Affordable, Quality Healthcare

• Co-sponsored HAWK-I Program, providing healthcare for kids from low income families
• Established a $65 million trust fund for converting nursing homes to assisted living facilities
• Provided seniors more opportunities for in-home care
• Prevented insurance companies from interfering in decisions about medical care
• Made nursing homes safer
• Will work to provide a prescription drug benefit for Iowa seniors.

Education – A Top Priority for Senator Black

• Senator Black’s commitment to our local schools goes back to his service on the Newton Community School Board of Education.  His commitment has been renewed by his love for his four grandchildren, three of which have entered the public school system.

Dennis has worked to:

• Reduce class size in grades K-3
• Increase teacher recruitment and retention with competitive salaries and loan forgiveness
• Improve teacher quality by requiring teacher certification
• Raise the tuition grant to $4,000
• Establish an income tax credit for community college tuition and fees

Good Jobs

• Dennis worked to increase the minimum wage by $1/hour
• Has pledged to continue until the minimum wage is a living wage
• Stopped attempts to gut Workers Compensation

Growing Business

• Initiated legislation that saved the Rock Island RR (now Iowa Interstate RR), and the service it provides to Maytag, and service to Kellogg, Newton, Colfax, Mitchellville and Altoona
• Promoted Iowa in overseas markets, arranging the sale of $1.9 billion in Iowa grain to Taiwan