{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Republican\", state = \"IA\" and year = 2024 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-shares-2024-policy-oversight-achievements", "Grassley Shares 2024 Policy, Oversight Achievements", "2024-12-27", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA \u2013 U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today released an overview of his 2024 legislative and oversight work for Iowans.\n\n\u201cServing the people of Iowa is an honor I take very seriously. My constant mission is to advocate for our great state, while making the government more accountable and transparent.\n\n\u201cIn the New Year, I\u2019ll hit the ground running to advance legislative efforts to secure the border, lower the price of prescription drugs, pass a five-year Farm Bill and curb wasteful spending. Congress has a long to-do list. I encourage Iowans to keep in touch and share their views with me while I work on your behalf,\u201d Grassley said.\n\nRead Grassley's 2024 Year in Review:\n\nDownload PDF\n\nContents:\n\nWelcome\n\nHIStory\n\nKeeping in Touch with Iowans\n\nFarm Bill Priorities\n\nKeeping Foreign Adversaries Off U.S. Farmland\n\nExpanding Overseas Markets\n\nIowa Leads the Way\n\nYear Round E15\n\nWind Energy\n\nIowa Ethanol\n\nSky-High Possibilities\n\nInvesting in Iowa\n\nAirports\n\nRailroads\n\nRoads and Bridges\n\nClean Water\n\nBudget and the Economy\n\nA Costly Cover-Up\n\n\u201cTransparency Brings Accountability\u201d\n\nIt\u2019s the Budget Committee, Not the Climate Committee\n\nHealth Care\n\nA Dose of Sunshine\n\nPro-Family, Pro-Mother, Pro-Life\n\nSupporting Rural Pharmacies\n\nFighting the Opioid Epidemic\n\nGrassley Backs the Blue\n\nBad Actors and U.S. Planes\n\nThe History of the Juvenile Justice Program\n\nProtecting Kids Online\n\nGrassley Holds Big Tech\u2019s Feet to the Fire\n\nImmigration\n\nThe First Job of Government\n\nLeading the Charge to Protect Unaccompanied Migrant Kids\n\nPeace Through Strength\n\nWatchdog for Veterans\n\nA Record Year\n\nProtecting Patients\n\nSupporting Crime Victims\n\nDefending Whistleblowers\n\nCleaning Up Government Waste and Abuse\n\nDid You Know?", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-recognizes-7th-anniversary-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act-becoming-law", "Feenstra Recognizes 7th Anniversary of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Becoming Law", "2024-12-23", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "HULL, IOWA \u2014 Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) issued the following statement recognizing the 7-year anniversary of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act being signed into law:\n\n\u201cSeven years ago, President Trump signed into law the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act \u2014 the single largest and most consequential reform of our tax code in decades. This law doubled the standard deduction for our families, cut taxes for our small businesses, helped our farmers grow and succeed, and returned investment back to the United States. Serving on the House Ways and Means Committee, I\u2019m working to reauthorize these provisions before its 2025 expiration and include measures \u2014 like repealing the death tax and investing in paid family and medical leave \u2014 that are important to Iowa. As a strong, fiscal conservative, I will continue to advocate for sensible spending cuts and lower taxes to supercharge our economy, protect Iowa taxpayers, and restore American prosperity.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-nominates-34-iowa-students-to-us-military-academies", "Grassley Nominates 34 Iowa Students to U.S. Military Academies", "2024-12-23", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA \u2013 U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is announcing his support for 34 Iowa students seeking acceptance to U.S. military academies.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m honored to nominate these 34 extraordinary Iowans to our nation\u2019s prestigious military academies,\u201d Grassley said. \u201cThese young men and women represent Iowa\u2019s best and brightest. Their accomplishments, leadership and desire to serve are commendable. I look forward to seeing all they accomplish going forward.\u201d\n\nEach year, Grassley nominates Iowa high school seniors for placements at the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, U.S. Naval Academy and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. All service academies select at least one of Grassley\u2019s nominees.\n\nLearn more about service academy nominations HERE.\n\nGrassley\u2019s nominees for entrance during the 2025-2026 academic year follow:\n\nUnited States Air Force Academy\n\nTrenton Abel, Toddville\n\nEmmett Bartels, Runnells\n\nSean Bendinger, West Des Moines\n\nAlexis Bogardus, Granger\n\nBrayden Bohnsack, La Porte City\n\nGrant Dunn, Johnston\n\nBenjamin Green, West Des Moines\n\nEliana Hansen, Cedar Rapids\n\nShae Magley, Cedar Falls\n\nAmelia Porisch, St. Ansgar\n\nKy Wilkens, Dallas Center\n\nUnited States Military Academy at West Point\n\nEric Ding, Davenport\n\nMacKenzie Fah, Bettendorf\n\nTheodore Hartwig, Marion\n\nMacKenzie McClelland, Grinnell\n\nAiden Price, Davenport\n\nAbigail Sander, Polk City\n\nNaomi Templeman, Dallas Center\n\nJonah Zimmer, Sperry\n\nUnited States Naval Academy\n\nMadison Andrews, Maysville\n\nAva Blankenship, Ankeny\n\nElla Goodrich, Adel\n\nEllie Hance, Palo\n\nEvan Kohlsdorf, Des Moines\n\nRiley Kramer, Riverdale\n\nSolene MacLean, Polk City\n\nBrigid McGowan, Sioux City\n\nQuentin Moore, Des Moines\n\nOwen Powell, Blue Grass\n\nConnor Rash, Ames\n\nTyler Tingley, Council Bluffs\n\nRyan Traynor, Urbandale\n\nConrad Yates, West Des Moines\n\nUnited States Merchant Marine Academy\n\nSean Bendinger, West Des Moines\n\nElla Goodrich, Adel\n\nGage Holub, Mt. Vernon\n\nConrad Yates, West Des Moines\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-votes-deliver-relief-iowa-farmers-secures-disaster-assistance-storm", "Feenstra Votes to Deliver Relief to Iowa Farmers, Secures Disaster Assistance for Storm-Ravaged Communities", "2024-12-20", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) issued the following statement after voting to deliver relief for Iowa farmers and secure disaster assistance for storm-ravaged communities:\n\n\u201cToday, I stood with President Trump to deliver relief for our farmers, extend the Farm Bill, and help our communities recover from this year\u2019s devastating floods and tornadoes. On my 36 County Tour, I repeatedly heard from families, farmers, and small business owners who needed support to get back on their feet \u2014 and this legislation delivers that assistance. I look forward to working with President Trump to pass our conservative budget priorities, cut wasteful spending, and make government more efficient.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/video-grassley-applauds-as-us-comes-out-on-top-in-mexico-corn-dispute", "VIDEO: Grassley Applauds as U.S. Comes Out on Top in Mexico Corn Dispute", "2024-12-20", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today welcomed a dispute panel\u2019s ruling under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to allow genetically-modified U.S. corn exports to Mexico. The panel sided with the U.S., confirming Mexico\u2019s restrictions on genetically-modified corn exports are not based in science and violate the USMCA. Mexico now has 45 days to bring its trade policies into compliance.\n\nDownload Grassley\u2019s video statement HERE.\n\nExcerpts from Grassley\u2019s statement follow:\n\n\u201cToday, the good news is this: the United States won the decision, before an independent board, that Mexico was violating the USMCA.\n\n\u201cThis is a tremendous victory for Iowa corn growers, and it\u2019s a tremendous victory for what we call decisions on international trade based on sound science, as opposed to political science.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nIn 2020, then-Mexican President Andr\u00e9s Manuel L\u00f3pez Obrador issued a decree to phase out Mexico\u2019s use of genetically-modified corn by 2024. Following Grassley\u2019s urging, the U.S. Trade Representative in 2023 officially challenged Mexico\u2019s proposed ban. Today\u2019s decision is the result of that challenge.\n\nIowa, the number one corn producer in the U.S., exports 16 million tons of corn to Mexico annually. Over 90 percent of all corn acreage in the U.S. is planted with genetically-engineered seeds.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-cantwell-bill-to-fight-opioid-epidemic-through-data-collection-passes-senate", "Grassley, Cantwell Bill to Fight Opioid Epidemic Through Data Collection Passes Senate", "2024-12-19", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) secured Senate passage of their bipartisan Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act, which provides federal grants to communities that operate overdose data collection programs, including the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP).\n\n\u201cBy expanding access to overdose data collection programs, Congress empowers local communities to face drug abuse trends head on and prevent future fatalities,\u201d Grassley said. \u201cI\u2019m proud to see the Senate unanimously pass our bipartisan legislation to identify and quickly respond to overdoses, and I urge the House to swiftly follow suit.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen responding to fentanyl overdoses, an extra minute can save a life,\u201d Cantwell said. \u201cTracking fatal and non-fatal opioid overdoses will help our first responders, law enforcement, and public health professionals better target and prevent OD spikes and surge resources to communities that need them the most.\u201d\n\nAdditional cosponsors include Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas).\n\nDownload bill text HERE.\n\nBackground:\n\nODMAP is a free, web-based platform that reports suspected fatal and non-fatal overdose events in near-real time. Local agencies can use ODMAP to identify spikes and clusters of overdoses in their communities, neighboring communities and nationwide. While ODMAP is the favored platform, the Justice Department would retain discretion in determining which data collection program is best suited for each applicant when administering grants.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/qanda-real-id", "Q&A: REAL ID", "2024-12-19", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "Q: What is REAL ID?\n\nA: Two decades ago, the 9/11 Commission issued recommendations to enhance ID verification systems following the horrific attacks in 2001 that killed thousands of Americans on U.S. soil. Its report underscored why Congress beefed up national standards, \u201cFor terrorists, travel documents are as important as weapons.\u201d The terrorists used multiple state-forms of identification to take flying lessons, board and hijack commercial aircraft used to fly into the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Congress passed the REAL ID Act to protect Americans and prevent wrongdoers from exploiting weak identification systems. President George W. Bush signed the legislation into law on May 11, 2005, establishing minimum national standards for state-issued identification cards, including driver\u2019s licenses. The law prohibits federal agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), from accepting state-issued identification cards that don\u2019t satisfy REAL ID requirements. Iowa\u2019s authenticated IDs will have a gold star in the upper right corner for verification. To access certain federal government facilities, nuclear power plants and board commercial flights in the United States, individuals will need to show REAL ID-compliant forms of identification. Applicants must provide certain identification documents to the state or territory issuing the driver\u2019s license or ID card, including an identity document; Social Security document; residency documents; and, current driver\u2019s license or ID. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the deadline for air travelers to have a REAL ID-compliant form of identification was postponed from Oct. 1, 2020 to May 7, 2025.\n\nQ: What do Iowans need to know about REAL ID?\n\nA: As we approach the end of the year, many people look forward to a fresh start in the New Year. Before tax season kicks into high gear, now is a good time to take care of other housekeeping items on your to-do list, especially if you have travel plans in 2025. International travelers ought to check the expiration of their passports. Find tips on passport renewals here. Next, check to make sure your driver\u2019s license or state-issued ID is REAL ID compliant. This December is the final holiday traveling season before the REAL ID deadline in 2025. If you plan to fly commercially after May 7, 2025, you need to make sure your state-issued ID or driver\u2019s license is REAL ID compliant for screening at TSA security checkpoints, unless you show a valid passport. Keep in mind, the Iowa Department of Transportation advises it can take up to 30 days to receive your REAL ID in the mail. Iowans do not need a REAL ID to drive, vote, visit the post office, access federal courts or apply for federal benefits.\n\nIt\u2019s advised to make an appointment in advance at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to avoid long wait times. Iowans can book an appointment online. If your license expires on or after May 7, 2025, you can schedule to obtain a replacement license or ID that\u2019s marked REAL ID compliant. Follow a checklist created by the Iowa Department of Transportation to help assemble necessary source documents to bring with you to the DMV, such as an unexpired U.S. passport, certified copy of a birth certificate or certificate of naturalization; pay stub or W-2 containing your name and Social Security Number; two documents listing current address, such as utility bill or bank statement; and, current license or ID.\n\nIn the long run, it could simplify travel plans to go ahead and get REAL ID compliant the next time you renew your driver\u2019s license. It may seem like a hassle, but remember why the law was passed in the first place. REAL ID helps verify the identification of every person who boards a commercial aircraft to better protect the flying public. The federal law also enabled states to share data across state lines to thwart fraud from one jurisdiction to the next and prevent people from obtaining multiple licenses using different identities.\n\nTSA will require REAL ID compliant driver\u2019s licenses or other approved identification, such as a U.S. Passport or U.S. Military ID, to get through its security checkpoints, starting May 7, 2025.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/senate-advances-grassley-backed-bill-to-invest-in-local-law-enforcement", "Senate Advances Grassley-Backed Bill to Invest in Local Law Enforcement", "2024-12-19", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) applauded the Senate\u2019s unanimous passage of their bipartisan Invest to Protect Act to boost local police departments\u2019 access to training, mental health support, recruitment and retention resources.\n\n\u201cMany Iowans have told me they\u2019re concerned about the low recruitment and retention rates of police officers in their communities,\u201d Grassley said. \u201cThe Senate\u2019s unanimous support for this bill will bring us one step closer to unlocking local law enforcement\u2019s access to critical resources to strengthen and grow their forces. As always, I\u2019m proud to back the blue and I\u2019ll work to protect our state\u2019s courageous officers.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe funding from this bill will help the vast majority of police departments across the country make meaningful investments in their officers and their communities,\u201d Cortez Masto said. \u201cOur police officers put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe \u2013 and for law enforcement in small suburbs, Tribes and rural areas, that stress is compounded by a lack of funding and few full-time officers. It\u2019s time we gave them a leg up and delivered them the critical resources they need.\u201d\n\nAdditional cosponsors include Sens. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.).