Loebsack invites Glenn Beck to view flood damage in Cedar Rapids

Congressman Loebsack invited Fox News commentator Glenn Beck to Cedar Rapids to view the damage the city sustained during the Floods of 2008. Along with an invitation to come to Iowa, Loebsack sent Beck a copy of “In Deep Water: The Flood of 2008,” a DVD that highlights the devastation Iowa suffered. On a recent episode of his television show, Beck referred to federal funds for disaster stricken Cedar Rapids as “government waste.” Beck was referring to funds for the National Czech & Slovak Museum and Library.

“I would like to extend an invitation for you to visit the City of Cedar Rapids and view the flood damage and continued recovery efforts first-hand. I have enclosed a DVD entitled ‘In Deep Water: The Flood of 2008' that highlights the devastation that Cedar Rapids and the State of Iowa experienced,” wrote Loebsack.

The National Czech & Slovak Museum and Library had five building severely damaged during the flood with $11 million in total estimated damage. The museum's reopening creates the potential for job creation, further economic development, and increased tourism in Cedar Rapids.

The full text of the invitation is below:

Dear Mr. Beck,During a recent broadcast of your television program which aired on FOX News Channel on Friday April 16, you hosted a segment on government waste. During this segment you discussed what were described as “examples of unbelievable waste” and referenced funding for the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library (NCSML) located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.I applaud any effort to raise the issue of government waste, but I must disagree with the assessment that funds to assist the flood-damaged NCSML are an example of unbelievable waste.As you may be aware, in the summer of 2008, the State of Iowa was devastated by record flooding. The City of Cedar Rapids, located in my Congressional District, was particularly damaged suffering billions in damage overall. Thousands of homes, businesses, and community resources were damaged and even today many Iowans are still in the process of recovering and rebuilding their communities.The damage to the city has greatly affected the overall local and regional economy, led to a loss of cultural resources, and has hurt our families at the most basic level. Specifically, the National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library had five buildings that were severely damaged during the floods with total damage estimated at $11 million.  I would like to invite you to visit Cedar Rapids to view the progress first-hand in order to better understand the community-wide efforts to rebuild and recover.Coincidentally, the same evening your program aired, the museum opened a new exhibit, Rising Above the Flood – The Story of People and The Flood. The opening of this new exhibit represents the type of hard work and dedication to community we should be proud of and certainly marks a milestone in recovery for our area.Again, I would like to extend an invitation for you to visit the City of Cedar Rapids and view the flood damage and continued recovery efforts first-hand. I have enclosed a DVD entitled “In Deep Water: The Flood of 2008” that highlights the devastation that Cedar Rapids and the State of Iowa experienced. Thank you for your time and consideration of this invitation.Sincerely,Dave LoebsackMember of Congress

During a recent broadcast of your television program which aired on FOX News Channel on Friday April 16, you hosted a segment on government waste. During this segment you discussed what were described as “examples of unbelievable waste” and referenced funding for the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library (NCSML) located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

I applaud any effort to raise the issue of government waste, but I must disagree with the assessment that funds to assist the flood-damaged NCSML are an example of unbelievable waste.

As you may be aware, in the summer of 2008, the State of Iowa was devastated by record flooding. The City of Cedar Rapids, located in my Congressional District, was particularly damaged suffering billions in damage overall. Thousands of homes, businesses, and community resources were damaged and even today many Iowans are still in the process of recovering and rebuilding their communities.

The damage to the city has greatly affected the overall local and regional economy, led to a loss of cultural resources, and has hurt our families at the most basic level. Specifically, the National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library had five buildings that were severely damaged during the floods with total damage estimated at $11 million.  I would like to invite you to visit Cedar Rapids to view the progress first-hand in order to better understand the community-wide efforts to rebuild and recover.

Coincidentally, the same evening your program aired, the museum opened a new exhibit, Rising Above the Flood – The Story of People and The Flood. The opening of this new exhibit represents the type of hard work and dedication to community we should be proud of and certainly marks a milestone in recovery for our area.

Again, I would like to extend an invitation for you to visit the City of Cedar Rapids and view the flood damage and continued recovery efforts first-hand. I have enclosed a DVD entitled “In Deep Water: The Flood of 2008” that highlights the devastation that Cedar Rapids and the State of Iowa experienced. Thank you for your time and consideration of this invitation.

Sincerely,

Dave Loebsack

Member of Congress

A statement from Gail Naughton, President/CEO National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library:

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (NCSML) is grateful to the federal government for support toward recovery from the flood of June 2008 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. NCSML exhibits were totally destroyed and the federal funding will be used to reconstruct the permanent exhibition in a new museum and library. The federal funding is in the form of a congressionally directed grant that will be administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services according to its established guidelines.The exhibition project is part of the major rebuilding of the museum and library that will result in maintaining and creating professional museum jobs, in the employment of an estimated 200 local and state construction trade workers, and 12 full-time architect and engineering professionals for a year.The successful completion of this project to rebuild the exhibition will restore over $1 million in annual economic impact from museum visitors to a community that is still recovering from one of the most devastating natural disasters in U.S. history.The permanent exhibition is the centerpiece for museum educational programming serving thousands of students each year. The exhibit and accompanying curricula help students understand the immigrant story that is central to the American experience.The NCSML is the only national museum preserving and interpreting the history and culture of the Czechs and Slovaks in the United States.

The exhibition project is part of the major rebuilding of the museum and library that will result in maintaining and creating professional museum jobs, in the employment of an estimated 200 local and state construction trade workers, and 12 full-time architect and engineering professionals for a year.

The successful completion of this project to rebuild the exhibition will restore over $1 million in annual economic impact from museum visitors to a community that is still recovering from one of the most devastating natural disasters in U.S. history.

The permanent exhibition is the centerpiece for museum educational programming serving thousands of students each year. The exhibit and accompanying curricula help students understand the immigrant story that is central to the American experience.

The NCSML is the only national museum preserving and interpreting the history and culture of the Czechs and Slovaks in the United States.

Total cost of the exhibition project: in the range of $2,500,000. Total costs for flood recovery for the NCSML are estimated at $25 million.