Q: What’s behind your scrutiny of the Federal Reserve’s transaction involving the investment firm Bear Stearns?
A: In March, the Federal Reserve helped rescueAmerica’s fifth largest investment bank by offering JP Morgan Chase a $30 billion dollar loan to help acquire a significant portion of Bear Stearns. As ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee...
Q: How do I go about filing my taxes if I haven’t already done so?
A: For many of you, April 15 is the infamous date associated with the Internal Revenue Service’s tax filing deadline. This year is no exception, and the deadline is once again quickly approaching. If you have not already filed your 2008 tax return don’t panic, there is still time to prepare...
As taxpayers calculate what they owe Uncle Sam this tax filing season, federal lawmakers calculated the tax and spending guidelines on a $3 trillion budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
This budget blueprint sets the stage for congressional committees to divvy out tax dollars that finance national defense, health care, transportation, education, criminal...
Q: What is Mathematics Awareness Month?
A: Mathematics Awareness Month was first recognized in 1986 through a Presidential Proclamation by President Ronald Reagan. This April marks the 22nd installment of Mathematics Awareness Month with the fitting theme of “Math and Voting.” Mathematics has always served as a keystone in our educational system but in a...
Q: What takes place during Money Smart Week?
A: This April 5-12,
Iowaand several other states, will recognize Money Smart Week. Money Smart Week is coordinated by the Federal Reserve Bank ofChicagowith the mission of helping millions of Americans better handle their personal finances. Iowans can look forward to a wide range of activities being held inCedar...
It seems consumers have been inundated lately with product safety recalls. From toys containing lead paint to contaminated pet food that alarmed millions of parents and pet owners in the last year. Now the safety of the blood thinner heparin is being questioned after deficiencies were discovered at an overseas manufacturing facility.
Each of those cases...
Q: What is Women’s History Month?
A: Women’s History Month is observed every March. For me, it’s an annual reminder that my mother owns her own piece ofIowawomen’s history. In 1920, just days after ratification of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gave women the right to vote, my mother became one of the first four women in Iowa to cast a...
Q: What has Congress done to ease the burden of high heating costs on low-income families?
A: When it comes to the weather, it just doesn’t seem like Iowans can catch a break this winter. One week it’s freezing rain and heavy snow and the next week it’s sub-zero temperatures and even colder wind chills. This harsh winter also comes at a time when the costs...
Q: What is the Economic Stimulus Package all about?
A: Over the course of the past several months, a slump in the housing market and slowed economic growth have caused concern in the homes of millions of Americans. Leaders of both parties in the House of Representatives heeded the advice of the nation’s top economic advisers and worked with the White House...
If only Congress could pass a law that would guarantee the well-being of each and every resident living in a U.S. nursing home. Nearly 1.7 million nursing home residents and their loved ones could rest easier if it were only that simple.
About 10 years ago, I started a crusade to raise public awareness about shortfalls in the inspections and enforcement...
Q: What is the goal of National Drug Prevention and Education Week?
A: I recently introduced a resolution with my colleague Senator Joe Biden of
Delawarethat would designate the week of February 10 as National Drug Prevention and Education Week. The resolution urges communities, schools and families to engage in prevention and education programs and...
Q: It seems there’s no end in sight when it comes to rising college costs. What can be done?
A: The fact is, college tuition is growing at a rate faster than inflation and it continues to rise. If the price of milk had climbed at the pace of college tuition since 1980, a gallon of milk would cost $15 today. Parents and students are struggling to pay for...
Q: What is the Earned Income Tax Credit?
A: The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a refundable tax credit that greatly reduces or even eliminates the federal tax, including the payroll taxes, paid by lower income workers. It’s designed to help reduce poverty by giving substantial tax relief to low-income taxpayers. The EITC has helped millions of families...
Q: What is Universal Letter Writing Week?
A: Universal Letter Writing Week is observed every January. The purpose is to encourage people across the world to sit down and write a hand-written letter to a loved one, friend, city official or even members of Congress. I’ve received hundreds of thousands of handwritten letters while serving Iowans as an elected...
On a crisp winter night in early January, Iowans once again successfully kicked off another presidential nominating contest. In 1,781 precincts across the state, a record number of caucus-goers underscored how seriously Iowans uphold their civic duty and passion for electoral politics.
In the first open race for the White House since 2000, the contenders who...
Q: What is being done to curb the use of performance enhancing drugs?
A: I grew up in New Hartford as a big fan of baseball. Like millions of other Americans, I looked forward to watching and participating inAmerica's pastime each Spring and Summer. So I was greatly disappointed to hear the results of former Senator George Mitchell's investigation into the...
In the final days of 2006, the 109th Congress wrapped up business with final passage of key tax, health and trade legislation that will bring pocketbook relief to hard-working taxpayers, reward quality health care services administered to Medicare beneficiaries, open new marketing opportunities for farmers, manufacturers and service providers and boost...
Q: What was included in the end-of-the-year Medicare legislation?
A: Medicare legislation got caught in a back up in 2007 when Congress waited until the 11th hour to pass most all of the spending bills required to keep the government running. So before the clock struck midnight and the Senate adjourned for the holidays, I worked to make sure vital health...
Q: What are you doing to help struggling homeowners?
A: Millions of Americans are feeling the financial difficulties of the nation’s recent housing decline. Faced with increased mortgage payments, many families are confronting the reality of defaulting and losing their home or working with lenders to reduce their loan. As homeowners do the right thing and...
Conferees from the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives soon will meet to merge an overdue farm bill authorizing hundreds of billions of tax dollars over the next five years to pay for federal farm subsidies, nutrition programs, food stamps, rural development, land conservation, renewable energy and rural development.
The farm bill’s impact reaches far...
