Q: Why did the biotechnology industry recently advise against raising pharmaceutical-producing plants in Iowa and other states where production agriculture predominates?
A: The recently announced decision by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) has stirred up a storm in Iowa and other states in the Corn Belt. The national trade group adopted an...
Almost universally, Iowans bemoan the political advertising blanketing the airwaves prior to an election. Beyond the blitzkrieg of campaign television and radio ads, targeted direct mail marketing drives, door-to-door campaign calls and town square political rallies make many voters anxious for Election Day to come and go.
Unfortunately, in the rush to hit...
The public’s disdain for partisanship and gridlock in Washington is exposed regularly in opinion polls. It’s also readily apparent in my county meetings in Iowa. Whether I speak at a civic group’s event, visit hospitals, schools, and main street businesses or meet with workers on the factory room floor, Iowans are fed up with excuses.
It would be naive to...
Q: What is the Medal of Honor Flag?
A: Thanks to the inspiration of a central Iowa army veteran from Jefferson in Greene county, Congress adopted the idea to pay tribute to those who are awarded the U.S. military’s highest honor with an official Medal of Honor flag. In late October, President Bush signed the annual defense spending bill into law. It includes...
Q: Under proposed election reforms, what changes are in store for voters at the polls?
A: Voters will recall the unbelievable disarray and voting irregularities in Florida following the 2000 presidential election. The mass confusion, hanging chads and court battles definitely will go down in the history books. Most Americans got a refresher course on the...
For several years I have led the charge in Congress to take international drug traffickers and their sophisticated money laundering schemes to the cleaners. For too long they’ve rinsed their tainted money through the U.S. banking system. But drug dealers and mafia leaders aren’t the only ones gaming the financial system for their criminal advantage....
Since Sept. 11, 2001, about 3,000 of Iowa's 9,600 members of the National Guard have been called to active duty at some point during the last year. In the last decade, members of Iowa's National Guard have been deployed to Bosnia, trained in Germany and patrolled the no-fly zone in Iraq. The Iowa Air Guard has completed five 90-day missions in the last six...
Q: Why did so many families fail to take advantage of the newly expanded federal child tax credit that was part of President Bush’s historic tax cut enacted last year?
A: The problem is lack of awareness. And sadly, the Internal Revenue Service has failed to ensure eligible taxpayers claim the new tax breaks according to an internal Treasury report. As...
Q: How can Iowa high school students and their parents find out more about a U.S. Military Academy?
A: Military academies offer a wonderful option for outstanding students who are making a decision about their future and higher education needs. Each year my Senate office sponsors an informational event to help families and high school guidance counselors get...
Few issues hit so many voters so close to home. Access to quality, affordable health care is one of them. And for the swelling population of Medicare beneficiaries, the taxpayer-financed health insurance program plays a central role in how, when, where and from whom they receive basic medical attention and emergency health care services.
But if you’re a...
Q: What’s included in your tax bill to help those serving in the U.S. military?
A: As our men and women in uniform are being called upon to fight the war on terrorism, there’s no time like the present to make sure these brave Americans get a fair shake under the federal tax code. The Armed Services Tax Fairness Act of 2002 would fix problems in the tax code...
For the last year, most of America has fixated on homeland and national security. The terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 dispelled notions of America’s invincibility and placed greater demands on the federal government to protect and defend American citizens.
The terrorists sought to unravel our American way of life. They sought to pit fear against freedom...
Q: What is the Office of Minority and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers Assistance?
A: By opening this new office geared toward minority farmers, the USDA is reinforcing its efforts to respond to the needs of an under-served population within the ranks of the U.S. farming community. As a lifelong farmer and federal policymaker who has served on the Senate...
Despite the sky-is-falling partisan opposition during the tax cut debate last year, the passage of time tells a different story. And it discounts the fictitious picture of gloom and doom portrayed last year by the big spenders in Washington.
According to revised economic data released by the federal government in August, the economy started to falter earlier...
One Year Later
They say time heals all wounds. But it would take an eternity for the grief to subside for the families of the 3,000 people mass murdered last year on September 11. The mental images of commercial jetliners searing into national landmarks remain fresh in our minds. Such horrific acts seemed impossible a year ago. But of course all that has...
Q: What is wrong with the credit card program at the Department of Defense?
A: After uncovering the outrageous fees the Pentagon paid for hammers and coffee pots in the mid-1980s, perhaps it shouldn’t come as a complete shock that the department has failed yet another financial management test. Once again, the Pentagon’s purse is being used as a cash cow for...
Significant mail delays caused by enhanced security procedures put in place last October are interrupting the normal flow of mail delivery to my Washington office. Remarkably, I'm just now receiving December 2001 Christmas cards in August.
As any Iowan who has attended one of my town meetings may recall, I strongly encourage my constituents to keep up their...
This summer I joined forces with a tri-partisan team of senators to introduce permanent Medicare drug coverage for the 40 million elderly and disabled Americans who rely on the government health insurance program to help pay for their medical needs. For months we worked across party lines to come up with the prescription with the right policy and the right...
Q: What is the Transparency for Independent Livestock Producers Act?
A: In an effort to give independent livestock producers a fair shake in the marketplace, I'm beefing up my crusade in Washington to keep genuine competition alive and kicking. With packer ownership and control of livestock making it harder and harder for independent producers to gain access...
Q: What is the new national number for poison centers across the country?
A: No matter where you live in the United States, Americans now are able to access a life-saving resource toll-free by calling 1-800-222-1222. Regardless from where you call, Iowans using the poison hotline will be routed to the nearest local poison control center. For 24 hours a day,...
