Broken bookkeeping has plagued the Pentagon for years. It’s an important issue. Without sound auditing, over-priced hammers and toilet seats gouge the taxpayers. Multi-million-dollar buildings sit empty in Afghanistan and other places where the U.S. military has a presence. The Defense Department is unable to account for the...
With U.S. Senator Chuck GrassleyQ: What’s the status of the meat labeling law known as the COOL Act? A: More than a decade ago, I helped secure consumer friendly transparency measures and producer marketing tools in the 2002 farm bill. Under the Tariff Act of 1930, many agricultural imports were exempt from labeling requirements, at least by...
This week marks the start of one of Iowa’s most iconic events. The Iowa State Fair attracts more than one million people every year and highlights the state’s rich agricultural history to visitors from both in and out of Iowa. This quintessential Iowa celebration provides educational and informational activities as well as...
By U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley Two summers ago, Barbara and I visited the Harry S. Truman Library in Independence, Missouri. It’s also the place where President Lyndon B. Johnson chose to sign Medicare into law 50 years ago on July 30, 1965. It was a signature moment in our nation’s history that today calls for solutions to help...
Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee reported an important bill that I introduced with Senator Whitehouse to ensure that federal juvenile justice programs are fairly and effectively serving vulnerable children and youth in our country. Our legislation provides fresh reforms to current juvenile justice law that has not been updated in more than a dozen...
It’s been a good month for those of us who appreciate renewable energy. With my work and support from both sides of the aisle, the committee of jurisdiction approved renewing tax incentives for wind energy, biodiesel and cellulosic ethanol. The bill contains a change to the biodiesel tax credit for the period extended to make it even easier...
Last week I joined several colleagues to introduce bipartisan legislation that would allow voluntary labeling of beef, pork and chicken that is born, raised and slaughtered in the United States. The legislation is designed to prevent retaliatory trade sanctions by Canada and Mexico. Legislation is needed to address several World Trade...
With U.S. Sen. Chuck GrassleyQ: How has the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) shaped American society? A: The landmark civil rights law this summer observes 25 years since President George H.W. Bush signed the bill on July 26, 1990. Iowans will recall that one of the key architects of the legislation was my long-time Iowa colleague in...
By U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley Iowans know there’s no use messing with Mother Nature during a summer thunderstorm. The occasional power outage triggered by severe weather requires households to ride out the storm without electricity. Some families may welcome a reprieve from so-called screen time. For others, the novelty of living off...
The Avian Flu outbreak hit Iowa especially hard. It’s had a near catastrophic effect on the Iowa poultry industry, and the economic impact will likely total in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Overall, 223 detections have occurred affecting 48 million birds in the United States. Almost two-thirds of those birds were in Iowa....
with U.S. Senator Chuck GrassleyQ: How does Social Security measure up 80 years after being signed into law?A: Generations of Americans have been protected against poverty thanks in large measure to this social safety net signed into law 80 years ago on August 14, 1935. Without question, Social Security is tightly woven into the social fabric of America. The...
The recent murder of an innocent woman in San Francisco by a man who should have been deported has shocked and saddened our nation. Kathryn Steinle was killed July 1 by Francisco Lopez-Sanchez while she walked along a scenic pier with her father. The sad fact is that this senseless murder could have been easily prevented.Prior to the murder, Lopez-Sanchez...
Iowans and other Americans give generously to charity. When a natural disaster strikes, people are moved to donate as much as they can spare to the cause. That was the case after an earthquake struck impoverished Haiti in 2010. The Red Cross raised about $500 million for the relief effort and planned on rebuilding a number of...
Wind energy is popular wherever consumers have access to it. It’s so desirable that huge tech firms have located data centers in Iowa, a leader in wind energy, in part to take advantage of a natural, abundant, renewable energy source. Unfortunately, in Washington, D.C., wind energy’s supporters have to dodge knives from those who...
by U.S. Senator Chuck GrassleyFor more than 200 years, America’s system of free enterprise has sparked innovation and economic mobility in communities across the country. A nation founded by immigrants seeking economic, religious and personal freedoms, our society has flourished thanks to the ingenuity and work ethic put forth by generations of hard...
CNBC just named Iowa the no. 10 state in the country for doing business. A good place to do business means good jobs. A big part of the Iowa business climate includes exports. Many of our jobs are supported by exports, and they’re good-paying as a result. The Senate just gave final approval to reinstating the process of...
If you check the label of your t-shirt, you’ll see that it clearly states where the shirt was made. Now, next time you go to the grocery store, look at the label on a package of hamburger. Do you see a “Made In” label anywhere? It may seem obvious that if we know where a t-shirt is coming from, we should know where...
The Supreme Court upheld a key piece of the President’s health care law. I respect the court’s role in our system of government, but Obamacare remains a terrible law. It’s led to too many people losing the coverage they had and spending more for what coverage they can get. Iowans tell me directly in town meetings and in...
Q: What are scam online hotel bookings?A: As the busy summer travel season gets under way, I’m calling attention to dishonest third-party vendors whose business practices may dupe consumers booking hotel reservations online. Consumer rip-offs are as old as time. In this case, scammers are targeting busy travelers eager to get a good deal for their...
By U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley and John ThuneThe IRS stumbled its way through tax season, still struggling to try to restore its reputation after its political targeting scandal gravely undermined confidence in the federal tax-collecting agency’s ability to fairly administer tax laws. With the 2015 tax-filing season fading in the rearview...
