 17 million low-income families who spend more than half of their income on housing.

We believe in women&#= 8217;s fundamental right to personal reproductive decisions.

INTERNATIONAL POLICY

United Nations/International Law

We believe in the con= tinuing membership of the Un= ited States in the United Nations. Engagement with the UN provides a = useful and efficient means for reconciling international issues and dealing with mutual concerns facing the global community including, but not limited to, = the threat of worldwide terrorism.

We believe in adherin= g to the United Nations “Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

We believe the United States should fully fund its obligations to support the United Nations.=

We believe the nations of the world are interdependent, and that the United States should strive to be a responsible member of the global community. As a responsible member of the global community, the United States should abide by= and be accountable to international law, including all the Geneva Convention articles.

Humane Treatment

We believe in adherin= g to the Geneva Convention for the treatment of all prisoners, including “enemy combatants.”

We believe the United States government should ban tortur= e and inhumane treatment, prosecuting any U.S. citizen who authorizes, orders, or commits such acts on our behalf wherever they may occur, within or beyond the territorial borders of the United State.

Disarmament

We believe internatio= nal nuclear disarmament is possible and necessary and that the United States must renounce the development of new nuclear weapons and technologies.=

We urge the United States to not only cease using landmines and cluster bombs in military situations = and avoid selling these weapons to other nations but also to join other nations= in stopping their production and use. Furthermore, recognizing the risk such weapons pose for civilians, we urge the government of the United States to participate in efforts to locate and deactivate landmines.

We urge the United States to prohibit the development, production, stockpiling and use of all chemical weapons.

We support United States involvement in the International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons, and we support signing and ratifying its conventions.

International Treaties and Conventions

We believe the United States should join other nations of good will in ratifying and fully adhering to international treaties and conventions, including but not limited to the following:

·         The Interna= tional Criminal Court

·         The Geneva Convention Articles

·         Convention = on the Rights of the Child

·         Comprehensi= ve Test Ban Treaty

·         The 1972 Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpilin= g of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction (Biological Weapons Convention)

·         The 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Trans= fer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction

·         The 1993 Co= nvention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction (Chemical Weapons Convention).

·         Kyoto Protocol on global warming

·         CEDAW (Conv= ention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women)

·         The Univers= al Declaration of Human Rights

Achieving Peace

We believe that The U= .S. should begin withdrawing its troops, advisors, private contractors and mili= tary bases from Iraq as qui= ckly, safely, and responsibly as possible; and re-appropriate funding for support= of our troops by safely redeploying them out of Iraq to complete this withdra= wal as soon as possible, but no later than July 2010.

We believe the U.S. Government should work in partnership with the rest of the world community under the leadership of the UN in efforts to restore the war-damaged infrastructure of Ir= aq.

We believe that the <= st1:country-region w:st=3D"on">U.S. administration should not be allowed to establish unilaterally a long-term agreement with the Iraqi government for security assurances and military ba= ses without Congressional knowledge and approval.

We believe the U.S. should utilize all possible diplomacy= with the many factions in Iraq and with the neighboring countries of the Middle Eas= t in order to seek peaceful solutions to conflicts among the Iraqi people.

We believe the U.S. should redirect its efforts and resou= rces to combating the sources of terrorism where they are concentrated along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

We believe that in fi= ghting terrorism the U.S. should not enter unilaterally or preemptively in any kind of military action against any country.

We believe the U.S. should expand diplomatic relations wi= th Iran at the highest possible level in orde= r to ensure that Iran does = not develop a nuclear weapons program and to encourage Iran to play a constructive role among its neighbors in the Middle East.

We believe the U.S. should continue efforts, at the highe= st diplomatic level, to encourage North Korea<= /st1:country-region> to become more fully a peaceful partner with its Pac= ific Rim neighbors and to open its borders to economic aid in order= to address its pandemic hunger.

We believe a cabinet-= level position in a Department of Peace should be created to explore non-violent conflict resolution strategies.

We believe the United States should respect the rights of all peoples to self-determination.<= /span>

Cuba

We believe the United States should end immediately its 46 year embargo of Cuba, thereby normalizing tra= de and travel relations with that nation.

Darfur

We believe the United States should make it a diplomatic priority to bring an end to the conflict in Darfur and take a significant role in resolving that conflict by working with the international community through the U.N. as well as the African Union to br= ing sanctions against all Sudanese government and rebel officials involved in genocidal atrocities. We furt= her believe that the United States should contribute financial aid and diplomatic support to any peacekeeping mission in Darfur.

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

We believe the presid= ent of the United States, working with Congress, should make the peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a top administration priority.

We believe the U.S. sh= ould call on both Israelis and Palestinians to end all acts of violence and join= in good faith efforts to resolve their differences.

We believe the U.S. should continue and strengthen its ro= le, in coordination with the Roadmap Quartet and others, in seeking a fair and just resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the creation of a secure state of Israel and a viable, contiguous state of <= st1:City w:st=3D"on">Palestine in acco= rdance with U.N. resolutions pertaining to 1967 borders.

We believe the U.S. sh= ould call for the orderly and gradual removal of Israeli settlements, the restoration of equitable water rights for the Palestinians and the removal = of the separation wall from Palestinian territories.

