It's that time of the year again and the Iowa Democratic Party is seeking nominations for the 9th annual Hall of Fame dinner and awards ceremony. More information located below the fold.

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, joined Lilly Ledbetter today in calling for an end to the pay discrimination American women endure with every paycheck. The Supreme Court ruled last year that Ledbetter, a supervisor at the Goodyear Tire plant, could not sue for pay discrimination because she did not file her claim within 180 days of her pay being set. Her visit to Capitol Hill came as the Senate plans to take up the Fair Pay Restoration Act, a legislative fix for the ruling that narrowed an employee’s right to sue over employment discrimination. Harkin is an original co-sponsor of the bill.

"Sometimes discrimination is brazen and in-your-face, like with Jim Crow and apartheid. And sometimes discrimination is silent and insidious. This is exactly what is happening, today, in workplaces across America," said Harkin. "Pay discrimination is a harsh reality in the workplace, and it is not only unfair, it is also demeaning and demoralizing. Individual women should not have to do battle in order to win equal pay. We need more inclusive national laws to make equal pay for equal work a basic standard - and a legal right – in the American workplace."

Congressman Dave Loebsack joined a bipartisan majority in the U.S. House of Representatives to approve legislation to ensure that the turmoil in the U.S. financial markets does not keep students and families from accessing the federal student loans they need to pay for college. The Ensuring Continued Access to Federal Student Loans Act of 2008 (H.R. 5715), which carries no new cost for taxpayers, was passed by a vote of 383-27.

"During these uncertain economic times we must ensure Iowa students have reliable and expanded access to federal student loans to help defray the rising cost of college," said Congressman Loebsack. "By reducing a student’s reliance on more costly private loans and further encouraging responsible borrowing, this legislation makes college more accessible and provides students with the financial stability necessary to complete their educations regardless of the current economic climate."

The following procedures have been established by the 2nd District Convention Arrangements Committee for attendance of "issue oriented" organizations at the convention.