News Releases

Rx: Medicine Cabinet Not Campaign Trail By Senator Chuck Grassley, of Iowa   Iowans who tuned in to the State of the Union address heard the president make the case for protecting our national security from international threats and defending the homeland from future acts of terrorism. Since 9/11, I know many Iowans are troubled with unease and...

Committee to Consider Charitable Giving Incentives, Military Tax Fairness Description: Last year, in the last Congress, the Finance Committee and then the full Senate passed a bill co-authored by Sen. Chuck Grassley, then ranking member, to improve tax equity for members of the military. The bill underwent changes in the House of Representatives and never...

Pentagon Snoops Need Congressional Leash By Senator Chuck Grassley, of Iowa   The tragic terrorist assault on America in 2001 mobilized the country as folks from all walks of life flocked together in solidarity. From small town U.S.A. to major metropolitan areas from coast to coast, Americans rallied around the flag to grieve for the victims and form...

How the Rubber Meets the Road By Senator Chuck Grassley, of Iowa   Each January I ring in the New Year by pledging to keep a resolution I first made in 1980 when the people of Iowa hired me to represent them in the U.S. Senate. Every year I make certain to visit with Iowans face-to-face in each of our 99 counties. As I launch my 23rd annual road trip...

President's Medicaid proposal Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, made the following comment on the President's Medicaid proposal. "I'll reserve final judgment on the President's Medicaid proposal until I've had time to study it. However, the President's proposal acknowledges both the complexity of the Medicaid program and the states'...

Word On: Medicare Fix   Q: What is flawed with the Medicare funding formula? A: A complex funding formula treats America’s 40 million Medicare recipients inequitably, depending on where you live in the United States. Every U.S. worker pays the same Medicare payroll tax from each paycheck, yet the services and benefits aren’t the same once you become...

Grassley Re-introduces Charitable Giving Tax Incentivess ? Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, today re-introduced legislation establishing a series of tax breaks to encourage Americans to donate to charities. The legislation also includes Grassley's "sunshine" provisions to promote greater accountability from charities to their...

Grassley Leads Probe into Security of Nation's Borders ? Sen. Chuck Grassley said that to protect the United States from new terrorist attacks, the federal government needs to dramatically improve border security. "Federal agencies need stricter policies on IDs, and border inspectors need better training," he said. The Iowa senator who chairs the Senate...

Medicaid lacks oversight Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, today made the following statement in response to the General Accounting Office management study on "high risk" agencies in the executive branch. While Medicare has been on the list since 1991, Medicaid is on the list for the first time for the lack of proper program...

EU agricultural trade proposal Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, today made the following comment on the EU's latest agricultural trade proposal. "I'm disappointed to see the latest version of the European Union's agricultural proposal to the World Trade Organization. When measured against the ambitious, comprehensive United States...

Medicare, Bush Speech in Grand Rapids Sen. Chuck Grassley issued the comment below in response to the President's speech on Medicare today in Michigan. Sen. Grassley is chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance. During the last Congress he led a tripartisan coalition of senators who developed comprehensive legislation to add a prescription drug benefit to...

Grassley to Join U.S.-Chile Free Trade Coalition Launch Director of Caterpillar, Inc. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers serve as the coalition's secretariat. In the six weeks since the negotiations were completed, over 100 companies and business groups have signed on to the coalition, with many more expected to join...

Grassley Wins Latest Round in Fight for Whistleblower Protections 20510The Honorable Patrick J. Leahy United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Senators Grassley and Leahy: It was a pleasure meeting with your staff on January 7, 2003, to discuss issues relating to the implementation of the whistleblower provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002....

State of the union address Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, today made the following comment on what he expects from President Bush's state of the union address tomorrow night. "The President's speech agenda writes itself this year. The prospect of war and the slow economy are on everybody's mind. The country needs to hear about...

Grassley Urges Mexico to Drop Investigation of U.S. Pork ? Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, has urged the Mexican government to stop an anti-dumping investigation of U.S. pork products. The text of Grassley's letter to the Mexican economic secretary follows. January 23, 2003 His Excellency Fernando Canales Secretary of...

Treasury Secretary Nomination Hearing Time, Location Change Description: The Finance Committee, under the chairmanship of Sen. Chuck Grassley, will hold a hearing to consider the nomination by President Bush of John Snow to serve as Treasury secretary. Snow will be the sole witness. The hearing is expected to last no longer than one day. A committee vote on...

Medicare and prescription drugs Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, today made the following remarks regarding news reports on the President's plan to strengthen and improve Medicare: "I welcome ideas like the President's on making Medicare a better deal for older Americans. And I appreciate the President elevating the importance of...

Finance Committee to Examine Border Security Description: More than a year after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and as the Department of Homeland Security becomes operational, it is important to evaluate whether the responsible agencies are doing their best to secure the nation's borders. Of particular interest to the Finance Committee is the illegal...

Grassley to Speak on Finance Committee's Trade Agenda Description: Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, will speak to Consumers for World Trade on his plans for the committee's trade agenda, including ongoing bilateral negotiations and the importance of the multilateral process.

Conflict diamonds trade Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, today made the following statement on the need for legislation that will help eliminate conflict diamonds from the legitimate diamond trade. "Trade in conflict diamonds is a serious problem, not just because of the civil conflicts over diamond mines in some African countries,...