\n\nThe bill is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Organizations and the National Sheriffs\u2019 Association.\n\nBill text is available HERE.\n\nBackground:\n\nMost police departments in the U.S. employ fewer than 200 full-time officers. In Iowa and across the country, these departments struggle to compete with larger law enforcement agencies for access to critical resources.\n\nThe Invest to Protect Act establishes a grant program through Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), setting aside $250 million to help local law enforcement agencies make meaningful investments in their officers and communities. The bill also simplifies the grant application process, reducing the application time to less than two hours so that small agencies without dedicated grant-writing staff can more easily access funding.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-votes-fund-beagle-brigade-keep-foreign-animal-disease-out-united", "Feenstra Votes to Fund Beagle Brigade to Keep Foreign Animal Disease out of the United States", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) voted for, and the U.S. House of Representatives passed, the Beagle Brigade Act.\n\n\u201cKeeping foreign animal diseases out of our country is critical to the security of Iowa agriculture and our food supply. As we\u2019ve seen with bird flu, our farmers have faced serious financial losses and uncertainty over the spread of this disease, and African Swine Fever has the potential to seriously harm our hog industry. We must continue to do everything possible to monitor, prevent, and mitigate outbreaks,\u201d said Rep. Feenstra. \u201cThat\u2019s why I voted for legislation to have the National Detector Dog Training Center train dogs \u2013 including beagles \u2013 to inspect cargo, baggage, and vehicles at our borders and detect foreign diseases that pose a significant threat to agriculture. I\u2019ll continue to work to keep foreign animal disease out of our country by passing the Farm Bill and investing in prevention and detection measures.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-secures-iowa-priorities-in-major-water-resources-package", "Grassley Secures Iowa Priorities in Major Water Resources Package", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today welcomed the Senate\u2019s overwhelmingly bipartisan passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA), a legislative package that reauthorizes key infrastructure projects to improve ports and harbors, inland waterways navigation and flood and storm protection in Iowa and across the country. The bill now heads to the president\u2019s desk to be signed into law.\n\n\u201cIowa is blessed with mighty waterways that help move our world-class goods to market and feed the world. It\u2019s vital that we protect our natural water resources while ensuring sound infrastructure to keep Iowans safe from inclement weather and flooding,\u201d Grassley said. \u201cPassing WRDA is one of the best ways Congress can do this. This authorization will deliver regional and national economic benefits, strengthen Iowa\u2019s global competitiveness and supply chains, and directly benefit local communities.\u201d\n\nGrassley secured the following water resources for Iowa:\n\nUpdates to the Cedar River flood risk management project to protect Cedar Rapids from future flooding.\n\nExpanded protections for levee districts and navigators on the Missouri River to safeguard flood control measures and ease navigation.\n\nAuthorization of an Upper Mississippi River Flood Risk and Resiliency Study to improve community flood protection.\n\nImprovements to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permitting process to ensure project efficiency.\n\nThis year\u2019s WRDA also included the Economic Development Reauthorization Act, which marks the first reauthorization of Economic Development Act (EDA) programs in twenty years. EDA programs in 2024 provided federal funding to several Iowa communities, including:\n\n$175,000 to drive local economic recovery efforts following severe storms in Southern Iowa;\n\n$681,000 to bolster regional manufacturing in Story City;\n\n$1.3 million to support infrastructure improvements and workforce growth in Cedar Rapids.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-supports-fiscal-year-2025-defense-authorization-bill", "Grassley Supports Fiscal Year 2025 Defense Authorization Bill", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today applauded Senate passage of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to support our military and fund critical national security priorities. The legislation, which includes several Grassley-backed provisions, now heads to the president\u2019s desk to be signed into law.\n\n\u201cNational security is the number one responsibility of the federal government,\u201d Grassley said. \u201cFrom investing in Iowa\u2019s military installations, to ensuring U.S. dominance on the world stage, this bill prioritizes our country\u2019s ability to keep Americans safe.\u201d\n\nDownload video of Grassley discussing the NDAA HERE.\n\nGrassley secured the following priorities in the FY25 NDAA:\n\nThe Grassley-led Destruction Initiative for Stored Precursors Overseas and Safe Enforcement (DISPOSE) Act to boost precursor chemical destruction efforts and prevent illicit opioid manufacturing.\n\nThe Grassley-led Administrative False Claims Act to strengthen efforts to target smaller, and potentially more frequent, instances of fraud against the government.\n\nThe Grassley-backed Law Enforcement and Victim Support Act to protect victims and empower law enforcements\u2019 prosecution of child abusers.\n\nA provision to require the DOD identify parts for reverse engineering, which will save taxpayer dollars, boost competition in the defense industrial base and benefit small businesses around the country.\n\nAdditional NDAA highlights include:\n\nAuthorization of federal funds to support Iowa\u2019s military installations through:\n\nConstruction of a new field maintenance shop for the Sioux City Armory;\n\nSupport for the Rock Island Arsenal\u2019s Energy Resilience and Conservation Investment Program project to provide secure, self-sufficient energy.\n\nA 4.5 percent pay raise for all service members, 14.5 percent pay raise for junior enlisted members and a 2 percent pay raise for civilian employees.\n\nFull funding for joint U.S.-Israel cooperative missile defense programs, including the Iron Dome, David\u2019s Sling and Arrow. Grassley is a firm supporter of Israel\u2019s right to self-defense.\n\nA provision prohibiting universities with Chinese Communist Party-ties from receiving DOD funding. Grassley this Congress introduced similar legislation to ban federal funding for universities hosting CCP-backed Confucius Institutes.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-votes-reauthorize-programs-teach-horrors-holocaust", "Feenstra Votes to Reauthorize Programs to Teach Horrors of the Holocaust", "2024-12-17", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) voted for, and the U.S. House of Representatives passed, the Never Again Education Reauthorization Act.\n\nThis legislation which was signed into law by President Trump in 2020 and will now be extended through Fiscal Year 2030.\n\n\u201cAs antisemitism increases across our country and around the world, it is critical that we teach the next generation of Americans about the horrors of the Holocaust. The death and destruction that occurred at the hands of the Nazis must never be forgotten,\u201d said Rep. Feenstra. \u201cI was glad to vote for the Never Again Education Reauthorization Act to ensure that we educate our children about the Holocaust and honor the lives of the more than six million victims who faced unthinkable suffering. We must never forget the lives lost and never let such a tragedy happen again.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-congratulates-senator-chris-cournoyer-appointment-iowas-lieutenant", "Feenstra Congratulates Senator Chris Cournoyer on Appointment as Iowa\u2019s Lieutenant Governor", "2024-12-16", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "HULL, IOWA \u2014 Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) issued the following statement congratulating State Senator Chris Cournoyer on her appointment as Lieutenant Governor of Iowa:\n\n\u201cI extend my congratulations to my friend \u2014 Chris Cournoyer \u2014 on her appointment as Lieutenant Governor of Iowa. Lieutenant Governor Cournoyer and I worked closely in the Iowa Senate to grow our economy and advance our conservative values. I know that she will be a phenomenal partner to Governor Reynolds and advocate for Iowa\u2019s families, farmers, businesses, and our communities.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/capitol-hill-report-12-16-24", "Capitol Hill Report, 12-16-24", "2024-12-16", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "Senator Grassley's weekly Capitol Hill Report can be found HERE.\n\nTopics include: Lame duck priorities, Farm Bill extension, used cooking oil imports, Senate Judiciary hearing on sports betting, drones and Jim Leach.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-ernst-press-epa-on-used-cooking-oil-imports", "Grassley, Ernst Press EPA on Used Cooking Oil Imports", "2024-12-13", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Finance and Agriculture Committees, joined Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and bipartisan colleagues in demanding answers from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding its process for verifying the authenticity of used cooking oil (UCO) imports.\n\nGrassley and colleagues in June first probed EPA, along with Customs and Border Protection (CBP), about the validity of UCO imports in light of a massive year-over-year imports increase. In response to Congress, Senior CBP official Troy Miller admitted CBP considers UCO as \u201cpure\u201d even when commingled with virgin vegetable oil, such as palm oil. Based on this admission, the senators are slamming EPA\u2019s existing verification process as \u201cmeaningless.\u201d\n\n\u201cWithout a robust verification process, the credibility of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is at risk, and American farmers are likely missing out on key market opportunities. For example, through August, the U.S. has imported a historic 3.2 billion pounds of UCO in 2024 according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This is enough product to displace approximately 270 million bushels of soybeans,\u201d the senators wrote.\n\n\u201cAmerican farmers should not continue paying the price of an inadequate and incomplete foreign feedstock verification system,\u201d they concluded.\n\nThe letter was cosigned by Sens. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.).\n\nRead the senators\u2019 letter HERE.\n\nBackground:\n\nAs a longtime advocate of homegrown energy, Grassley is spearheading several additional initiatives to support U.S. biofuel feedstock producers, including:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/qanda-federal-disaster-tax-relief", "Q&A: Federal Disaster Tax Relief", "2024-12-13", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "Q: What tax relief measures will help Iowans impacted by natural disasters get back on their feet?\n\nA: Congress recently passed disaster tax relief legislation that will give eligible taxpayers a break on their federal tax bill. It allows for individuals impacted by a natural disaster in an area that received a major presidential disaster declaration \u2013 from December 2020 up to 60 days after enactment, as long as the disaster occurred on or before the date of enactment \u2013 to deduct personal casualty losses, to the extent they exceed $500 per casualty. The deduction is available to those who don\u2019t itemize their taxes and may be claimed in addition to the standard federal deduction. Impacted Iowans should consult their tax advisors about whether they qualify to take advantage of this relief. As a member of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, I was glad to support this tax relief proposal to help Iowans who suffered financial hardship through no fault of their own. In addition to visiting impacted communities, I keep in touch with residents, farmers, business owners and civic leaders as local communities across our state have worked hard to recover and rebuild from natural disasters.\n\nQ: Which impacted counties in Iowa qualify for the federal disaster tax relief credit?\n\nA: Iowans living in a county that received a major presidential disaster declaration from December 2020 up through 60 days after enactment, as long as the disaster occurred on or before the date of enactment of the law, will qualify for the federal disaster relief tax credit. To date, Iowa has received five major presidential disaster declarations during this time frame, including the following:\n\n\u2022 Winter 2021. The first-ever derecho in December anywhere in the U.S. delivered severe thunderstorms and the most EF-2/F-2 or stronger tornadoes in a single day in Iowa since 1950. The following counties were included in a qualified disaster area: Appanoose, Audubon, Buena Vista, Calhoun, Cass, Cherokee, Davis, Emmet, Floyd, Franklin, Greene, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hancock, Howard, Humboldt, Mills, Mitchell, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Sac, Van Buren, Webster, Worth, and Wright.\n\n\u2022 Spring 2023. Major to moderate flooding impacted much of the Upper Mississippi River Valley from April 24 to May 13, 2023. The following counties were in a qualified disaster area: Allamakee, Clayton, Des Moines, Dubuque, Jackson, Lee and Scott.\n\n\u2022 Spring 2024. April 26-27, 2024. At least 19 tornadoes swept across several counties, damaging homes and business across the region. The following counties were in a qualified disaster area: Clarke, Crawford, Harrison, Mills, Polk, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Shelby, Union.\n\n\u2022 May 20-31, 2024. Torrential rainfall, damaging winds and hail leading to widespread tree damage and power outages; EF-4 tornado damage in Greenfield; EF-3 damage in Adams County; EF-2 damage in Polk and Story Counties. The following counties were in a qualified disaster area: Adair, Adams, Buena Vista, Butler, Calhoun, Cedar, Cherokee, Clay, Dallas, Franklin, Hamilton, Hancock, Harrison, Humboldt, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Kossuth, Marshall, Mitchell, Montgomery, Muscatine, Polk, Pottawattamie, Poweshiek, Shelby, Story, Tama, Wright.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-joins-doge-caucus-cut-reckless-government-spending-and-restore-fiscal", "Feenstra Joins DOGE Caucus to Cut Reckless Government Spending and Restore Fiscal Sanity", "2024-12-12", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 This week, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) formally joined the Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus, which will work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut reckless government spending, eliminate burdensome government regulations, and reduce our $36-trillion national debt.\n\n\u201cFor decades, the federal government has borrowed trillions of dollars and spent recklessly driving inflation through the roof and our country further into debt. To protect our children and grandchildren from inheriting an unstoppable debt crisis, we need to get serious about balancing our federal budget, cutting waste in government, and reversing the rapid growth of our national debt,\u201d said Rep. Feenstra. \u201cI\u2019m glad to join the DOGE Caucus to pinpoint savings for taxpayers and eliminate unnecessary regulations so that we can grow our economy and get our country on a path towards fiscal sanity. As a strong, fiscal conservative, I came to Congress to get our debt under control, lower costs for our families, and stop wasteful government spending \u2013 and that\u2019s exactly what I\u2019ll continue to do.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases/icymi-hinson-presses-dc-mayor-bowser-house-appropriations-hearing", "ICYMI: Hinson Presses DC Mayor Bowser in House Appropriations Hearing", "2024-12-12", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Ashley Hinson", "H001091", "hinson.house.gov", "hinson", "https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. - Rep. Ashley Hinson (IA-02) pressed D.C. Mayor, Muriel Bowser, on soft-on-crime policies in D.C., enforcing immigration laws, and the importance of ensuring federal bureaucrats return to work in-person. Watch highlights below, and listen to Rep. Hinson's interview on WMAL here.