With U.S. Senator Chuck GrassleyQ: What is civil asset forfeiture?A: Civil asset forfeiture laws empower the government to seize property linked to prohibited behavior and criminal enterprise. In the earliest days of our republic, Congress first enacted forfeiture laws as a tool to target and enforce customs violations on the high seas and later expanded...
With U.S. Senator Chuck GrassleyQ: What drives your relentless grip on the federal purse strings?A: Like many Iowans who grow up in households that don't spend beyond their means, I understand the need to pinch pennies. Reckless spending goes against the grain of a heritage rooted in Midwestern fiscal discipline. This philosophy has shaped how Iowans...
With U.S. Senator Chuck GrassleyQ: Why are changes needed to fix the Affordable Care Act? A: No piece of legislation is perfect, especially one that restructures one-sixth of the U.S. economy. The Affordable Care Act is a prime example. When President Obama signed this sweeping health care overhaul into law seven years ago, Americans were promised...
With U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley Q: Why did you conduct a hearing to examine free speech on college campuses?A: On July 4, Americans will celebrate 241 years of independence. We will celebrate our nation’s sovereignty and cherished individual freedoms that have been passed down from one generation to the next. As Americans, we are endowed...
With U.S. Senator Chuck GrassleyQ: What new action has Congress taken to fix systemic flaws at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)?A: During the Obama administration, widely reported scandals involving wait times and delayed patient care at VA health facilities prompted a series of legislative reforms, including passage of a new Veterans Choice program...
With U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley Q: How do you approach public policy when it comes to production agriculture?A: According to the 2012 USDA’s Census of Agriculture, taken every five years, the value of Iowa agricultural products reached $30.8 billion, ranking Iowa second nationally in total value of sales. Iowa is America’s leading...
With U.S. Senator Chuck GrassleyQ: What is the Congressional Review Act? A: Signed into law by President Clinton more than two decades ago, the Congressional Review Act (CRA) is serving as a game changer to help restore proper checks and balances of government, specifically for Congress to reclaim its constitutional authority to write the laws. For decades,...
“Locking the barn door on NAFTA and other trade agreements would deal a devastating blow to the president’s base of support and cast a dark cloud over the entire farm economy.” Sen. Chuck Grassley: Locking the barn door on NAFTA won't create jobs or prosperityFOX News Blue skies welcomed Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to...
With U.S. Senator Chuck GrassleyQ: Why should Americans, especially younger generations, celebrate Memorial Day?A: The end of the school year in Iowa typically falls right around Memorial Day. While it makes sense that school-age Iowans are ready to celebrate summer and enjoy a break from the classroom, it’s an important opportunity to...
By Sen. Chuck Grassley Memorial Day is at heart a community-oriented holiday. The first observances of what we now call Memorial Day were spontaneous expressions of gratitude and remembrance on the part of Civil War veterans for their fallen comrades, organized by veterans groups in local communities. Only once it became an established tradition...
With U.S. Senator Chuck GrassleyQ: How can public policy keep pace with the demographic shift taking place in the United States?A: Americans are blessed to live in a society where people are living longer, healthier lives with a high quality of life and productivity for decades. More than 10,000 people turn 65 every day in the United States. This demographic...
With U.S. Senator Chuck GrassleyQ: What prompted your leadership on foster care issues in Congress? A: It’s no secret that a loving home and happy household nurture the next generation to thrive and become productive members of society. Close-knit, supportive families serve as the building blocks for safe schools and strong communities....
With U.S. Senator Chuck GrassleyQ: Do you expect Governor Branstad to be confirmed as the next U.S. ambassador to China?A: Yes. Governor Branstad had a very good confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. I was proud to introduce him to members of the committee and share my support for his nomination. Governor Branstad not only...
With U.S. Senator Chuck GrassleyQ: Why are small businesses a big deal for America? A: Small businesses drive the U.S. economy and serve as the economic engine and job creator for local communities across America. More than 266,000 small businesses in Iowa employ nearly half of the workforce in the state. From my annual 99 county meetings, I witness...
With U.S. Senator Chuck GrassleyQ: What’s happening with your efforts to improve the skilled foreign worker visa programs? A: Since my recent discussions with the president, momentum is moving in the right direction to fix systemic abuse of employment-based, skilled foreign worker programs created nearly three decades ago. Over time, abuse of the...
With U.S. Senator Chuck GrassleyQ: Why do you keep bookkeepers at the Pentagon on a short leash?A: In an era of political divisiveness, this is an issue that bridges the divide among Iowans across the ideological spectrum. Iowans have every right and good reason to care about the management of their hard-earned tax dollars. As a fiscal conservative who grew...
With U.S. Senator Chuck GrassleyQ: Why are you leading a bipartisan effort to reform the way colleges and universities address sexual assaults on their campuses?A: Around this time of year, moms and dads across America celebrate the achievements of their high school graduates. It’s also college admissions season. Right now acceptance and...
With U.S. Senator Chuck GrassleyQ: What is a sanctuary city?A: As it relates to federal immigration laws, a sanctuary city refers to municipalities in which local law enforcement fails to comply with lawful detainer requests issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). For example, if a suspect is taken into custody, booked for an offense and...
As Democrats prepare to attempt a historically unprecedented filibuster of Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch, it’s important to be able to separate fact from fiction as debunked talking points are repeated by people opposing the nominee.There has never been a successful partisan filibuster of a Supreme Court nominee. A...
With U.S. Senator Chuck GrassleyQ: What tips do you have for Iowans this tax filing season?A: For starters, file your tax return on time to avoid interest, fees and other penalties. The good news is that taxpayers have a few extra days to file this year. The federal tax filing deadline for 2017 falls on Tuesday, April 18. That’s because the...
