Ames, IA - Iowa Congressman Tom Latham's campaign launched their second ad of the 2008 campaign today with a television ad highlighting Latham's bi-partisan work to solve Iowa's nursing shortage crisis.

The thirty second ad, titled Trusted Leadership, highlights the crisis threatening the quality of health care of all Iowans and includes testimonials by nursing professionals on the trusted leadership Tom Latham has taken to provide a comprehensive long-term solution to the problem both in Iowa and the nation.

Iowa has a nursing shortage of over eight percent according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. That number is expected to jump to 27 percent in just over a decade. Nationally there is a shortage of more than 200,000 registered nurses-a number that is projected to grow to over one million by the year 2020.

Latham teamed up with Iowa nursing and health care professionals through numerous roundtables around the state to listen to their unique perspective and input on what was needed. He then wrote legislation and teamed up with Wisconsin Democratic Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin to introduce the bill in the United States Congress.

Latham's effort has been endorsed by 44 nursing organizations in the United States, including the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), American Nurses Association (ANA), the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).

"Tom has done a wonderful job of hearing the need and translating that into legislation," notes Iowa nurse practitioner Linda Upmeyer in the ad.

"These are serious times in America and Iowa families want proven leaders with real experience and an approach to problem-solving they can trust," said Latham for Congress campaign manager Matt Hinch. "The choice is clear. One candidate in this race offers voters daily partisan attacks and no solutions to their concerns. Congressman Latham offers a proven record of listening to the needs of Iowans and working hard to find common sense solutions. The trusted bipartisan leadership that Congressman Latham provides is why Iowans will vote to keep Tom Latham working for them on November 4th."

The ad can be seen at the Latham for Congress campaign's official website: TomLatham.com