\n\nDuring her first line of questioning, Rep. Hinson pressed Mayor Bowser on how soft-on-crime policies negatively impact public safety and local law enforcement. Watch the full exchange here.\n\nDuring her second line of questioning, Rep. Hinson pressed Mayor Bowser on complying with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer orders. Bowser agreed to comply while under oath. Watch the full exchange here.\n\nRep. Hinson closed with concerns that D.C. Statehood is a ploy by Democrats to gain full control of Congress, stack the Supreme Court, and enact a radical policy agenda. Watch her remarks here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://nunn.house.gov/2024/12/12/nunn-amendment-included-in-national-defense-package/", "Nunn Amendment Included in National Defense Package", "2024-12-12", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Zachary Nunn", "N000193", "nunn.house.gov", "nunn", "https://nunn.house.gov/category/news/press-releases/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 The U.S. House of Representatives passed the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes Representative Zach Nunn\u2019s (IA-03) priorities to support military servicemembers and protect national security.\n\n\u201cAmerica is the land of the free and home of the brave because of the men and women who serve in uniform,\u201d said Rep. Nunn. \u201cAs a twenty-year combat veteran and current Colonel in the Air Force, I\u2019m committed to protecting our national security. That means securing our Southern Border, stopping China in its tracks, bolstering our allies, and supporting our men and women in uniform throughout their career. This bill is a win for national security, a win for our troops, and a win for the future of our nation.\u201d\n\nThe final package includes Rep. Nunn\u2019s proposal to create a strategic partnership between the Defense Innovation Unit and the Israeli Ministry of Defense to streamline access to emerging technologies for the U.S. and our allies. The legislation also includes landmark investments in servicemember quality of life, border security, and deterring Chinese aggression:\n\nProvides junior enlisted servicemembers with a 14.5% pay raise.\n\nSupports the deployment of National Guard at our Southern Border to intercept illegal aliens and drugs.\n\nIncludes dozens of sections that address PRC security threats and economic security issues.\n\nPrevents Chinese espionage in our military, supply chains, and research institutions.\n\nExpands U.S.-Israel military exercises and fully fund cooperative missile defense programs.\n\nIncreases funding for U.S. defense initiatives in the Indo-Pacific to bolster Taiwan\u2019s defense and support Indo-Pacific allies.\n\nSaves $31 billion by cutting inefficient programs, obsolete weapons, and bloated Pentagon bureaucracy.\n\nCounters antisemitism by prohibiting sale of goods at Department of Defense commissaries and exchanges from any entities that have or are engaged in a boycott of Israel.\n\nThe bill now awaits consideration in the Senate.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-hassan-seek-to-shine-light-on-opioid-makers-financial-conflicts-of-interest", "Grassley, Hassan Seek to Shine Light on Opioid Makers\u2019 Financial Conflicts of Interest", "2024-12-12", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) today introduced bipartisan legislation to make public pharmaceutical and device manufacturers\u2019 financial relationships with tax-exempt patient advocacy groups. The Open Payments Expansion Act builds on Grassley\u2019s 2020 investigative report, which found opioid and medical device manufacturers paid $65 million to tax-exempt entities that drove up sales and downplayed risks of addiction.\n\n\u201cPatient advocacy is a noble cause, but pharmaceutical donors can manipulate well-intentioned organizations into Trojan horses for bad policy and dishonest marketing. By requiring opioid manufacturers to disclose their payments to nonprofit organizations, our legislation provides much-needed accountability and transparency,\u201d said Grassley.\n\n\u201cOne of the many ways that Big Pharma fueled the opioid crisis was through secretly funneling money to nonprofit advocacy groups \u2013 and then those groups at times promoted the use of opioids, despite the increasingly clear risks of addiction,\u201d said Hassan. \u201cAt the very least, the American people deserve to know when Big Pharma tries to wield its influence through others. Passing our bipartisan bill would significantly improve transparency, and I urge our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it.\u201d\n\nDownload bill text HERE.\n\nBackground:\n\nAs then-Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Grassley and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) recommended expanding CMS\u2019s Open Payments database after exposing a decades-long trend of massive payments from opioid manufactures to nonprofit advocacy organizations. Grassley has also led legislation to require drug and medical device companies to disclose payments to nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other health care professionals, which was added in the 2018 SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-votes-historic-pay-raise-us-troops", "Feenstra Votes for Historic Pay Raise for U.S. Troops", "2024-12-11", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) issued the following statement after voting for the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which delivers a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted troops and a 4.5% for all other servicemembers:\n\n\u201cIn our increasingly dangerous world, we must always ensure that the U.S. military remains the most feared and lethal fighting force the world has ever known. China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, terrorist groups, and other evil forces will stop at nothing to destabilize our country and sow chaos across the globe. We can\u2019t let them gain an inch.\n\nThat\u2019s why I voted for the National Defense Authorization Act to counter this new Axis of Evil, support our allies like Israel, and invest in our troops and their families. Among many provisions, this legislation delivers historic pay raises for our military \u2013 14.5% for junior enlisted troops and 4.5% for all other servicemembers \u2013 and supports new military housing and childcare facilities. It also bans radical DEI initiatives in our military, prohibits the teaching of Critical Race Theory at military schools, and requires the Department of Defense to report to Congress on military cooperation between China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran.\n\nOur troops and their families make incredible sacrifices so that we can all enjoy the freedoms and liberties that make the United States the greatest country on Earth. As a proud American, I will always support our servicemembers and military families \u2013 working to ensure that they have the resources that they need to succeed.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases/hinson-statement-fy25-ndaa", "Hinson Statement on FY25 NDAA", "2024-12-11", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Ashley Hinson", "H001091", "hinson.house.gov", "hinson", "https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (IA-02) released the following statement in support of the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).\n\n\"The FY25 NDAA invests in our national security and our servicemembers while cutting woke DEI initiatives and slashing unnecessary bureaucracy that wastes time and compromises our readiness. This legislation includes a well-deserved pay raise for servicemembers and prioritizes deterrence amid increased aggression from adversaries like China and Iran under President Biden. I look forward to working with President Trump to further safeguard our national security, support our troops, and reinstate U.S. global leadership.\" - Congresswoman Ashley Hinson\n\nBackground:\n\nThe FY25 NDAA:\n\nAuthorizes a 4.5% increase in pay for all servicemembers \u2013 including a 14.5% raise for junior enlisted servicemembers \u2013 and additional quality of life improvements for servicemembers and their families.\n\nEnhances deterrence in the Indo-Pacific by authorizing $15.6 billion for defenses and reaffirming our support of our ally, Taiwan.\n\nCounters national security threats from our adversaries and fight state sponsors of terror including Iran, Afghanistan and the Taliban, North Korea, and Russia.\n\nSupports law enforcement operations at our southwest border and increasing funding by $10 million for DoD counter-narcotic activities.\n\nCuts unnecessary Pentagon bureaucracy, reforms DoD's acquisition processes, and cuts underperforming military programs.\n\nBuilds on efforts to dismantle the radical woke ideology within the DoD by gutting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-on-wray-resignation", "Grassley Statement on Wray Resignation", "2024-12-11", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) issued the following statement regarding Christopher Wray\u2019s stated intention to resign as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), just two days after Grassley publicly urged Wray to \u201cmove on\u201d for the good of the country.\n\n\u201cWray\u2019s departure is an opportunity for a new era of transparency and accountability at the FBI. Future FBI Directors ought to learn a lesson from Wray\u2019s mistakes. Stonewalling Congress, breaking promises, applying double standards and turning your back on whistleblowers is no longer going to cut it.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-praises-passage-legislation-provide-disabled-veterans-free-tsa", "Feenstra Praises Passage of Legislation to Provide Disabled Veterans with Free TSA PreCheck", "2024-12-10", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) praised passage of the VETS Safe Travel Act, which would make disabled veterans eligible for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) PreCheck Program at no cost.\n\n\u201cAs grateful Americans, it is critical that we provide our veterans with the benefits that they have earned and deserve. From high-quality healthcare to other helpful resources, I believe that we should jump at every opportunity to give back to our nation\u2019s heroes,\u201d said Rep. Feenstra. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m glad that the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation to give our disabled veterans free TSA PreCheck \u2013 a well-deserved convenience when traveling through our airports. Our veterans have made incredible sacrifices in defense of our nation, and this is just one small way that we can show our appreciation to these heroes and their families.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases/hinson-announces-new-chief-staff-0", "Hinson Announces New Chief of Staff", "2024-12-10", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Ashley Hinson", "H001091", "hinson.house.gov", "hinson", "https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Ashley Hinson announced that Sophie Seid, her current Deputy Chief of Staff, will take over the role of Chief of Staff for the 119th Congress. Sophie helped launch Hinson\u2019s office in 2021 as Communications Director before serving as her Deputy Chief of Staff. Prior to working for Hinson, Sophie worked on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Hinson\u2019s current Chief of Staff, Sam Pritchard, will remain in an advisory role throughout this transition.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m thrilled that Sophie will take on the new role of Chief of Staff and lead our team. She has been a trusted advisor for years, and shares my passion for serving Iowans. She will help me carry out my mission of restoring fiscal responsibility, improving safety and security, and advocating for rural Iowa while providing the best possible customer service to constituents.\u201d -Congresswoman Ashley Hinson\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases/miller-meeks-introduces-va-bill-increasing-veterans-access-high-cost", "Miller-Meeks Introduces VA Bill Increasing Veterans Access to High-Cost Medication", "2024-12-10", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Mariannette Miller-Meeks", "M001215", "millermeeks.house.gov", "millermeeks", "https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 Today Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01) introduced the Providing Veterans Essential Medications Act, legislation that increases access to costly medications out of reach for severely disabled veterans in State Veterans Homes. Currently, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) does not pay State Veterans Homes for high-cost medications for severely disabled veterans, which are covered outside the facility.\n\n\u201cAs a 24-year veteran and physician, it is critical to increase access to life-saving medication for our veterans,\u201d said Rep. Miller-Meeks. \u201cOur bill would mandate the VA reimburse State Veterans Homes for the cost of expensive medications \u2013 or furnish them - so veterans can continue to receive the care they need and deserve.\u201d\n\nSince the passage of the PACT act, there has been a significant increase in the number of veterans adjudicated as being severely disabled. For these veterans, VA pays a per diem but doesn\u2019t pay the State Veterans Homes for the cost of extremely high-cost medications which often cost the homes more than VA is paying (sometimes more than $1000 a day). These high-cost medications are often revolutionary cancer drugs that help significantly lengthen the lives and quality of life of our nation\u2019s most deserving.\n\nBackground:\n\nThe Providing Veterans Essential Medications Act would fix this problem. When a severely disabled veteran requires high-cost medications, the bill would require VA to either pay for the medications or furnish them directly to the State Veterans Homes. The bill would encourage States Veterans Homes to grow and provide care to our most severely disabled veterans.\n\nRep. Miller-Meeks has used her position as Chairwoman of the Committee on Veterans Affairs\u2019 Subcommittee on Health to hold hearings and spotlight critical issues such as substance use disorder, care coordination, and emerging mental health therapies, among many others. She has also sponsored pivotal legislation that would improve access to residential rehabilitation treatment programs, expand long-term care options, and increase the availability of non-opioid pain management medications.\n\nState Veterans Homes give states the opportunity to provide housing and medical care to our nation\u2019s veterans while relieving pressure from an often-overwhelmed Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) system. To help support these facilities, Congress has authorized programs that repay states for some of the care provided.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-on-ig-review-of-doj-congressional-records-collection", "Grassley on IG Review of DOJ Congressional Records Collection", "2024-12-10", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), today issued a statement on the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General (DOJ OIG) report regarding DOJ\u2019s covert collection of congressional members and staffers\u2019 communications records, including former members of his own investigative staff. Grassley last year urged DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz to \u201cleave no stone unturned\u201d in his review of DOJ congressional surveillance.