News Releases

Grassley Leads Effort to Urge a Trade Agreement with New Zealand 20500Dear President Bush: We are writing to encourage you to launch negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with New Zealand. In his notification to Congress on initiating a FTA with Australia, Ambassador Zoellick stated that he plans to solicit the views of Congress on a possible FTA...

Adopt-A-Soldier By Senator Chuck Grassley, of Iowa   For the most part, Americans prior to Sept. 11, 2001 may have taken our way of life for granted. Living in a civilized, peaceful and prosperous society, threats of international terrorism and weapons of mass destruction weren’t making daily headlines or popping up in everyday conversation. For most,...

Grassley Leads Effort to Stop Medicaid Cuts ? Sen. Chuck Grassley is leading an effort to stop Congress from cutting spending on Medicaid in the budget blueprint for the next fiscal year. The budget resolution passed yesterday by the Senate does not include any reduction in Medicaid funding. But the budget passed last week by the House of Representative...

Grassley Continues to Improve Resources for Nursing Home Consumers Building on earlier success, Sen. Chuck Grassley continues to work to improve a key resource for nursing home consumers. Grassley, the chairman of the Committee on Finance, with jurisdiction over federal nursing home regulations, is urging more timely disclosure of nursing home inspection...

Tax Relief Bill Pays Tribute to U.S. Service Men and Women an increasingly important mission in an era of heightened terrorist threat -- are reservists. This week, the Army, Air Force and Marine Corps each announced an increase of reservists on active duty in support of the partial mobilization. The Navy announced a slight decrease. The net collective...

Grassley, WHO Radio Team Up to Launch Adopt-an-Iowa-Soldier ? Sen. Chuck Grassley and WHO Radio have teamed up to support Iowans who are serving in the armed forces for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Liberty Shield. "Adopt an Iowa Soldier" allows Iowans to show support to U.S. troops by sending messages and care packages to their 'adopted'...

******HEARING POSTPONED****** Description: Last month, Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, released the results of the Joint Committee on Taxation's year-long investigation into the Enron Corp.'s tax practices. The Joint Committee reviewed whether the company's tax practices were legal, somewhat questionable, highly questionable, or...

Word On: Family Opportunity Act   Q: What is the Family Opportunity Act? A: For the last several years, I have led a bipartisan effort with Sen. Ted Kennedy to bring compassion and common sense to the nation's Medicaid laws. The federal-state health program provides health care coverage to low-income families and children, poor elderly, and the blind...

Getting a Head Start on Your Future By Senator Chuck Grassley, of Iowa   In a recovering economy, anxiety levels tend to increase among the workforce. Concerns about job security, mortgage payments and monthly bills are forefront in the minds of family breadwinners. During the roaring '90s, benefits, bonuses, wages, the stock market and consumer...

Grassley Says Ag Trade Better Represented with Changes Made by USDA - Sen. Chuck Grassley today said the modern agricultural economy will be better represented thanks to the establishment of a new trade advisory committee for processed foods at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He urged interested Iowans to apply for advisory positions. "USDA has made...

Class Action Fairness Sen. Chuck Grassley made the following statement after Sen. Orrin Hatch, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, committed to holding a mark-up on the Class Action Fairness Act of 2003 in the next couple of weeks. Grassley is the lead co-sponsor on the bill along with Sen. Herb Kohl, of Wisconsin, Sen. Tom Carper, of Delaware, and...

Grassley Backs Resolution for U.S. Service Men and Women ? Sen. Chuck Grassley co-sponsored the resolution passed 99 to 0 by the Senate this afternoon commending the U.S. President and armed forces as military action against Iraq begins. Here is Grassley's floor statement on the resolution. "Last night, the President addressed the nation to announce that...

Grassley Re-introduces Bill to Help Save Family Farms ? Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the tax-writing Committee on Finance, last night re-introduced a package of tax relief measures to help preserve family farms and fisheries. "This bill will help family farmers across the country," Grassley said. "With the number of family farms shrinking every year, it...

Agricultural trade talks Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, today made the following comments regarding the second proposed text of Stuart Harbinson, chairman of World Trade Organization agricultural negotiations, on modalities for WTO trade talks: "Successful negotiations at the WTO are critical for world economic growth. At the...

Grassley Questions FBI, Customs Seizure of Reporter's Documents ? Sen. Chuck Grassley today demanded information from the FBI and Customs about the seizure of unclassified documents being sent to an Associated Press reporter. In a letter sent to Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Robert Mueller and Bureau of Customs and Border Protection Commissioner...

Grassley Applauds Kick-off of Free Trade Talks With Australia ? Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, today said he was pleased that talks on a U.S.-Australia free trade agreement were under way and applauded the creation of the American-Australian Free Trade Agreement Coalition designed to support the agreement. "There's no...

Social Security and Medicare Trustees' Reports Today the Social Security and Medicare Boards of Trustees released their annual reports on the status of the Social Security and Medicare programs. Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, made the following comment on the reports. "These reports offer a dose of reality about Medicare and...

Celebrate American Agriculture By Senator Chuck Grassley, of Iowa   Ask a friend or neighbor what’s eating them and you’re likely to get an earful about rising gas prices, possible military action in Iraq, the high costs of health care and prescription medicines or the downturn in the U.S. economy. In my most recent town meetings in February, I...

Word On: Cameras in the Courts   Q: What is your "Sunshine in the Courtroom Act?" A: This bipartisan legislation would allow federal trial and appellate judges to permit cameras in the courtroom. Currently 48 states allow some form of audio-video coverage in their courtrooms and at least 37 directly televise trials. What’s good for the states is good...

Army management award Last month, Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, questioned a potential presidential merit award to an Army official who has responsibility over Army credit card programs. Grassley has worked to expose government credit card abuse and mismanagement, particularly in the military, where the volume of credit cards...