News Releases

Grassley: Independent Producers Need Amendment to Limit Packer Ownership ? Sen. Chuck Grassley today released a paper prepared by leading agricultural economists who dispute recent commentary on legislation sponsored by Grassley and Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota to ban packer ownership of livestock. The paper authored by Roger A. McEowen, Peter C....

Grassley: New Report on FBI and Counterterrorism Reveals Serious Shortcomings ? Sen. Chuck Grassley said a new report from the inspector general for the Justice Department underscores the importance of aggressive congressional oversight of the FBI's counterterrorism effort, as previous efforts failed to anticipate terrorist activity. "Even after the first...

Grassley: Over $7 Million in Grants and Loans from USDA Federal funds for Butler, Jefferson, Clarke, Hamilton, Page, Sioux, Lyon and Poweshiek counties ? Sen. Chuck Grassley said today that additional rural development grants and loans have been awarded to Butler, Jefferson, Clarke, Hamilton and Page counties from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These...

Accountability Issues: Lessons Learned from Enron's Fall Thank you Senator Leahy for calling this hearing. I agree there are lessons that we can learn from Enron's collapse, particularly with respect to accountability issues. I share in my colleagues' outrage over these events, and truly feel for the workers and innocent investors who lost their jobs and...

Grassley: California Consumers, Iowa Farmers and Small Ethanol Producers Benefit from BP's Commitment to Ethanol ? Sen. Chuck Grassley said that the decision by British Petroleum to voluntarily phase-out MTBE and replace it with ethanol will greatly minimize the financial ruin threatened by the actions of California's elected officials, while giving...

Grassley: Farm Bill Squanders Opportunity to Address Competition, Concentration Concerns Sen. Chuck Grassley today will vote against the conference version of a new six-year farm bill, saying that the legislation doesn't address the highest priorities of family farmers in Iowa. "This bicameral agreement shortchanges Iowa farmers. It fails to give...

Grassley: Budget Shows Bush Commitment to Agriculture ? Sen. Chuck Grassley issued the following comment regarding President Bush's fiscal 2003 budget request for agriculture. During last year's congressional budget debate, Grassley sponsored the bipartisan amendment that first secured $73.5 billion for farm spending. Grassley is a senior member of the...

Grassley: 31 Counties Eligible for Economic Disaster Assistance ? Sen. Chuck Grassley said the U.S. Small Business Administration has made 31 Iowa counties eligible for low-interest economic injury disaster loans. The loans are available to small businesses who lost substantial income because of the severe storms and flooding that occured between June 3 and...

Grassley: Iowans Deserve Fairness in Medicare Senator Unveils Legislation to Improve Health Care Access for Iowans ? Sen. Chuck Grassley introduced legislation today to improve access to health care services for Iowans. Grassley's health care proposal is focused on Iowa and other states where cost-efficient, high-quality health care is the norm. The...

Grassley: Bipartisan Trade Bill Good for Iowa Workers, Farmers, Businesses ? The U.S. Senate tonight voted 66 to 30 for legislation sponsored by Sen. Chuck Grassley to help the President negotiate international trade agreements and open new markets for products and services made in the United States. Grassley said the Quaker Oats plant in Cedar Rapids...

Word On: Wind Energy   Q: Has the federal incentive for wind energy production been re-approved? A: Yes. During a visit to Iowa in early October, the president signed into law a tax bill that extends the federal tax break for harnessing wind power to produce electricity. The renewal of the federal tax credit ought to breathe new life into a pipeline of...

Tax Dodgers Beware by U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley   Hardworking taxpayers in Iowa may rest a little easier. Congress passed in October the most sweeping crackdown on corporate tax schemes in a generation. The hard-fought effort to close tax loopholes ought to generate tens of billions of dollars more in federal revenue during the next decade.   The...

Grassley Highlights Corporate Loophole Closers in New Tax Bill WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, today said the newly passed business tax bill contains the most significant crackdown on corporate abuses and tax dodges in a generation and will lead to many more companies paying their fair share of taxes – tens of...

$1.4 Million in Value Added Grants to Iowa WASHINGTON — Sen. Chuck Grassley today said that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Rural Development, has awarded grants totaling $1,412,686 to nine Iowa companies through the Value-Added Agricultural Product Market Development Grant program. Grassley created the Value-Added Grant program to support...

Ernst & Young tax shelters agreement Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, made the following comment on today's announcement by the Internal Revenue Service of an agreement with Ernst & Young, LLP, resolving issues relating to an examination of Ernst & Young's compliance with the registration and list maintenance...

Grassley Begins 23rd Year of Visiting Iowa's 99 Counties and Grassley had the flag flown in honor of their participation. Following is a list of Grassley visits in January: Monday, January 20Buchanan County Town Hall Meeting, 8 - 9 a.m., Buchanan County Courthouse, 210 5th Avenue NE, IndependenceDelaware County Town Hall Meeting, 9:45 - 10:45 a.m.,...

Word On: Flexible Savings Accounts   Q: How can workers set aside money tax-free for health care and dependent care expenses? A: The federal tax code allows workers to take advantage of flexible savings accounts set up through their employer using tax-free earnings. On Jan. 1 each year, eligible workers may divert a designated amount from each...

Tax Breaks Help Working Families by U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, of Iowa   Working families can breathe a sigh of relief. The president visited Iowa in early October to sign into law key tax relief items aimed squarely at lower- and middle-income wage earners. For the fourth time in as many years, Congress continued its efforts to let workers pocket more...

Grassley Announces "Iowa Women 2000: Linking & Learning" Iowa Senator's Fifth Women's Conference Features Keynote Speaker Elizabeth Dole Melissa Kearney 202/224-0484 Calling Iowa women to come together for a one-day non-partisan, non-political motivational conference, Sen. Chuck Grassley and his wife Barbara invite women of all ages and backgrounds to...

U.S. Attacks in Sudan & Afghanistan Sen. Chuck Grassley issued the following comment regarding the President's announcement today that there have been U.S. military attacks in Sudan and Afghanistan. Sen. Grassley is in Winterset this afternoon conducting a town meeting for Madison County residents, following a day of meetings in Des Moines. "There's no...