\n\n\u201cHere we go again. As I warned years ago with DOJ\u2019s rampant FISA abuses during Crossfire Hurricane, DOJ\u2019s snooping has the real potential to chill congressional oversight and violate civil liberties. Today\u2019s OIG report proves my point and paints a clearer picture of DOJ\u2019s bad faith conduct. The report demonstrates how DOJ withheld information from individuals impacted by agency surveillance, without legitimate basis for doing so. It also demonstrates how DOJ used boilerplate language to renew these gag orders and, in one case, even after they had already determined the subject likely had nothing to do with the leaks in question. Lastly, it shows DOJ secured broad authorizations for records collections \u2013 allowing it to scoop up information from a wide range of bipartisan members, staffers and news media, while failing to comply with all internal policy.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s plain to see DOJ overstepped its authority here. The Justice Department ought to learn from its mistakes and accept accountability, because Congress won\u2019t accept any less. The incoming Trump administration must take steps to ensure these problems, which were driven by career attorneys at the Justice Department, are fixed.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/capitol-hill-report-12-09-24", "Capitol Hill Report, 12-09-24", "2024-12-09", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "Senator Grassley's weekly Capitol Hill Report can be found HERE.\n\nTopics include: FBI\u2019s failures, presidential spending, nominee meetings, government appropriations, Farm Bill and the Senate calendar.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-expresses-vote-of-no-confidence-in-director-wray-deputy-director-abbates-continued-leadership-at-fbi", "Grassley Expresses \u2018Vote of No Confidence\u2019 in Director Wray, Deputy Director Abbate\u2019s Continued Leadership at FBI", "2024-12-09", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is calling on FBI Director Christopher Wray, as well as Deputy Director Paul Abbate, to accept accountability for their failed leadership at the Bureau.\n\nIn a letter sent today to Director Wray, Grassley detailed how Wray has \u201cfailed in [the] fundamental duties as director.\u201d These failures include:\n\n\u201cThese failures,\u201d Grassley wrote, \u201care serious enough and their pattern widespread enough to have shattered my confidence in your leadership and the confidence and hope many others in Congress placed in you.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-on-meeting-with-kash-patel", "Grassley Statement on Meeting with Kash Patel", "2024-12-09", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) issued the following statement regarding his meeting today with Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump\u2019s pick to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The meeting follows Grassley\u2019s letter this morning expressing his \u2018vote of no confidence\u2019 in current FBI Director Christopher Wray.\n\n\u201cTransparency ought to be the North Star of government. Over the past several years, that principle has been thrown out the window of the J. Edgar Hoover Building\u2019s seventh floor. Today I reminded Kash that transparency brings accountability, and it\u2019s badly needed at the FBI. As a former congressional investigator himself, Kash understands that cooperation with Congress is not optional and whistleblower protection is essential. Once formally nominated, I\u2019d look forward to holding a hearing on Kash\u2019s nomination in the Senate Judiciary Committee.\u201d\n\nDownload photo HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases/hinson-honors-ernest-topness-65-years-service-cedar-rapids", "Hinson Honors Ernest Topness for 65 Years of Service in Cedar Rapids", "2024-12-07", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Ashley Hinson", "H001091", "hinson.house.gov", "hinson", "https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "\"I rise today to recognize Mr. Ernest Topness for his distinguished and impactful career serving both our nation and the people of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.\n\nMr. Topness, known by many as Ernie, first joined the United States Postal Service in 1959 after serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.\n\nErnie delivered mail in Cedar Rapids for 65 years, making connections and building friendship with those on his route.\n\nErnie\u2019s dedication is unmatched. When others would sit out a snow day or call in sick, he was always known to show up.\n\nAt the age of 91, Ernie recently retired as the second-longest-serving mail carrier in the United States.\n\nMr. Topness, your legacy is one of unwavering dedication and inspiring service.\n\nWe wish you all the best in your well-deserved retirement.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-backs-legislation-teach-dangers-communism-classroom", "Feenstra Backs Legislation to Teach Dangers of Communism in the Classroom", "2024-12-06", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) voted for the Crucial Communism Teaching Act, which would direct the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation to create a curriculum to educate high school students about the dangers and history of communism.\n\n\u201cAccording to recent statistics, nearly one third of America\u2019s youth hold a favorable opinion of communism and nearly twenty percent believe that communism is better than capitalism. These alarming findings cannot be the norm for future generations of Americans if we want our country to succeed and prosper,\u201d said Rep. Feenstra. \u201cI voted for the Crucial Communism Teaching Act to push back against the spread of this dangerous ideology in our schools and educate our children about communism\u2019s ugly past.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-requests-runway-and-ramp-projects-185th-air-refueling-wing-be", "Feenstra Requests Runway and Ramp Projects at 185th Air Refueling Wing Be Included in Future Years Defense Program", "2024-12-05", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) led a letter to Acting Director of the Air National Guard, Major General Duke Pirak, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin requesting that ongoing runway and ramp projects at the 185th Air Refueling Wing (ARW) in Sioux City be included in the Future Years Defense Program (FYDP).\n\nHouse and Senate members representing Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota all cosigned Feenstra\u2019s letter. This included all 6 members of Iowa\u2019s congressional delegation.\n\n\u201cThe 185th Air Refueling Wing is critical to our economy, our region, and our national security. Nearly 900 airmen work around the clock to support our military and ensure that the KC-135 refueling tankers housed at the base operate properly,\u201d said Rep. Feenstra. \u201cThe 185th is currently spearheading projects to strengthen runway and ramp resilience so that the KC-135s can take off and land more efficiently and safely. Alongside my colleagues in the Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota delegations, I am leading the charge to request that the runway and ramp projects at the 185th be included in the Future Years Defense Program and make these initiatives eligible for needed funding through completion.\u201d\n\nThe full letter can be found HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/qanda-presidential-nominations", "Q&A: Presidential Nominations", "2024-12-05", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "Q: How does the nominations process work following a presidential election?\n\nA: Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution grants the president the power to nominate individuals to certain positions outlined in the Constitution or created by federal law. During the time between a presidential election in November and inauguration in January, a president-elect makes consequential decisions to assemble a team of advisors and high-level government officials. While a president can hire White House advisors on his own, key roles charged with implementing laws passed by Congress generally require Senate confirmation. Thousands of positions spanning federal departments and independent agencies are submitted to the U.S. Senate for its constitutional authority of Advice and Consent, a vital lever in our system of checks and balances. During the Eisenhower administration, a first-ever list of presidentially appointed positions was created to inform President-elect Eisenhower which positions he would be responsible for filling. While officially called the \u201cUnited States Government Policy and Supporting Positions,\u201d the directory is more commonly known as the Plum Book, so-called for the color of its book jacket. Since 1960, the book has been published after every presidential election. Beginning in 2012, the U.S. Government Publishing Office made the publication available online. Legislative updates designed to improve transparency and add search-friendly tools to the online federal directory were enacted in 2022 and maintained by the Office of Personnel Management.\n\nWhen the presidency changes political hands, the transition team has its work cut out to assemble and vet a lengthy list of nominees, starting with key Cabinet assignments across the executive branch; ambassadors; U.S. Attorneys; and, top jobs leading independent agencies, such as NASA; as well as regulatory entities, such as the Federal Trade Commission and Securities Exchange Commission. Presidential appointments that require the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate take extra elbow grease to thoroughly vet and prepare nominees for the confirmation process. The nominee must be able to withstand intense public scrutiny by the media and answer questions by committee members during confirmation hearings. Being asked to serve the American people on behalf of the president is among the nation\u2019s highest honors. It requires personal sacrifice, often earning less pay than in the private sector and setting privacy aside for public service.\n\nHaving a top-notch team of citizen-leaders in place enables the president to enact his agenda and keep promises made to the American people. In the first days of his presidency, Thomas Jefferson observed how the nominations process could make or break his administration: \u201cThere is nothing I am so anxious about as good nominations\u2026conscious that the merit as well as reputation of an administration depends as much on [nominations] as on its measures.\u201d In The Federalist Papers, Alexander Hamilton warned against the feeble execution of the government, \u201c...a government ill executed, whatever it may be in theory, must be, in practice, a bad government.\u201d The Founding Fathers appreciated the importance of having a talented team of highly qualified citizen-leaders to carry out the mission of the chief executive the American people elected. This practice stands the test of time, from the first to the 47th president in our nation\u2019s history.\n\nQ: What is your approach to the confirmation process?\n\nA: President-elect Trump and his transition team have been hard at work preparing to take office on Jan. 20, 2025. As one of 100 U.S. Senators, I\u2019ll roll up my sleeves to consider the slate of nominees he sends to the Senate for advice and consent. As incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I will lead confirmation hearings for nominees who fall under the jurisdiction of this committee, such as the U.S. Attorney General. Being nominated by the president, particularly for a high-profile Cabinet position, requires nominees do their homework. Nominees often meet one-on-one with senators to become acquainted with individual members. Those meetings give me a chance to speak personally with them about their priorities while I advocate for our state and the needs of Iowans. Nominees also must fill out lengthy questionnaires and can expect tough questions at their confirmation hearings. I take the confirmation process one step at a time. Whether a Republican or Democrat administration, my policy is to withhold final judgment on nominees until after the confirmation hearings.\n\nOur constitutional process helps foster public confidence in government to help ensure top government positions are filled by qualified citizen-leaders. In 1883, Congress passed the Pendleton Act to end political patronage and establish a merit-based system for federal workers. More than eight decades later, federal anti-nepotism laws were passed during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration to strengthen public confidence that top jobs are based on merit, not blood lines. Ultimately, presidential nominees must prove they\u2019re ready, able and willing to faithfully execute laws passed by Congress and effectively carry out government services on behalf of the American people.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-leads-community-demanding-us-coast-guard-continue-investing-missouri", "Feenstra Leads Community in Demanding the U.S. Coast Guard Continue Investing in the Missouri River", "2024-12-04", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) led a letter to U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Captain Andrew Bender urging the USCG to reconsider its decision to remove 36 Aids to Navigation (ATONs) on the Missouri River north of Blencoe, Iowa and to continue infrastructure investments in the Missouri River.\n\nEight lawmakers and 53 local businesses, organizations, and leaders supported Feenstra\u2019s letter.\n\n\u201cThe Missouri River is critical to economic development across Western Iowa and supports the timely transportation of manufactured goods and agricultural products both within the United States and internationally. Iowa farmers, businesses, and manufacturers rely on the Missouri River to ship their goods and serve their customers. However, the U.S. Coast Guard\u2019s decision to remove 36 ATONs on the Missouri River threatens our region\u2019s economic vitality and cuts off trade along this important waterway,\u201d said Rep. Feenstra. \u201cAlongside eight of my colleagues, 53 supporting organizations, businesses, local leaders, and Governor Reynolds, I am calling on the USCG to keep these ATONs in place and continue investing in the Missouri River. Many projects are already in motion to improve utilization of the Missouri River \u2013 including the new barge terminal project in Sioux City \u2013 and this decision by the USCG ignores the economic growth already happening because of the Missouri River. We must maintain navigation up and down the Missouri River not just for the vitality of our businesses but for the future growth of our region and the long-term success of our communities. I am an avid supporter of our inland waterways, especially the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, because the ability to ship Iowa made products around the world relies on a functional river system.\u201d\n\nThe congressional letter can be found HERE and the local letter can be found HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases/miller-meeks-oskaloosa-pharmacist-call-passage-key-pbm-reforms", "Miller-Meeks, Oskaloosa Pharmacist Call for Passage of Key PBM Reforms", "2024-12-04", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Mariannette Miller-Meeks", "M001215", "millermeeks.house.gov", "millermeeks", "https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Background: H.R. 6283 \u2013 DRUG Act\n\n\u2022 Bans \u2018spread pricing,\u2019 when a PBM charges the health plan more than they paid for a medicine;\n\n\u2022 Prohibits PBMs from paying affiliated pharmacies more than independent community pharmacies for the same services; and\n\n\u2022 Bans \u2018patient steering,\u2019 when a PBM encourages or requires patients to use its affiliated pharmacies instead of a pharmacy that is most convenient for them.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/capitol-hill-report-12-04-24", "Capitol Hill Report, 12-04-24", "2024-12-04", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "Senator Grassley's weekly Capitol Hill Report can be found HERE.\n\nTopics include: U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Department of Government Efficiency, Farm Bill extension, Director of FBI, U.S. corn exports to Colombia and 2025 legislative goals.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases/hinson-bill-combat-chinas-trade-crimes-protect-american-workers-passes-house", "Hinson Bill to Combat China's Trade Crimes & Protect American Workers Passes House", "2024-12-03", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Ashley Hinson", "H001091", "hinson.house.gov", "hinson", "https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "\"Thank you, M. Speaker:\n\nI rise today in support of my bill, the Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act.