We believe the U.S. should call for Israel to affirm the right of the Palestinians to a viable, contiguous state and f= or the Palestinians to affirm the right of Israel to exist within U.N. resolutions pertaining to its borders.

We believe the U.S. sh= ould take the steps necessary to insure the validity and sincerity of any negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis, holding both sides to strict compliance to all peace agreements. Promises of economic aid to eith= er party should be made in response to “facts on the ground” that = help create mutual security and viability. Furthermore, the U.S. sh= ould withhold economic aid from either party in response to “facts on the ground” which are deemed to threaten mutual security and viability.

We believe there shou= ld be one viable Palestinian state with all sides to the current dispute working together to resolve the many issues that separate them.

The School of the Americas

We support the abolit= ion of the School of the Am= ericas (now referred to as WHISC or Western Hemispheric Institute of Security Cooperation) and any other American-sponsored training for terrorists.

Resource Use and Distribution/Debt Cancellation <= /b>

We urge the United St= ates of America to commit itself to provide the resources and money necessary to accomplish the following United Nation Millennium Development Goal: to reduce by half the proportion of p= eople without access to safe drinking water by 2015. We believe all people have a right to life-sustaining amo= unts of affordable potable water. = We support sustainable, clean, non-polluting water policies and publicly owned distribution systems.

We support more effec= tive focusing of United States development assistance, including efforts to coordinate the United States development portfolio and among other donors and host countries. We support 100% debt cancellation for all highly indebted poor countries and the promo= tion of long-lasting growth in those countries by improving trade and investment opportunities.

We encourage the Pres= ident and Congress of the = United States to reduce global poverty through international assistance that helps and empowers individuals through educat= ion, clean water, and the elimination of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.

We support the liftin= g of the Mexico City Policy, also known as the "global gag rule" Internati= onal NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) should be free to promote sex education practices that prevent the global spread of AIDS and other sexually-transmi= tted diseases.

International Trade Policies

We believe the U.S. Government should institute trade laws that prevent the net loss of manufacturing jobs due to the movement of jobs beyond U.S. bo= rders.

We believe the U.S. Government should work to en= sure more equitable pricing and thereby more fairly benefiting peoples within and beyond U.S. bo= rders.

We believe all trade agreements entered into by the United States should requi= re adherence to ethical corporate practices, clean environment laws, safe work= ing conditions, the protection of workers' rights, the elimination of child lab= or, the payout of reasonable living wages and the right of labor to organize internationally.

We believe that the U.S= . government should exercise stricter control over the importation of unsafe commodities from other countries.

We believe the countries with which the U.S. trades should be require= d to maintain EPA, OSHA and other standards required of U.S. Manufacturers.=

We believe North Amer= ican Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), FTAA, and GATT should be repealed.=

GOVERNMENT AND LAW

We urge that the stat= e of Iowa remain firs= t in the nation to conduct either a caucus or a primary.

We support a nationwi= de ban on the death penalty.

We support the creati= on of a national cabinet level Department of Peace.

We support hearings to determine whether Richard B. Cheney and George W. Bush have committed impeachable offenses.

We support reallocati= ng funds toward sensible priorities such as improved children’s education, increased children’s access to health care, expanded job training, and increased energy efficiency and conservation through a reduction of wasteful defense spending, and for other purposes.

We support the preser= vation and strengthening of the Social Security system as a federal program. We support removing the cap on Soc= ial Security taxes.

We support continued = social support for ALL veterans, including the POW’s, MIA’s, homeless = and disabled.

We support fully fund= ing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA);

We oppose un-funded m= andates at all levels of government.

We support the Voter = Owned Iowa Clean Elections Act (VOICE) and Fair Elections Now Act, to establish an election system in which candidates could choose to forego fundraising from private sources, accept spending limits and receive a set amount of money f= rom a publicly financed election fund.

We support statewide = and local election reform to allow for permanent absentee voter status, testing= of Vote-by-Mail elections and ultimately permanent Vote-by-Mail elections in <= st1:State w:st=3D"on">Iowa.=

We support legislatio= n that extends to same-sex couples the right to enter into civil marriage in Iowa, provides legal recognition in Iowa of same-sex civil marriages, civil unions, and domestic partnerships bestowed in other states, and opposes all efforts to impose a constitutional ban on non-heterosexual marriages.<= /o:p>

We support legislatio= n to ban the practice of predatory lending.

We support reinstatin= g the ban on assault weapons that was in effect between 1994-2004.

We support regulation= s making it illegal to store social security numbers and personal identity informati= on in electronic databases housed in foreign countries or in data bases that a= re routinely accessed by foreign nationals.&n= bsp; This prohibition shall include retail and service businesses such as phone companies, cable television providers, and credentialing organizations that accredit health care providers or other service providers.<= /span>

We believe bicyclists= , motor vehicle operators, transportation engineers and elected officials should wo= rk together to make roadways safe, reliable, and maintained for all users. We support additional investments in shared road designs and maintenance; also= we support additional funding for separated trails.

We support allowing t= he IPERS contribution rate to be determined by the system’s actuary within a l= imit of 0.5 percent per year, creating an independent board of trustees, and fun= ding to make the COLA for pre-1990 retirees and the favorable experience dividend for post-1990 retirees sustainable in perpetuity.