News Releases

Grassley Concerned About Coordination of National Money Laundering Strategy ? Sen. Chuck Grassley today released a report from the General Accounting Office (GAO) that shows the lack of coordination by "multiple federal bureaucracies" that are investigating money laundering and terrorist financing. The National Money Laundering Strategy, authored in 1998 by...

Country of Origin Labeling Sen. Chuck Grassley today issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Department of Agriculture's release of the proposed rule for mandatory country of origin labeling. "I still believe that the American consumer has a right to know the country of origin of the meat they are purchasing. The Department of Agriculture is...

21st Century Snake Oil by Sen. Chuck Grassley, of Iowa   As a fiscal conservative, I have long championed taxpayer rights and worked to reduce the tax burden on working men and women in America. In the late 1990s, when testimony provided to Congress shed light on an overzealous federal agency trouncing on the rights of citizen taxpayers, I led an...

Word On: “Chicken-izing” U.S. Pork Industry   Q: Why did you oppose the purchase of Farmland’s pork division to Smithfield Foods, Inc.? A: For several years I have led an effort in Washington to expose anti-competitive trends in American agriculture, including increased concentration in the meat processing industry. In my county meetings across Iowa,...

Legislation to Train Closed Captioning Writers Passes Senate Iowa Senators Sponsor Legislation ? Sen. Chuck Grassley today said that legislation to provide grants for the training of realtime reporters, such as closed captioners, was included in an anti-spam bill that was passed by the Senate. The legislation was sponsored with Sen. Tom Harkin. "Americans...

Grassley Works to Prevent Document Destruction, Protect Medicaid Drug Program from Fraud ? Sen. Chuck Grassley is objecting to a government proposal that he says would make it easier for prescription drug manufacturers to defraud the Medicaid drug rebate program. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued a rule for public comment which...

Grassley: $21 Million to Iowa to Help Low-Income Families Pay Heating Bills ? Sen. Chuck Grassley today said that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is releasing $21,025,901 in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds to Iowa. Funds will help low-income Iowans with their heating bills during October, November and December this...

Grassley Targets Sellers, Promoters of Illicit Tax Shelters Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, today took aim at the tax shelter promoters and sellers who exploit loopholes that cost taxpayers billions of dollars a year in lost revenue. Grassley convened a hearing on whether the illicit tax shelter schemes are still thriving even in...

Word On: Protecting Pensions   Q: What is the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation? A: Created in 1974 with enactment of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation insures certain private pension plans to protect the nest eggs American workers are counting on once they leave the workforce. The federal agency...

Grassley Urges President to Consider Ag Concerns Before U.S.-Thailand Trade Agreement ? Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, last night urged President Bush to consider Thailand's position on market access for U.S. agricultural products before initiating negotiations on a U.S.-Thailand trade agreement. The text of Grassley's letter...

Grassley Releases Witness List for Tax Shelters Hearing The Honorable Pamela Olson, Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Washington, D.C. The Honorable Mark Everson, Commissioner, Internal Revenue Service, Washington, D.C. The Honorable Eileen O'Conner, Assistant Attorney General, Tax Division, U.S. Department of Justice,...

European Union announcement on hormone-treated beef Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, today made the following comment on the European Union's announcement that it is complying with its trade obligations regarding beef treated with hormones. "I don't see anything new here. The EU is stating that it will continue to keep its ban on...

IRS Turns 90 by Senator Chuck Grassley, of Iowa   The federal agency that does business with more Americans than any other arm of the federal government observed its 90th birthday in October. Created in 1913 with ratification of the 16th amendment, Congress enacted a federal income tax system and with it an agency charged with administering the tax...

Word On: New $20   Q: Why is the U.S. releasing a newly designed $20 bill? A: The Federal Reserve System and Bureau of Engraving and Printing are working to stay ahead of currency counterfeiters who are turning to sophisticated, cheaper, digital methods to launder their tainted notes into the world economy. In 1995, less than one percent of counterfeit...

Justice Department Decision on Farmland bids Sen. Chuck Grassley today issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Department of Justice's decision not to intervene in the purchase of Farmland Foods by Smithfield and Cargill. "It's disheartening that the Justice Department won't intervene in the bankruptcy court's sale of Farmland Foods. The continued...

Grassley Urges China to Comply With Its Trade Obligations ? Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, with jurisdiction over international trade, today sent a letter to the Minister of Commerce for the People's Republic of China (China) requesting that China make a serious effort to improve its compliance with its World Trade Organization...

Grassley, Senate Colleagues Urge Mexico to Drop Barriers to U.S. Farm Products ? More than half of Senate Finance Committee members, led by Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman, today sent a letter to Mexican officials urging them to fulfill their trade obligations and stop imposing barriers to U.S. agricultural products. The bipartisan senators' letter followed a...

new job gains Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, today made the following comment on a new government report showing the number of workers on U.S. payrolls grew by 57,000 last month, the first time since January that jobs were created and sharply contrary to Wall Street economists' forecasts for a 30,000-job loss. Two weeks ago, a...

Grassley Invites Educators, Parents, Community Leaders to Discuss School Foundations ? Sen. Chuck Grassley today encouraged teachers, administrators, parents and community leaders to join him at a conference to discuss the establishment and sustainability of school foundations. The meeting will be held on Oct. 13 from 9 a.m.? 4 p.m. at the Des Moines...

Grassley Wins Committee Approval of Tax Cut for Manufacturers, Farmers, Significant International Tax Reforms ? Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, today won committee approval of his legislation to cut taxes for U.S. manufacturers, sole proprietors, partnerships, farmers and small business owners who create jobs, and to reform and...