\n\nThis bill puts American industry, manufacturing, and workers first.\n\nFor decades, companies operating under the control of the Chinese Communist Party in the People\u2019s Republic of China have systematically violated U.S. trade laws.\n\nThe CCP\u2019s illicit trade practices, including duty evasion, transshipment, market flooding, forced labor, and fraud are deliberately designed to take advantage of American workers and businesses \u2013 lowering wages, forcing manufacturers to close their doors, and gutting rural manufacturing towns.\n\nFor example, the Select Committee on China uncovered trade fraud by Chinese auto manufacturer, Qingdao Sunsong.\n\nSunsong was using transshipment to evade U.S. tariffs, forcing an Illinois company to lay off a quarter of their workforce.\n\nSunsong is far from the only Chinese company taking action to exploit our trade system to bolster China\u2019s non-market economy, crippling American industry and manufacturing, threatening workers\u2019 wages and livelihoods, and enabling slave labor.\n\nBut despite the sheer volume of trade-related crime, the Department of Justice remains inadequately equipped to effectively detect, investigate, and prosecute such offenses.\n\nWhile tariffs are one tool in our toolkit to level the playing field, we also must enforce our trade laws and hold China accountable for repeated violations that have a catastrophic impact on American workers and industry.\n\nBy strengthening the Trump\u2019s DOJ\u2019s ability to detect and prosecute international trade crimes, my bipartisan bill will ensure that Communist China and other perpetrators are criminally liable for illicit activity and that penalties are enforced.\n\nThis will help reshore domestic manufacturing and provide opportunities for American workers.\n\nI am proud to have the support of China Select Committee Chairman Moolenaar and Ranking Member Krishnamoorthi on this bill and deeply appreciate their collaboration. I also want to thank Chairman Jim Jordan and Ranking Member Jerry Nadler for their support of this key bill.\n\nI urge my colleagues to support this legislation and support American workers. Thank you, and I yield back.\"\n\nBackground:\n\nCompanies based in the People\u2019s Republic of China (PRC) frequently commit crimes violating U.S. trade laws, including trade fraud, duty evasion, and transshipment, which benefit the PRC\u2019s non-market economy and undermine U.S. companies and workers. Countless Americans have lost their jobs due to this criminal activity. Despite the large volume of trade crime-related cases, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has under-resourced its prosecution of these crimes.\n\nHinson's Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act has garnered robust support and now awaits action in the Senate. This legislation will:\n\nEstablish a new task force or similar structure within the DOJ\u2019s Criminal Division to investigate and prosecute trade-related crimes.\n\nEnhance nationwide responses to trade-related offenses by providing training and technical assistance to other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, expanding investigations and prosecutions, and allowing for parallel criminal and civil enforcement actions.\n\nRequire the Attorney General to submit an annual report to Congress assessing the DOJ\u2019s efforts, statistics on trade-related crimes, and fund utilization.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-on-meeting-with-attorney-general-nominee-pam-bondi", "Grassley Statement on Meeting with Attorney General Nominee Pam Bondi", "2024-12-02", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), incoming Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement regarding his meeting today with Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald Trump\u2019s nominee to be the next Attorney General.\n\n\u201cPam Bondi is a well-qualified nominee with an impressive legal career, including eight years as Attorney General of the State of Florida and nearly two decades spent as a prosecutor. Bondi is prepared to refocus the Justice Department (DOJ)\u2019s attention where it ought to be: on enforcing the law and protecting Americans\u2019 safety.\n\n\u201cIn my years conducting oversight of government weaponization and abuse, I\u2019ve found that the Justice Department is often the first to stand in Congress\u2019 way when it\u2019s seeking answers. It\u2019s time the DOJ prioritize transparency and recommit itself to blind justice, unlike what we\u2019ve seen over the last four years. To achieve this, Bondi will need to show unfailing support for whistleblowers, demonstrate respect for the DOJ Office of Inspector General\u2019s independent oversight and commit to working with Congress to shed light on the Biden administration\u2019s weaponization of the DOJ.\n\n\u201cThe Judiciary Committee will move swiftly to consider her nomination when the 119th Congress convenes in January.\u201d\n\nDownload photos HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-miller-meeks-introduces-legislation-extend-biofuel-tax-credit-lower-energy", "Rep. Miller-Meeks Introduces Legislation to Extend Biofuel Tax Credit, Lower Energy Cost", "2024-11-08", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Mariannette Miller-Meeks", "M001215", "millermeeks.house.gov", "millermeeks", "https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington DC \u2013 U.S. Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01) and Sharice Davids (KS-03) introduced legislation to extend the Second-Generation Biofuel Producer Tax Credit, which will protect biofuels production in the Midwest and across the country.\n\n\u201cIowa\u2019s biofuels production fuels the country and powers our economy,\u201d said Rep. Miller -Meeks. \u201cIowa producers need market certainty to continue producing affordable, low-emissions forms of energy. I am thankful for Rep. David's collaboration on this commonsense, bipartisan bill which will lower energy costs and promote the production of biofuels right here in the Midwest, and I look forward to seeing this bill progress through the legislative process.\u201d\n\n\"Federal incentives for biofuels are only good enough if our farmers and producers have certainty.\u201d Said Rep. Sharice Davids. I\u2019ve consistently urged the Biden administration to publish new rules for biofuel producers to take advantage of what Congress has passed into law, and I\u2019ll continue to push for the guidance to be finalized. In the meantime, I\u2019m proud to work across the aisle with Rep. Miller-Meeks to ensure stability in the biofuels market and keep costs low for Kansans.\u201d\n\n\u201cCellulosic biofuel producers have been anxiously awaiting guidance from the Treasury Department on the new 45Z clean fuel producer tax credit that is supposed to take effect just two months from now. But with 2025 just around the corner, Treasury has not yet proposed regulations to implement the 45Z credit and there is no clarity on the timeline or path forward.\u201d Said Geoff Cooper, President and CEO, Renewable Fuels Association. \u201cBy extending the existing tax credit for second-generation biofuels by one year, this legislation provides marketplace certainty and allows for a smooth transition to the new tax credit regime. We applaud Reps. Miller-Meeks and Davids for taking bipartisan action to protect the market for cellulosic ethanol made from grain fiber, which is the lowest-cost, lowest-carbon liquid fuel available in the marketplace today.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nCertain second-generation biofuels producers who are registered with the IRS and meet the environmental standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency may be eligible for up to $1.01 per gallon tax credit for the fuel produced. The second-generation biofuel producer tax credit is set to expire at the end of 2024.\n\nThe 45Z clean fuel production credit is a \u201ctechnology-neutral\u201d credit set to take effect in 2025. However, without issued guidance from the Treasury Department on eligibility requirements for claiming the credit, biofuels producers are lacking the market certainty they need to make critical investments. This one-year extension of the tax credit better bridges the gap between the current credit\u2019s sunset date and the implementation of 45Z by creating a longer off-ramp and affording producers the flexibility needed to get the maximum value of the credit.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:07:06Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/qanda-lame-duck-session", "Q&A: Lame-Duck Session", "2024-11-08", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "Q: What is a lame-duck session of Congress?\n\nA: Each congressional term has two, one-year legislative sessions. A lame-duck session refers to a period of time when Congress meets after an election is held \u2013 prior to the end of its constitutional term \u2013 and before freshly elected lawmakers are sworn into office. The 20th amendment to the Constitution effectively narrowed the lame-duck window to the two months between an election and the beginning of the new Congress. It moved the start of each Congress from March to January. Ratified in 1933, the terms of members of Congress begin and end on Jan. 3 of odd-numbered years. Since its implementation in the 74th Congress, federal lawmakers have met in lame-duck session 24 times to wrap up unfinished business. When Congress adjourns sine die, a Latin phrase that translates \u201cwithout a day\u201d to convene, lawmakers typically won\u2019t meet until Jan. 3 at the start of a new legislative session. However, Congress may decide to enter a conditional sine die adjournment to give either the upper or lower chamber the flexibility to reconvene to override a presidential veto. Since 2000, both the Senate and House of Representatives have reconvened after every federal election. This year, Congress will wrap up the second session of the 118th Congress in a lame-duck session.\n\nQ: What issues will Congress take up in the lame duck?\n\nA: In the last decade or so, Congress has returned post-election to tackle spending and revenue measures to keep the government open for business. With increasing frequency, Congress meets in lame-duck sessions right up to the new session that starts in January. For example, the most recent lame-duck session following the mid-term elections in 2022, Congress considered appropriations bills and disaster relief. Despite my efforts to rein in Washington\u2019s Wild West Ways and hold lawmakers to a timeline to complete the dozen annual appropriations bill by the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30, Congress once again is perched atop a fiscal cliff and operating under a continuing resolution that expires on Dec. 20. I\u2019d like to see Congress complete government funding bills and enter the New Year on a clean slate with a new Trump administration. At the very least, I expect Congress to pass the National Defense Authorization Act, extend certain rural health care programs, including telehealth flexibilities, and replenish disaster assistance funding.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:07:06Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/capitol-hill-report-11-05-24", "Capitol Hill Report, 11-05-24", "2024-11-05", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "Senator Grassley's weekly Capitol Hill Report can be found HERE.\n\nTopics include: appropriations, USCIS citizen voter data requests, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, inflation, tariffs and priorities for the next president-elect.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:07:06Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-ernst-slam-uscis-failure-to-comply-with-federal-and-state-requests-forcitizenshipvoter-data", "Grassley, Ernst Slam USCIS Failure to Comply with Federal and State Requests for\u00a0Citizenship\u00a0Voter Data", "2024-11-02", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA \u2013 U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) released the below joint statement regarding the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services\u2019 (USCIS) failure to release citizenship information on 2,176 potential non-citizen Iowa voters. USCIS confirmed receipt of the senators\u2019 October 31 letter supporting Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate\u2019s request for the data, writing, \u201cA fulsome response to Secretary Pate\u2019s request is forthcoming.\u201d The agency neither provided the information Grassley and Ernst asked for by November 1, nor specified when or if it would do so.\n\n\u201cAnything short of the information Secretary Pate requested is unacceptable. Iowa has worked in good faith to secure its electoral process and safeguard Americans\u2019 cherished right to vote. Unfortunately, USCIS\u2019 stonewalling has led to more questions than answers. The Iowa Secretary of State has assured us protections are in place to ensure all legally registered voters\u2019 ballots are counted. It is paramount the federal government provide Iowa election officials the requested information so they can accurately discern which individuals ought to be casting provisional ballots.\n\n\"We reiterate our demand for USCIS to immediately release the requested information, to ensure all eligible citizens can participate in our elections. With Election Day right around the corner, there\u2019s no time for federal officials to waste.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:07:06Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-announces-cedar-rapids-veterans-history-project-event", "Grassley Announces Cedar Rapids Veterans History Project Event", "2024-11-01", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA \u2013 In honor of Veterans Day, the office of U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), along with students from Kirkwood Community College, will host its eighth annual Veterans History Project event to chronicle firsthand accounts of Iowa veterans.\n\n\u201cThe past informs the present and shapes the future. That\u2019s why the Veterans History Project is so valuable \u2013 it preserves our service members\u2019 stories for future generations to learn about their experiences and the sacrifices they made for our great nation,\u201d Grassley said. \u201cI want to offer my deepest gratitude to all the veterans in Iowa for their selflessness, and many thanks to those participating in this year\u2019s event.\u201d\n\nEvent details follow:\n\nWHAT: Veterans History Project\n\nWHEN: Friday, November 8, 2024, from 9 a.m. \u2013 4 p.m. CT\n\nWHERE: Veterans Memorial Building, 51 1st Avenue Bridge, Cedar Rapids\n\nWhile the event will run from 9 a.m. \u2013 4 p.m. CT, local media is encouraged to attend from 9 a.m. \u2013 12 p.m. CT. Members of the media who wish to attend must RSVP directly to Hannah_Akey@grassley.senate.gov.\n\n***Grassley participated in a question-and-answer (Q&A) session for Iowans about the Veterans History Project. The Q&A is for publication***\n\nQ&A: Veterans History Project\n\nWith U.S Senator Chuck Grassley\n\nQ: What is the Veterans History Project?\n\nA: Approved unanimously by Congress in 2000, the Veterans History Project came about through a grassroots effort to preserve the oral histories of America\u2019s brave service men and women. The Library of Congress serves as the permanent repository for recorded veterans\u2019 interviews submitted from local communities across the United States. The project honors those who have served in uniform and helps ensure future generations understand military service and the realities of war. In addition to audio and video recordings, the mission to preserve the memories and memorabilia from America\u2019s veterans also includes letters, diaries, artwork and photographs. In 2016, Congress expanded the collection to include oral histories from family members memorializing loved ones who died as a result of their military service during war. To date, the collection includes firsthand narratives of U.S. military veterans from World War I through present day. The stories of more than 100,000 veterans are now part of the collection.