STAFF: The following is an unrehearsed interview with Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, speaking to you live from Boone.
Participating in today's public affairs program are Janelle Tucker with KMCH Radio in Manchester, and Melissa Brown with the Osceola Sentinel-Tribune in Osceola.
The first question will be from Janelle Tucker.
QUESTION: Good morning, Senator.
Some good news for Delaware County this weekend. For a lot of Iowa counties, there are designated disaster areas by the USDA, as you announced. Can you explain for our area farmers what exactly does that mean for them?
GRASSLEY: Well, I think it means -- first of all -- this is U.S.
Department of Agriculture, which is different than the programs that kick in when the president of the United States responds to a governor's request for it. And so these programs are entirely within the Department of Agriculture, whereas if the president of the United States institutes a disaster area, it would be a lot of programs from a lot of different departments of government.
So what normally kicks in here is some grants and some low-interest loans for peopled that have been hurt by the disaster -- most of it probably being in farming, but it could be, let's say, in some areas of small towns, some loans that would kick in for industrial parks or kick in for a farmer home, senior citizen centers in very small towns, things of that nature.
QUESTION: Thank you.
QUESTION: Senator Grassley, the governor just announced a project that will receive I-JOBS funds. Many southern Iowa officials have criticized the board for not choosing more projects in southern Iowa. Only one town out of an eight-county region was chosen. Do you think this money was distributed correctly?
GRASSLEY: Well, you know, you're asking me about a state program that I don't know much about because it was passed by the state legislature, and I didn't have a chance to vote on it.
I did read, though, in the paper where a lot of rural legislators were put out, or disgusted, because their counties did not get any aid. And they kind of felt that a statewide program ought to be based more on geographical distribution and wider geographical distribution than what was done -- minority of the counties, maybe very significant counties that got projects.
So all I can go by is that some legislators felt it was not distributed fairly. But it would be wrong for me to make a judgment on a program that -- that I didn't set up or a program that I don't know the details of what the law requires.
QUESTION: Thank you.
QUESTION: Senator Grassley, you're busy today hosting officials from the EPA at a -- at a family farm. And just wondering what the day holds and -- and what you hope will come out of today's meeting?
GRASSLEY: Well, I'm speaking to you at the -- right this minute from the Iowa State University BioCentury experimental and research farm. And from that standpoint, we've had already an hour discussion over breakfast among them -- with the EPA officials, mostly with two of them, Ms. Oge and Ms. McCarthy. They are heads of a lot of important things dealing with agriculture in EPA.
And Senator -- Secretary Northey and I have been talking with them.
While I'm talking to you now, they're on a tour of the facility. And then when we're doing with that tour, we're going to be -- discuss advanced research by Monsanto and Pioneer, and Iowa State University researchers.
And then we're going to visit the Kimberly Family Farm near Maxwell.
And then we're going over to Newton to be at an ethanol facility.
And the idea is to bring them out here and acquaint them with American agriculture, and Iowa agriculture -- in particular, the institution of the family farm -- in order so when they're making decisions that affect farming they know more about farming.
QUESTION: Thank you.
QUESTION: Senator Grassley, about the health bill, will we see a bill passed by Senate by Christmas?
GRASSLEY: Oh, yes, I believe so. It may be a scaled down bill. It may be kind of minature to what we're talking about. But, quite frankly, it would be easier for me to answer your question in a couple weeks because I think these town meetings, what you've seen on television -- and maybe you even been at some of mine or Senator Harkin's. But, anyway, it's democracy in action. And I think they're probably changing the debate in Washington, to some extent, but it's difficult for me to measure it.
I think a lot of the states have had very raucous meetings. My town meetings have been very civil. And so I appreciate very much Iowans letting a town meeting move forward and not being interrupted, and serving a very good purpose.
But I think you need the judgment of all 535 members of Congress on whether or not the town meetings have changed the direction of health care, and I think they probably have changed the direction, but it's difficult for me to say how much.
So -- but I believe it will be a little more scaled down than what we were originally thinking when we left for August summer break.
STAFF: Thank you, Janelle and Melissa, for participating in today's public affairs program.
This has been Senator Chuck Grassley reporting to the people of Iowa.
GRASSLEY: Thanks to both of you.
QUESTION: Thank you.
QUESTION: Thank you.