Word On: VITA
Q: What is VITA?
A: Authorized by the Internal Revenue Service, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program offers free tax preparation services for older, disabled, low-income and non-English speaking persons. IRS trained and certified VITA volunteers have helped prepare basic tax returns for taxpayers unable to afford professional tax...
Grassley Scores Major Victory for Family Farmers
Senator's Amendment Keeps Payments Aimed at Family-sized Farmers
Sen. Chuck Grassley today scored a major victory for family farmers when the Senate voted in support of his amendment to limit farm subsidies and target assistance to small and mid-sized farming operations.
"Today's vote is a huge victory for...
Farm Bill Would Make Chapter 12 Permanent
? Sen. Chuck Grassley today said that the U.S. Senate has once again gone on record in support of permanent status for Chapter 12 of the federal bankruptcy code.
"Chapter 12 has proven itself and deserves to be a permanent part of the bankruptcy code," Grassley said. "It gets the borrower and the lender to sit down...
Finance Committee Hearing On Ongoing U.S. Trade Negotiations
Just last November, we successfully launched the ninth round of WTO trade negotiations at Doha. There we agreed on a far-reaching set of negotiations to be completed within three years. As Ambassador Zoellick said at the time, "We removed the stain of Seattle." Now we have to make the most of this...
Congressional Access to Justice Department Documents
Mr. Chairman, members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify on an issue that I believe is at the core of the viability of our democracy. The issue is sunshine in government. I firmly believe that openness of government has kept our country as strong as it is today. If we can see...
Grassley Works to Shut Down Medicare, Medicaid Consulting Fraud
This afternoon, Sen. Chuck Grassley is scheduled to offer an amendment to the farm bill with Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota that would limit farm payments and target assistance to small and mid-size family farmers.
The Grassley/Dorgan amendment would establish a combined payment limitation...
Separating Life-Saving Research from Human Cloning
In the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, I have come to realize how blessed I am. I think most Americans have. As a proud father, grandfather and great-grandfather, I know how precious the gift of life is. Yet, I believe that the process of cloning essentially disregards this respect for...
Grassley Comment on Defeat of Bipartisan Economic Stimulus Bill
? Sen. Chuck Grassley, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Finance, issued the following comment about the Senate vote to defeat of a bipartisan economic stimulus bill.
"Apparently Sen. Daschle is willing to put at risk Americans who may be on the verge of losing their jobs in the...
irradiated mail complaints
This morning, representatives from the Legislative Mail Task Force, including the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the United States Postal Service, and the Office of the Attending Physician held a briefing for Senate chiefs of staff, administrative...
Revenue Proposals in the Administration's Fiscal Year 2003 Budget Proposal
Before I get into substance, I'd like to make a preliminary note about process. This committee has a very fine bipartisan tradition. The bipartisan tradition of this committee means bipartisan action here usually means bipartisan success on the Senate floor. Far too often the...
President's Fiscal Year 2003 budget proposal
Sen. Chuck Grassley, ranking member of the Committee on Finance, made the following comment on President Bush's Fiscal Year 2003 budget proposal.
"It's always up to Congress to go over the President's budget proposal and see whether we agree with the spending and cutting priorities. It's wartime, and we have to...
Grassley, Others File Dissenting Views on Trade Adjustment Bill
? Sen. Chuck Grassley, ranking member of the Committee on Finance, and other Republican members late today filed the following report with the Committee.
TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE FOR WORKERS, FARMERS, FISHERMAN, COMMUNITIES AND FIRMS ACT OF 2001
DISSENTING VIEWS OF SENATORS GRASSLEY, HATCH,...
War and Recession
by Sen. Chuck Grassley, of Iowa
The president in January spoke with confidence and resolve during his first State of the Union message before Congress. Not known to mince words, President Bush readily acknowledged the United States is at war and struggling to shake an economic recession. But he immediately reassured America that...
Word On: IRS
Q: As taxpayers gear up for another tax season, how is the IRS complying with its congressional mandate for better taxpayer service and accountability?
A: The IRS arguably is an easy target for politicians and taxpayers. But the federal tax collection agency often has itself to blame. Consider the annual report recently issued by the...
Grassley Announces $58 Million for Iowa APHIS Programs in President's Budget
Includes Funding for National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Amesm
? Sen. Chuck Grassley today announced that Iowa will receive approximately $58 million for Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) programs?including the National Veterinary Services Laboratories in...
Grassley Nominates Young Iowans to Service Academies
? Praising the outstanding group of Iowa students seeking nominations to the U.S. military academies, Sen. Chuck Grassley today announced his selections for placement at the West Point Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.; the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.; and the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs,...
President's pension proposal
Sen. Chuck Grassley, ranking member of the Committee on Finance, has been drafting legislation to tighten up protections for retirement plan participants in light of the Enron Corp.'s collapse. He hopes to introduce his legislation as early as next week. The Committee on Finance has jurisdiction over retirement savings plans...
Grassley Joins Effort to Seek Data on Agency Support of Enron
? Sen. Chuck Grassley, ranking member of the Committee on Finance, today co-signed letters to three government agencies seeking information on any actions they took in support of the Enron Corp. The letters to the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Overseas Private Investment...
Implementation of Anti-Money Laundering Provisions of the USA Patriot Act
Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, I want to thank you for the opportunity to speak this morning on an interest that we all share. This committee and this Congress passed important legislation last year to deal with terrorist money laundering. Our interest now is about getting...
Grassley Announces Federal Judgeship Application Deadline
? Sen. Chuck Grassley today said that Iowans who are interested in applying for a federal judgeship in the Northern District of Iowa should submit their applications by Feb. 15.
President Bush is expected to nominate an individual to serve as United States District Judge for the Northern District of...