\n\nAs a history enthusiast and U.S. Senator, I wanted to help preserve the stories of Iowa\u2019s brave heroes who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. In 2018, my office launched an annual event to interview hometown heroes for the Veterans History Project. Typically held the Friday before Veterans Day, my office invites local veterans to share their stories in a 30- to 60-minute interview. To date, my office has submitted 83 interviews from Iowa veterans at events held across the state, including those recorded at the Iowa Gold Star Museum in Johnston (2018); the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown (2019); the Veterans Post in Waverly (2020); 185th Air Refueling Wing in Sioux City (2021); the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum in Waterloo (2022); and, the Rock Island Arsenal Museum (2023). It is my honor to provide a platform for Iowa veterans and their loved ones, so that their stories aren\u2019t lost to history. Listening to the voices of veterans sharing first-hand accounts of their military service and experiences during wartime is powerful testimony.\n\nQ: Where will your office hold interviews this year for the Veterans History Project?\n\nA: On Friday, Nov. 8, my office will host our eighth annual Veterans History Project in Cedar Rapids. I\u2019m pleased to have students from Kirkwood Community College joining us this year to help facilitate the recordings and provide technical support. Interviews will take place at the Veterans Memorial Building, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., located at 51 1st Ave. Bridge, in Cedar Rapids. Iowans interested in participating should contact my office in Cedar Rapids, (319) 363-6832 to schedule their interview.\n\nAccording to the U.S. Census, veterans make up 6.5 percent of Iowa\u2019s population; the Department of Veterans Affairs calculates 193,861 Iowans are among approximately 18 million living veterans in the United States today. Of wartime veterans, Iowa is home to 3,716 World War II veterans; 16,246 from the Korean conflict; 64,900 during Vietnam era; and 65,926 from the Gulf War. Census Bureau data show a shrinking share of U.S. adults are veterans, from about 18 percent of the population in 1980 to six percent in 2022. As fewer people have a direct connection to an active duty service member, or serve in uniform themselves, it\u2019s important to preserve the stories of those who have served in the Armed Forces to ensure their service and sacrifice on behalf of our nation is honored and remembered for generations to come. God bless our veterans and service members currently serving who have answered the call to protect and defend our cherished blessings of freedom.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:07:06Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-cardin-lead-call-for-potus-to-engage-on-stalled-us-china-adoptions", "Grassley, Cardin Lead Call for POTUS to Engage on Stalled U.S.-China Adoptions", "2024-11-01", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Longtime adoption advocate Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin (D-Md.) today urged President Biden to stand up for families navigating the People\u2019s Republic of China's (PRC) decision to end intercountry adoptions for those without Chinese familial ties. Reps. Erin Houchin (R-Ind.) and Val Hoyle (D-Ore.) are co-leading the bipartisan effort, which garnered a total of 103 bicameral signatories, in the House of Representatives.\n\n\u201cWe request that you act in the best interest of these children and families by urging the PRC to fulfill and uphold the commitment the country has made,\u201d the lawmakers wrote, noting approximately 300 children in the PRC \u2013 some with various health conditions \u2013 are already paired with families in the United States.\n\n\u201cThe American families that have been matched with their adoptive children are prepared to meet their long-term medical and emotional needs, and to give them the love and nurturing they need,\u201d they continued. \u201cMany of these children know that they have a home, which in many cases have been prepared for their arrival since the families were notified that they were matched and moving forward with the adoption process.\u201d\n\nGrassley and his colleagues also acknowledged the PRC may complete adoptions for families in some countries, per a State Department notice last week. They called on President Biden to ensure such an action would pertain to the United States, too.\n\nRead the full letter HERE. Cosigners include Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and chairs of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption.\n\nBackground:\n\nThe PRC terminated its intercountry adoption program on August 28, 2024. Shortly after, Grassley wrote the State Department and the Chinese Ambassador for information. He emphasized the uncertainty the PRC\u2019s announcement cast on Chinese children and American parents, including parents in Iowa. Some families have been stuck in the final stages of the adoption process for years.\n\nWhen China suspended its intercountry adoption program following the COVID-19 pandemic, despite opening its borders for business and other activities, Grassley shined light on the inconsistency. He pushed for stalled adoptions to resume, so children and families could finally unite.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:07:06Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-shaheen-and-bipartisan-colleagues-call-on-meta-to-stop-peddling-illicit-drugs", "Grassley, Shaheen and Bipartisan Colleagues Call on Meta to Stop Peddling Illicit Drugs", "2024-11-01", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) are calling on Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to remove and prevent illicit drugs advertisements from Facebook and Instagram.\n\n\u201cThe United States is in the midst of a drug epidemic, with more than 100,000 Americans dying from overdoses last year, and an alarming amount of these drugs are sold online. It is crucial that everyone work to ensure these illegal drugs are found and taken off the streets. Therefore, we call on Meta to improve its human and automated advertising review and content moderation to address these failures that are placing lives at risk,\u201d the senators wrote.\n\nPer a recent Wall Street Journal report, Meta ran and collected revenue from hundreds of advertisements marketing illicit drugs, including opioids, ecstasy and cocaine.\n\n\u201cWhen presented with these disturbing findings, Meta took down some advertisements off its platforms. However, Meta\u2019s refusal to prevent illicit drug advertisements, while accepting advertisement payments that are harming families and in clear violation of Meta\u2019s policies, is particularly alarming,\u201d they continued.\n\nThe lawmakers are urging Zuckerberg to support their bipartisan Cooper Davis Act- requiring social media companies report illicit drug activities on their platforms. The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the bill in July.\n\nRead the full letter HERE.\n\nGrassley\u2019s Related Work:\n\nGrassley in February participated in a question-and-answer session after executives from Meta, Discord, Snap Inc., TikTok and X testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee.\n\nIn addition to the Cooper Davis Act, the Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced three Grassley-backed bills to strengthen federal online safety statues, including the Project Safe Childhood Act, the EARN It Act and the STOP CSAM Act.\n\nThe Senate in July passed the Grassley co-backed Kids Online Safety Act to enhance tools for families to protect their children online and increase algorithmic transparency.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:07:06Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-announces-2024-military-academy-selection-board", "Feenstra Announces 2024 Military Academy Selection Board", "2024-10-31", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "HULL, IOWA \u2013 Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) announced the eight members who will serve on the 2024 Military Academy Selection Board for Iowa\u2019s 4th Congressional District.\n\n\u201cI am glad to announce the eight members who will serve on our Military Academy Selection Board this year and be tasked with reviewing and recommending candidates for our nation\u2019s military academies. I appreciate their willingness to participate in this important process,\u201d said Rep. Feenstra. \u201cOur national security depends on a strong military. I look forward to nominating stellar candidates to our nation\u2019s military academies who will protect our freedoms and defend our country against our enemies.\u201d\n\nThe board members are as follows:\n\nLiz Doll of Council Bluffs, Iowa\n\nJohn Wills of Spirit Lake, Iowa\n\nLexie Ruter of Estherville, Iowa\n\nTheresa Hildreth of Rockwell City, Iowa\n\nJarret Heil of Haverhill, Iowa\n\nChad Reece of Britt, Iowa\n\nKattie Lewis of Hastings, Iowa\n\nTerry Seehusen of Humboldt, Iowa\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-and-ernst-advocate-for-election-integrity-demand-uscis-respond-to-iowas-data-request-on-potential-non-citizen-voters", "Grassley and Ernst Advocate for Election Integrity, Demand USCIS Respond to Iowa\u2019s Data Request on Potential Non-Citizen Voters", "2024-10-31", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA \u2013 U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) are calling on United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to immediately respond to Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate\u2019s request for information regarding the citizenship status of 2,176 registered Iowa voters who self-identified as non-citizens. USCIS\u2019 Des Moines Field Office has already completed a review of the 2,176 names at issue, yet USCIS headquarters refuses to make the information available to state officials.\n\nThe Iowa senators\u2019 push follows Pate\u2019s urgent request for federal intervention after USCIS \u201crefus[ed] to release this key information.\u201d\n\n\u201cTime is of the essence, as voting in Iowa has been underway since October 16 and Iowa election law requires absentee ballots be separated from their carrier envelopes on Monday, November 4,\u201d Grassley and Ernst noted in their letter to USCIS. \u201cWe expect a response to this letter and for the information to be released to Iowa's Secretary of State by end of day Friday, November 1. If that doesn't happen, you will be playing into the very serious concerns of Iowans that the Biden-Harris administration is not following federal law and not taking reasonable measures to ensure only citizens are voting in our federal elections.\u201d\n\nRead the Iowa senators\u2019 full letter HERE and below.\n\nMs. Ur M. Jaddou\n\nDirector\n\nU.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services\n\n20 Massachusetts Avenue, 4th Floor\n\nWashington, DC 20529\n\nDirector Jaddou:\n\nIt's come to our attention that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has instructed USCIS' Des Moines, Iowa field office to withhold information regarding citizenship of voter roll data requested by Iowa's Secretary of State Paul Pate. The USCIS Iowa office has already manually reviewed every name that was provided to them. They have looked up and determined if the resident has naturalized or is a non-citizen. This data has been compiled since Monday, October 28. There is no excuse for withholding this information from the Secretary of State's office when non-citizens are ineligible to vote in federal elections in accordance with longstanding federal law (e.g., 18 U.S.C. \u00a7 611).\n\nTime is of the essence, as voting in Iowa has been underway since October 16 and Iowa election law requires absentee ballots be separated from their carrier envelopes on Monday, November 4. We expect a response to this letter and for the information to be released to Iowa's Secretary of State by end of day Friday, November 1. If that doesn't happen, you will be playing into the very serious concerns of Iowans that the Biden-Harris administration is not following federal law and not taking reasonable measures to ensure only citizens are voting in our federal elections.\n\nLet us be very clear, all votes lawfully cast ought to be counted. The Secretary of State has outlined how measures and safeguards would be in place to ensure this fundamental right is preserved. It's imperative for the federal government to provide this critical information to ensure Iowa can uphold this commitment to our citizens.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/iowa-bridges-will-benefit-from-44-million-grassley-backed-federal-investment", "Iowa Bridges Will Benefit from $44 Million Grassley-Backed Federal Investment", "2024-10-31", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA \u2013 U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today announced Iowa will receive $44,640,000 to replace eight bridges across seven counties, including Cedar Rapids\u2019 Arc of Justice bridge. The U.S. Department of Transportation will administer the resources through its Bridge Investment Program, which was established in the Grassley-backed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).\n\n\u201cIowans consistently raise concerns about the safety of our bridges, and rightfully so \u2013 our bridges need upgrades. That\u2019s one of the reasons I voted for the bipartisan infrastructure law,\u201d Grassley said. \u201cThese grants will improve commuter safety and flood resilience, and strengthen our regional supply chain to help get Iowa products to market.\u201d\n\nAward Details:\n\nWashington County will receive $38,640,000 to remove and replace seven bridges in Washington, Hamilton, Buchanan, Jones, Cedar and Monroe counties.\n\nThe City of Cedar Rapids will receive $6,000,000 to replace the 86-year-old Arc of Justice bridge with a new, cable-stayed design. This will help raise the bridge above potential flood waters and improve hydraulic flow, reducing the height of Cedar Rapids\u2019 upstream floodwall.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-helps-introduce-legislation-deliver-financial-relief-iowa-farmers", "Feenstra Helps Introduce Legislation to Deliver Financial Relief for Iowa Farmers", "2024-10-29", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "HULL, IOWA \u2013 Last week, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) helped introduce legislation \u2013 led by U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly (R-MS) \u2013 to help deliver financial relief to American farmers facing low commodity prices and high input costs this crop year.\n\n\u201cPresident Biden and Vice President Harris approved trillions of dollars in reckless government spending that sent inflation skyrocketing and have completely failed to open new export markets for our producers. This one-two punch helped cause interest rates and input costs to rise significantly while a lack of demand for American-made agricultural products across the globe has exacerbated our low commodity prices,\u201d said Rep. Feenstra. \u201cIt\u2019s why I\u2019m glad to support the FARM Act, which will deliver financial relief to our farmers and producers in the face of high operating costs and unrelenting inflation. We must pass this legislation in conjunction with the Farm Bill \u2013 which includes an increase in reference prices for commodities like corn and soybeans \u2013 to provide certainty and support for our farm families.\u201d\n\nThis legislation \u2013 dubbed the FARM Act \u2013 specifically directs the Secretary of Agriculture to make emergency assistance payments to farm producers to alleviate the financial imbalance between high input costs and low commodity prices.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/capitol-hill-report-10-29-24", "Capitol Hill Report, 10-29-24", "2024-10-29", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "Senator Grassley's weekly Capitol Hill Report can be found HERE.\n\nTopics include: U.S. military aid, Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline, Farm Bill, election security, former President Trump's proposed policies and lead line replacement.