Loebsack to Glenn Beck: Federal funds for Czech museum not wasteful

Iowa Congressman Dave Loebsack is firing back at Glenn Beck after the conservative commentator, in a recent column, referred to federal funds allocated to the National Czech and Slovak Museum in Cedar Rapids as "unbelievable waste."

Here's the column from Beck referencing the museum, entitled "Time to Sober Up, America."

And here's the response from Loebsack's office:

“It is regrettable that in the current state of political discourse that ill-informed rhetoric is a hotter commodity than an understanding of the economic and recovery needs of ordinary Iowans. While I applaud any effort to raise the issue of government waste, I must disagree with the assessment that funds to repair and renovate the flooded properties of the National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids, Iowa is wasteful.

“In 2008, the citizens of Iowa were devastated by record flooding, and many Iowans are still recovering and rebuilding their communities. The National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library had five buildings severely damaged during the floods with total damage estimated at $11 million.

“Just this evening the museum opened a new exhibit, ‘Rising Above the Flood – The Story of People and The Flood.' The re-opening of buildings and exhibits represents the type of hard work and dedication to their community that Mr. Beck himself claims to admire. Furthermore, the museum reopening carries the potential for job creation, further economic development, and increased tourism in Cedar Rapids.”

Loebsack said he will be sending Beck and his staff several copies of the DVD “In Deep Water: The Flood of 2008," which highlights the devastation that Cedar Rapids, and the state of Iowa, suffered in the summer of 2008.