It was February 19, 1777. The seeds of democracy were just taking root in America. Aboard the warship Warren, 10 sailors who were putting their lives on the line to help win America’s independence also determined it was their patriotic duty to blow the whistle on wrongdoing.
Understanding that reporting misconduct against their commanding officer would put...
By U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley
Q: Why do you insist that tax reform remain “revenue neutral” as Congress begins work on rewriting the federal tax code?
A: It’s the only way to prevent big spenders from growing big government. The White House isn’t interested in lowering tax rates and eliminating distortions in the tax code to help generate jobs and economic...
From food stamps to student loans, federal lawmakers must balance the interests of the taxpaying public with the interests of the public good. It’s part of the constitutional job description. As keepers of the public purse, members of Congress make tax and spending decisions that determine from whom revenue is raised and how those tax dollars are spent....
The Obama administration’s latest move to push the reset button on the most far-reaching overhaul of the nation’s health care policy in four decades offers a vital teachable moment.
For starters, the systemic flaw of the law enacted in 2010 and written to take effect at the end of this year puts one-sixth of the U.S. economy into the hands of Uncle Sam. This...
Q: What prompted you to write a letter to the IRS about executive bonuses?
A: In March, $85 billion in automatic, across-the-board spending reductions started taking effect throughout the federal government. Triggered by the Budget Control Act of 2011, the sequester was the option of last resort after the White House and Congress locked horns over taxes and...
Q: Will Congress take up tax reform this Congress?
A: The tax-writing Senate Finance Committee is laying the groundwork to rewrite the federal tax code. If this effort comes off, it would be much bigger than the garden-variety legislative changes that take place from year to year. Since the last major overhaul 27 years ago, the nation’s tax code today...
Q: How will a recent Supreme Court decision impact prescription drug costs?
A: With a 5-3 ruling in June, the U.S. Supreme Court helped speed up opportunities for cheaper drugs for patients currently stocking their medicine cabinets with costly, brand-name prescription drugs. At issue are financial settlements, called “pay for delay,” between brand-name and...
Washingtonians brace themselves for the flood of tourists who come to soak in the monuments, museums and memorials that attract millions of visitors to the nation’s capital every year. This summer is no exception.
In spite of humidity that puts even the hardiest tourist to the test, families come to show the next generation where the people’s business has...
Q: Will wrestling retain its status as one of the core sports for the 2020 Summer Olympics?
A: Thanks in part to wrestling fans across Iowa, the popular sport may retain its status in the Olympic games after all. Uniting fans from around the world, an international groundswell of support captured the attention of the International Olympic Committee (IOC),...
America’s system of voluntary tax compliance works in large measure by keeping up the public’s trust in government. Through wages, investment income and fuel taxes, taxpayers contribute a sizable share of their hard-earned money to finance government services for the public good.
A century ago, three-fourths of the states ratified the 16th Amendment, giving...
Q: When is Flag Day?
A: Every summer on June 14, the United States pays tribute to the 50 stars and 13 stripes that majestically symbolize the founding principles and enduring freedoms of this great country. From town squares to school yards, store fronts, front porches, cemeteries, sports venues and public buildings, Americans from all walks of life are...
Q: With the massive size of the federal workforce, how can it be that federal furloughs, attributed to budget sequestration, have been made in a way that threatens day-to-day services related to public safety and the private-sector economy?
A: Despite the fact that the Budget Control Act, which established sequestration, was enacted by President Obama in...
Q: Why is it important that education decisions be made at the state level?
A: When the U.S. Constitution was drafted, there was considerable popular debate about whether it was possible to have a republican form of government over a large and diverse country. The solution, advocated principally by James Madison, was federalism. This principle is reinforced...
Information means everything.
Students cramming for their final exams likely wouldn’t be so stressed out if they had access to the test answers beforehand. Farmers wouldn’t lose so much sleep second-guessing their marketing decisions if they knew exactly when to lock in the top dollar for their grain. And retirees wouldn’t feel like they were playing the...
What we saw unfold in the Senate budget vote-a-rama just before the Easter recess is important in evaluating competing claims about the reason for dysfunction in the Senate.
Democratic leaders push an aggressive narrative that all the blame goes to Republican obstructionism and abuse of the filibuster, but those who adhere to this partisan account cannot use...
Q: What is prompting heightened concern about drones?
A: Drones, or unmanned aircraft, are most commonly known as part of overseas operations tracking down and killing members of terrorist organizations. Going back to a letter sent in October 2011, I’ve sought access to information from the Obama administration about its policy regarding targeted killing of...
Q: What is IRS Free File?
A: IRS Free File provides free access to private-sector tax preparation software and e-file options to taxpayers who made $57,000, or less, in 2012. The idea is to help federal taxpayers prepare more accurate tax returns and get the credits and deductions due. In addition, by using e-file and selecting direct deposit, you can get...
Every wage-earning American started the new year with less take-home pay. The payroll tax holiday ended on January 1, which meant breadwinners across the country were forced to figure out how to make ends meet with two percent less.
Now Washington is getting a taste of its own medicine: making do with less. Automatic spending cuts took effect on March 1,...
Q. What does “too big to jail” mean?A. “Too big to jail” refers to the federal government’s recent philosophy to decline to pursue criminal prosecution of Wall Street megabanks for financial fraud and other wrongdoing. The Obama administration has not sought aggressively to prosecute large financial institutions for their role in the financial crisis and...
Q: How do you see the immigration reform effort moving forward?
A: I appreciate that a bipartisan group of U.S. senators is working together to try to identify shared principles and build consensus on the issues involved in reforming America’s immigration system. As Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I expect to play a role in trying to broker...