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-helps-lead-letter-demanding-answers-usda-over-pure-prairie-poultry", "Feenstra Helps Lead Letter Demanding Answers from USDA over Pure Prairie Poultry Fiasco", "2024-10-28", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "HULL, IOWA \u2013 Last Friday, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) helped lead a letter with U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), U.S. Rep. Brad Finstad (R-MN), and U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack demanding answers about the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s 2022 approval of nearly $46 million in taxpayer dollars for Pure Prairie Poultry and its subsequent bankruptcy in late September.\n\n\u201cIowa taxpayers deserve to know the full story behind the Pure Prairie Poultry bankruptcy and how the USDA approved nearly $46 million in taxpayer dollars for a company that left millions of chickens uncared for. This serious lack of oversight is extremely concerning and has caused massive uncertainty for our growers who are already facing a harsh farm economy,\u201d said Rep. Feenstra. \u201cOur letter to USDA will help us get answers for our growers and address the federal government\u2019s carelessness with taxpayer dollars. I commend Secretary Naig for responding quickly and professionally to this crisis.\u201d\n\n\u201cUSDA has provided millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded loans and grants to meat and poultry processors across the country, which is why my colleagues and I are calling on USDA to provide answers,\u201d said Rep. Finstad. \u201cWhile expanding livestock markets and processing capacity is critical for farm country, the lack of oversight of these dollars by USDA harmed producers and caused a significant disruption to our nation\u2019s food supply chain.\u201d\n\n\u201cUSDA is responsible for keeping tabs on the taxpayer-funded grants it administers, but it clearly dropped the ball with Pure Prairie. Iowans and others across America\u2019s Heartland have lost their jobs and their poultry market as a result of Pure Prairie\u2019s closure. USDA must explain to Congress and the public what went wrong to help prevent a repeat scenario,\u201d said Sen. Grassley.\n\nPure Prairie Poultry\u2019s bankruptcy left approximately 1.3 million broiler chickens in Iowa without feed causing Secretary Naig and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to take over care, custody, and control of the birds in Iowa. After several alternative efforts were made to sell the broilers, depopulation of the birds in Iowa concluded last Friday.\n\nThe full letter can be found HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-celebrates-decades-long-initiative-bringing-clean-water-to-iowa", "Grassley Celebrates Decades-Long Initiative Bringing Clean Water to Iowa", "2024-10-28", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA \u2013 U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today delivered remarks in Sibley at a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating its connection to the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System. Grassley discussed his longtime support of the clean water initiative and thanked local leaders for their hard work and dedication to the project.\n\n\u201cOver 30 years ago, community leaders began dreaming of a way to provide safe, clean water to hundreds of thousands of Iowans and Midwesterners. After decades of perseverance, we\u2019re seeing that dream come to fruition,\u201d Grassley said. \u201cWhile today marks the final connection to the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System, you can be sure of my continued support through future construction and expansion projects.\u201d\n\nDownload photos HERE. Grassley\u2019s prepared remarks follow.\n\nLewis and Clark Regional Water System Ribbon Cutting\n\nSibley Meter Building, Sibley\n\nMonday, October 28, 2024\n\nGood morning, it\u2019s a pleasure to join you for this occasion.\n\nYou\u2019ve come a long way to bring reliable drinking water to rural communities in Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota.\n\nI\u2019ve enjoyed witnessing your accomplishments and helping on the federal level.\n\nLet\u2019s talk about the beginning for a minute.\n\nWith a mission dedicated to bringing safe drinking water to hundreds of thousands of people, I recall working with a group of senators on the Lewis and Clark Rural Water System Act of 1999.\n\nThis bill came about to support the local efforts to ensure that folks had access to clean water.\n\nShallow wells and contamination were very real concerns for the water resources in this part of the state and country.\n\nMurray Hulstein of Sioux Center, Red Arndt of Minnesota, Troy and others may recall some of these early efforts and conversations.\n\nAs you know from my standing here today, the passage of that bill came in 2000. Now that\u2019s not to say that since 2000 the path to get towns connected to the water system was easy.\n\nHowever, the perseverance and dedication of many has led to this ribbon cutting to celebrate Sibley as the most recent town to get connected.\n\nIt has also provided hundreds of thousands of people access to clean and safe drinking water.\n\nSince the 2000s, I\u2019ve viewed my support for this initiative as an investment in our communities.\n\nThis investment was made possible because of the hard work of [those] here today and [those] who were champions for this effort in the past.\n\nSo, I\u2019d like to close with a comment of gratitude.\n\nThank you to those with Lewis and Clark that have been tirelessly committed to improving their communities. Your work has made a real impact.\n\nGod bless you.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-finstad-question-usda-grant-oversight-amid-pure-prairie-poultry-closure", "Grassley, Finstad Question USDA Grant Oversight amid Pure Prairie Poultry Closure", "2024-10-28", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Rep. Brad Finstad (R-Minn.) are leading a letter scrutinizing the Department of Agriculture (USDA)\u2019s loan and grant oversight practices after a recent awardee, Pure Prairie Poultry, shut down. Grassley and Finstad serve on the Senate and House Agriculture Committees, respectively.\n\n\u201cUSDA is responsible for keeping tabs on the taxpayer-funded grants it administers, but it clearly dropped the ball with Pure Prairie. Iowans and others across America\u2019s Heartland have lost their jobs and their poultry market as a result of Pure Prairie\u2019s closure. USDA must explain to Congress and the public what went wrong to help prevent a repeat scenario,\u201d Grassley said of the bicameral effort.\n\n\u201cUSDA has provided millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded loans and grants to meat and poultry processors across the country, which is why my colleagues and I are calling on USDA to provide answers,\u201d Finstad added. \u201cWhile expanding livestock markets and processing capacity is critical for farm country, the lack of oversight of these dollars by USDA harmed producers and caused a significant disruption to our nation\u2019s food supply chain.\u201d\n\nMinnesota-based Pure Prairie Poultry received over $45 million in USDA funding to help smaller processors start or expand capacity. The company ceased operations earlier this month and shuttered its plant in Charles City, Iowa. As a result, up to 50 farmers in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin were left without processing capacity or feed for more than 2 million chickens, and roughly 100 more Iowans lost their jobs.\n\nGrassley and Finstad are asking USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack about the agency\u2019s considerations for approving Pure Prairie Poultry\u2019s funding, its insights into the company\u2019s financial standing and the steps it took to assist stakeholders following the Charles City plant closure.\n\nAdditional signatories include Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), along with House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.) and Reps. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) and Michelle Fischbach (R-Minn.).\n\nRead the full letter HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases/hinson-ernst-work-ensure-rural-access-safe-contraception-0", "Hinson, Ernst Work to Ensure Rural Access to Safe Contraception", "2024-10-25", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Ashley Hinson", "H001091", "hinson.house.gov", "hinson", "https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (R-IA-02) and Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) requested information on the availability of birth control options to ensure Iowa families, especially in rural areas, have access to safe and effective contraception.\n\nAfter data from 2017 revealed just 24 percent of all Community Health Centers (CHCs) in the country provide a comprehensive list of contraception options for patients to review on-site, the lawmakers specifically inquired about options available through Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), which serve rural areas.\n\n\u201cEnsuring women, regardless of zip code, have access to safe birth control options is vital for women's health and family planning. Unfortunately, women in rural and underserved areas often have fewer contraception options. I\u2019m working with Senator Ernst to expand access to safe birth control options for adult women who rely on Community Health Centers for care.\"- Congresswoman Ashley Hinson\n\n\u201cFamilies deserve access to safe and effective birth control when they visit their health care provider, regardless of where they live. To ensure rural areas are not overlooked, I\u2019m working to identify the barriers that leave communities with fewer contraception options. We can build upon this fact-finding mission to address the real gaps in services that Iowa families are facing.\" - Senator Joni Ernst\n\nIn the letter, lawmakers wrote:\n\n\u201cIncreased access to family planning services has proven to reduce the rate of unintended pregnancies, reduce the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, and reduce rates of infertility and maternal mortality. The limited information that is available also indicates that women in rural communities are facing a significant lack of access. With millions of women in the United States living in areas with limited contraceptive access, it\u2019s imperative we understand the deficiencies and why they exist.\"\n\nIn the letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the lawmakers requested:\n\nAn itemized inventory of available contraception,\n\nAnnual family planning counseling appointment requests and rates of return,\n\nExpenditures of federal funds to reimburse facilities for contraception methods,\n\nFinancial resources and contraceptive options offered, and\n\nAny additional barriers, including geographic, to those who wish to provide a wider range of contraceptive methods to patients.\n\nBackground:\n\nHinson has led legislation to propose commonsense solutions to improve women's health care access, including:\n\nThe Allowing Greater Access to Safe and Effective Contraception Act: Enables women ages 18 and up to access FDA-approved, routine-use birth control pills over the counter.\n\nThe Access to LARCs Act: Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a study and submit to Congress a report on long-acting reversible contraception access at community health centers (CHCs) in health care deserts.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://nunn.house.gov/2024/10/25/nunn-secures-more-than-2-million-for-new-dialysis-center/", "Nunn Secures More Than $2 Million for New Dialysis Center", "2024-10-25", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Zachary Nunn", "N000193", "nunn.house.gov", "nunn", "https://nunn.house.gov/category/news/press-releases/", "scraper", "DES MOINES \u2014 U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) today announced that he secured a $2,011,000 federal investment to build a new dialysis facility at Wayne County Hospital in Corydon.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m incredibly excited to announce that we secured a more than $2 million federal investment to construct a new dialysis center at the Wayne County Hospital,\u201d said Rep. Nunn. \u201cThis investment will help the Wayne County Hospital provide critically needed, state-of-the-art dialysis services to their six-county service area. This is exactly the kind of investment the federal government should make \u2013 one that does the most good for the most people.\u201d\n\nRep. Nunn secured the $2,011,000 investment through the Community Project Funding process, which allows members to designate funding for critical initiatives. The funding was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 which was signed into law on Saturday, March 9, 2024.\n\n\u201cWe are incredibly grateful for Congressman Nunn\u2019s support in helping us secure this project for a new dialysis unit,\u201d said Daren Relph, CEO of Wayne County Hospital. \u201cThis funding represents a significant step towards improving healthcare access in our region, ensuring that patients can receive the critical care they need close to home. We greatly appreciate his dedication in making this a possibility for our community.\u201d\n\nDialysis care is a life-saving service that individuals need access to in order to survive. Currently, Wayne County Hospital has the only dialysis care center in a six-county region but is unable to meet the needs of the patients in the area. This federal investment will help the hospital construct a new dialysis center to support the dialysis needs of the community.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstras-inquiry-helps-reopen-storm-lake-post-office-following-months-closure", "Feenstra\u2019s Inquiry Helps Reopen Storm Lake Post Office Following Months of Closure", "2024-10-24", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "HULL, IOWA \u2013 Last week, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) helped reopen the Storm Lake Post Office after it was closed for roughly three months due to damage sustained from a car accident in July.\n\nAfter being contacted by a constituent, Feenstra\u2019s team immediately reached out to the Consumer Affairs Manager and the Storm Lake Postmaster inquiring when the Post Office would reopen and how they are assisting elderly and disabled residents during construction. Following Feenstra\u2019s inquiry, construction wrapped up and approval was given for the building to reopen.\n\n\u201cIowans \u2013 especially those in rural communities \u2013 rely on the post office to receive their mail, pay their bills, and get their prescription medications. For the post office in Storm Lake to be closed for months on end denies Iowans of this important service,\u201d said Rep. Feenstra. \u201cI\u2019m glad the Storm Lake Post Office reopened and will allow residents to access their PO boxes and send mail in a safe atmosphere. I will continue to work to deliver for our communities.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/qanda-cybersecurity-is-national-security", "Q&A: Cybersecurity is National Security", "2024-10-24", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "Q: Is the federal government doing enough to protect critical infrastructure from cyberattacks?\n\nA: Cybersecurity may not be top of mind for Iowans struggling to buy groceries, recover from historic flooding and storm damage or finish the fall harvest. However, as your senator, I\u2019m working to prevent serious disruption to daily life and protect national security from malicious cyberattacks. Cybercriminals pose risk to Americans\u2019 financial security, from identity theft to drained bank accounts siphoned by digital thieves. Malicious cyberattacks from terrorists and foreign adversaries also pose tremendous disruptions to utilities, transportation and communications that would bring daily life to a \u201cscreeching halt,\u201d according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). In June, the GAO issued a comprehensive analysis that exposed glaring vulnerabilities in the federal government\u2019s cybersecurity preparedness. Its report calls for urgent action to address cybersecurity gaps facing critical infrastructure systems that impact life as we know it.