by U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley
The Class of 2014 will graduate from high school on the heels of welcome news that fewer of their peers are dropping out of school. Recently released data from the U.S. Department of Education show America hit its highest-ever high school graduation rate when the Class of 2012 topped 80 percent. Even more...
Last week, I sent a letter with the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee to the Department of Homeland Security asking for more information about a foreign national who, before his recent arrest, the FBI alleges was planning a bomb attack on a school and a federal building.
According to the FBI, El Medhi Semlali Fathi came to the United States on...
with U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley
Q: What do dairy cows, Uncle Sam and methane emissions have in common?
A: It sounds like a bad joke in the works. But when the federal government is involved, it’s typically not a laughing matter. In March the White House issued plans to reduce greenhouse gases. Specifically,...
Several Iowa families and hundreds more across the country are facing a problem in completing their adoption of children from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Congolese government unexpectedly suspended the exit permits needed to finalize pending adoptions, leaving many children and adoptive families in limbo.
The families went through the...
During the recent two-week break in the congressional calendar, I continued my 2014 road trip across Iowa in April, visiting with Iowans in schools and on-the-job in their hometown communities. For the last 34 years, I have held meetings with Iowans in every county, every year.
Keeping in touch with constituents is a fundamental part of my job...
Imagine getting in trouble at work for misusing your office credit card or cheating on your timesheet. Would you expect a financial bonus or extra time off? At most workplaces, no. You’d count yourself lucky to keep your job.
At the IRS, yes. You might receive an award despite misconduct and despite not paying your taxes,...
Several Iowa families and hundreds more across the country are facing a problem in completing their adoption of children from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Congolese government unexpectedly suspended the exit permits needed to finalize pending adoptions, leaving many children and adoptive families in limbo.
The families went through the...
If the federal government overpaid someone in your family more than 30 years ago, should you be held responsible for the debt? And should the government have an indefinite amount of time to try to collect the overpayment?
Those questions are pending in the nation’s capital in light of revelations that the Social Security Administration was seizing...
NASCAR’s Richard Childress testified for advanced biofuels during a hearing of the Senate Agriculture Committee last week emphasizing the valuable role advanced biofuels play in creating jobs and strengthening the rural economy.
There’s no doubt that advanced biofuels are on the move despite many obstacles. Last fall, the Environmental...
with U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley
Q: As the Affordable Care Act shifts more health care costs to the taxpaying public, how is Medicare stacking up as public entitlements consume a growing share of the economy?
A: Virtually every American has a vested interest in the Medicare program, including current and future enrollees,...
Transparency changes behavior. That’s the case whenever government information that ought to be public is brought into the light.
Under pressure, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is the latest government agency to embrace a little more transparency.
After I announced my intent to object to Senate consideration of an...
by U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley
No matter how good the laws are written or how well-intentioned public policies are prescribed, Uncle Sam’s coffers have long been viewed as open season for bad operators who look to line their own pockets on the taxpayer’s dime.
Unfortunately, unaccountable and complex payments systems within the federal...
by U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley
Taxpayers are familiar with the annual drill. Keeping records, gathering receipts, filling out forms, figuring out changes in tax rules. Right around this time, taxpayers are ready to see April 15 disappear into the rearview mirror.
The IRS estimates it...
Momentum is building to extend expired tax provisions that lapsed Dec. 31. Of the 55 expired tax breaks on the table, wind energy incentives are among those left hanging. I’ve been working to build bipartisan, bicameral and regional alliances to secure a victory for America’s 21st century clean energy policy. So far, 144 lawmakers are...
Last week I had the honor of welcoming Dr. Daniel McClure of Washington, Iowa, as the Senate Guest Chaplain as he opened the U.S. Senate with a morning prayer.
Based in Iowa, McClure currently serves as the National Chaplain of the American Legion. He was appointed in August 2013 at the Legion’s Annual...
According to a new report I requested from the non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO), federal intelligence agencies aren’t reporting their employees’ non-mission or personal trips on federal aircraft.
The GAO said that the intelligence agencies, like the CIA or FBI, are required by federal regulations to report non-mission travel to the General...
With Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley
Q: Does the Environmental Protection Agency have jurisdiction over waterways on Iowa farms?
A: Congress writes environmental laws to set in place policies that protect the air we breathe, the water we drink and the land in which our food grows. The executive branch is tasked with faithfully carrying out these laws. In...
Whistleblowers are patriotic citizens who bring to light waste, fraud and abuse that is hidden in the depths of the federal bureaucracy. That’s why it’s disturbing to learn that the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General might be requiring some whistleblowers to sign non-disclosure agreements that fail to include information about an employee’s...
Q: What is the status for approval of the Keystone XL pipeline project?
A: After nearly six years of rigorous regulatory review, approval for the more than 1,700-mile Keystone XL oil pipeline remains in limbo. The TransCanada Corporation awaits a U.S. Presidential Permit to begin construction of the transcontinental infrastructure connecting a 36-inch...
It’s an ongoing challenge for the U.S. government to attract and retain quality military recruits. When men and women sign up, they receive notice of the terms of service and potential retirement benefits. The government enters into a compact of sorts with these patriotic citizens in exchange for their service to the country.
That’s why it bothered me that a...