\n\nEven before the recent GAO report, I called upon seven of nine federal agencies charged with shielding the U.S. from cyberattacks. The Departments of Treasury, Transportation, Homeland Security, Energy, Defense, Health and Human Services, and the Environmental Protection Agency have been dragging their feet to implement recommendations to tighten up cybersecurity protocols and beef up risk management strategies. Keeping Americans safe is job number one for the federal government. If these federal agencies are asleep behind the wheel, the U.S. economy and critical corridors of American life are at serious risk of compromise.\n\nQ: Which specific concerns have you flagged to federal agencies?\n\nA: Let\u2019s start with energy. Safeguarding our energy grid is vital to daily life and national security. Energy powers our homes, businesses and farms. A cyberattack on the nation\u2019s energy grid would have catastrophic consequences to health care systems, financial services, transportation networks, municipal utilities and more. I\u2019ve pressed the Department of Interior to explain its cybersecurity strategies to safeguard our nation\u2019s offshore energy network on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. I\u2019ve also pressed federal agencies to strengthen frameworks in our food supply chains. A few years ago, an Iowa grain co-op was the target of a Russian cybercrime attack. The co-op narrowly managed to avert a crash in grain prices without paying the $5.9 million ransom. This attack and others reflect the serious risk to our nation\u2019s food security and farm economy. That\u2019s why I pushed to hold a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee to examine how to prevent and respond to ransomware attacks. These kinds of crimes are surging, and as cybercriminals pocket ransomware payments from companies desperate to get access back to their operations, they are emboldened to continue more attacks and disrupt more businesses.\n\nThe federal government must step up its preparedness to prevent, curb and respond to cyberattacks, across the board. Earlier this year, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing to examine cybersecurity defenses in the U.S. health care industry. I pressed for answers on how the private sector is collaborating with the federal government to protect patient data and thwart ransomware. More recently, I launched an inquiry into the sweeping AT&T hack in April that compromised customers\u2019 call and text history between May 1 and October 31, 2022. The massive data breach impacted 90 million Americans\u2019 data, including federal agencies. I demanded answers from 17 federal agencies to find out what government materials may have been stolen and what the agencies are doing to mitigate future risks. What\u2019s more, I\u2019ve repeatedly sounded the alarm with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) \u2013 our nation\u2019s top cyber defense agency \u2013 to ensure it is doing its job to protect critical infrastructure from bad actors. In August, I wrote CISA to learn more about a massive data breach at National Public Data, a data broker company that provides background checks and fraud prevention services. In that case, the hacker allegedly leaked personal data on the dark web for up to 170 million people. Through my oversight and legislative work, I\u2019m pushing to ensure private entities and the federal government are taking necessary steps to protect national security and prevent the personal information of the American people from falling into the wrong hands. In June, I joined bipartisan legislation to protect Americans\u2019 online presence from bad actors, by requiring websites and apps to disclose to users if their business operations are subject to the control of China, North Korea, Russia or Iran.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases/hinson-statement-waterloo-post-office", "Hinson Statement on Waterloo Post Office", "2024-10-23", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Ashley Hinson", "H001091", "hinson.house.gov", "hinson", "https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (IA-02) released the following statement on the USPS decision to retain certain postal operations in Waterloo.\n\n\"I personally advocated to the Postmaster General to prevent the outsourcing of all mail processing operations in Waterloo and to ensure there would be no job losses. While their decision to retain some mail processing in Waterloo and not cut any postal jobs is a positive step, this is not the end of the conversation. I will continue working to protect jobs and ensure reliable postal service for all Iowans.\" - Congresswoman Ashley Hinson\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-risch-and-colleagues-back-israel-stand-up-to-un-antisemitism", "Grassley, Risch and Colleagues Back Israel, Stand Up to UN Antisemitism", "2024-10-23", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and 26 Senate Republican colleagues will introduce legislation to support Israel\u2019s membership status in the United Nations (UN). The Stand with Israel Act would cut off U.S. funding to UN agencies that expel, downgrade, suspend or otherwise restrict Israel\u2019s participation in the international organization. The senators will introduce the bill when Congress reconvenes in November. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) is leading companion legislation in the House of Representatives.\n\n\u201cAs the historic homeland of the Jewish people, the only democracy in the Middle East and a cherished ally of the United States, Israel\u2019s membership status in the UN shouldn\u2019t be up for debate,\u201d said Grassley. \u201cThe United States is the UN\u2019s largest financial backer; any antisemitic attempt to downgrade Israel\u2019s status ought to be met with severe and immediate consequences by cutting off U.S. funding.\u201d\n\n\u201cAny attempt to alter Israel\u2019s status at the UN is clearly anti-Semitic,\u201d said Risch. \u201cThat said, if the UN member states allow the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization to downgrade Israel\u2019s status at the UN, the U.S. must stop supporting the UN system, as it would clearly be beyond repair. I am disgusted that this outrageous idea has even been discussed, and will do all I can to ensure any changes to Israel\u2019s status will come with consequences.\u201d\n\nGrassley and Risch are joined by Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), John Thune (R-S.D.) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.).\n\nDownload bill text HERE.\n\nBackground:\n\nRecent reports indicate the Palestinian Authority (PA) will attempt to downgrade Israel\u2019s status at the UN. The effort comes after the UN upgraded the PA\u2019s status in May, granting them enhanced rights and privileges.\n\nGrassley has additionally condemned the UN for its inaction regarding Hamas\u2019 sexual violence against Israeli women and its consideration of a PA resolution to strip Israel\u2019s right to self defense. Learn more about Grassley\u2019s work to support Israel HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/icymi-grassley-joins-tony-perkins-to-discuss-biden-harris-endangerment-of-unaccompanied-migrant-children", "ICYMI: Grassley Joins Tony Perkins to Discuss Biden-Harris Endangerment of Unaccompanied Migrant Children", "2024-10-23", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA \u2013 U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Washington Watch with Tony Perkins to discuss his work to reform the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s Unaccompanied Children program, which has lost track of tens-of-thousands of migrant kids and placed countless others in potentially dangerous homes. Grassley last week pressed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)\u2019s Office of Refugee Resettlement regarding its failure to report to Congress on any of its immigration-related expenditures, policies or data since President Biden and Vice President Harris took office.\n\nGrassley said, in part:\n\n\u201cFederal law requires the HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement to annually report. In these four years of the Biden-Harris administration, there\u2019s been no reports to Congress, and they\u2019re supposed to tell us how much money has been spent, how many kids are involved, the location of these kids and the status of them.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019ve got bad actors that are capitalizing on the Biden-Harris open border policy and using kids as pawns. Once the kids are here, the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s not looking out for their welfare or safety.\u201d\n\nWatch the interview HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases/hinson-joins-benton-county-auditor-discussion-election-security", "Hinson Joins Benton County Auditor for Discussion on Election Security", "2024-10-22", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Ashley Hinson", "H001091", "hinson.house.gov", "hinson", "https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Benton County, Iowa - Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (IA-02) was joined by Benton County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections, Hayley Rippel, for a live discussion on election security in Iowa. They covered early and absentee voting as well as Iowa's election integrity measures that make it easy to vote and hard to cheat.\n\nWatch the Full Conversation Here\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/capitol-hill-report-10-22-24", "Capitol Hill Report, 10-22-24", "2024-10-22", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "Senator Grassley\u2019s weekly Capitol Hill Report can be found HERE.\n\nTopics include: Pure Prairie Poultry\u2019s closure, farm profitability under the Biden-Harris admin, housing affordability, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, early voting and priorities for the remainder of the 118th Congress.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-demands-explanation-from-biden-harris-admin-on-failure-to-vet-afghan-terrorist-requests-watchdog-review", "Grassley Demands Explanation from Biden-Harris Admin on Failure to Vet Afghan Terrorist, Requests Watchdog Review", "2024-10-22", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA \u2013 U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is pressing the Justice Department (DOJ), FBI and Homeland Security Department (DHS) for details on its vetting of an Afghan national arrested for plotting an Election Day terrorist attack.\n\nGrassley, who for years has raised concerns regarding Afghan vetting procedures, obtained and is following up on an unclassified I-94 immigration document revealing that derogatory information on the Afghan national, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, was referred for further assessment. Grassley is calling on DOJ, FBI and DHS to explain what actions were taken to investigate this derogatory information, and when.\n\nGrassley additionally wrote the DOJ Office of Inspector General (OIG) requesting it review the DOJ and FBI\u2019s assessment, investigation and tracking of Afghan evacuees allowed entry into the United States as part of Operation Allies Refuge and Operations Allies Welcome.\n\nGrassley this morning discussed his oversight push, saying: \u201cI hope you know I won\u2019t stop fighting to protect Americans and to pursue accountability.\u201d Listen to audio of Grassley HERE and read his letters below:\n\nGrassley to DOJ and FBI\n\nGrassley to DHS\n\nGrassley to DOJ OIG", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/major-iowa-airports-to-receive-over-87-million-in-grassley-backed-federal-funding", "Major Iowa Airports to Receive Over $8.7 Million in Grassley-Backed Federal Funding", "2024-10-22", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA \u2013 Three Iowa airports will receive a total of more than $8.7 million to modernize and expand terminal areas and infrastructure. The U.S. Department of Transportation will administer the awards through its Airport Terminal Program, which was established by the Grassley-backed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).\n\n\u201cIowa\u2019s airports facilitate high volume passenger travel and move our world-class products to market. Keeping our airports in top shape ensures travelers\u2019 safety and strengthens our local economy,\u201d Grassley said. \u201cI supported the bipartisan infrastructure law with Iowans in mind, and I\u2019m glad our state continues to see significant returns on that investment.\u201d\n\nFederal awards will be disbursed as follows:\n\nDes Moines International Airport will receive $3,600,000 for the construction of four new terminal gates and holdrooms.\n\nEastern Iowa Airport will receive $3,600,000 for the construction of a new baggage handling control system for the expanded airport terminal.\n\nSioux Gateway Airport will receive $1,564,466 for the acquisition and installation of a new passenger boarding bridge.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-encourages-seniors-and-eligible-iowans-enroll-medicare", "Feenstra Encourages Seniors and Eligible Iowans to Enroll in Medicare", "2024-10-18", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "HULL, IOWA \u2014 On October 15th, as the Medicare Open Enrollment period begins, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) issued the following statement encouraging eligible Iowans to enroll in a Medicare plan before the December 7th deadline:\n\n\u201cBeginning today through Saturday December 7th, I encourage Iowans eligible for Medicare to enroll in a plan that fits their healthcare needs. Seniors and those eligible can enroll online at Medicare.gov, review various plans, and call my office at 202-225-4426 with any questions. In Congress, I will always protect Social Security and Medicare for our seniors.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases/after-miller-meeks-letter-cms-approves-bettendorf-facility-seniors", "After Miller-Meeks Letter, CMS Approves Bettendorf Facility for Seniors", "2024-10-18", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Mariannette Miller-Meeks", "M001215", "millermeeks.house.gov", "millermeeks", "https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Davenport - Today, U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. announced the Centers for the Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved UnityPoint Health\u2019s application to open a new Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) facility in Bettendorf.\n\nThe approval comes after Miller-Meeks led the Iowa delegation in urging CMS to approve UnityPoint Health\u2019s application. Approval of the Bettendorf location is critical for Iowa seniors as UnityPoint Health plans to submit applications for additional PACE locations in Waterloo and Hiawatha.\n\n\u201cI am thrilled CMS heeded our calls to approve UnityPoint Health\u2019s Bettendorf location,\u201d said Rep. Miller-Meeks. \u201cPACE centers are a vital lifeline for Iowa seniors who wish to live on their own while still having access to nursing home and healthcare services. In Congress, I will continue to fight for Iowa seniors to ensure they receive the quality healthcare they deserve.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are thankful that CMS approved our application to open a new PACE facility in Bettendorf,\u201d said Matt Swanstrom, Executive Director of UnityPoint Health PACE Senior Care. \u201cWe look forward to providing coordinated health and wellbeing care for eligible seniors living in the area to help them live at home for as long as safely possible.\u201d\n\nLocated at 2119 Kimberly Road in Bettendorf, the facility plans to have a medical clinic, day center, therapy gym, and other amenities for local seniors.\n\nUnityPoint Health PACE Senior Care \u2013 Bettendorf will begin serving eligible seniors on November 1.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/biden-harris-hhs-cant-account-to-congress-for-status-of-thousands-of-unaccompanied-minors", "Biden-Harris HHS Can\u2019t Account to Congress for Status of Thousands of Unaccompanied Minors", "2024-10-18", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA \u2013 U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is pressing the Biden-Harris administration to provide overdue reports to Congress regarding its Unaccompanied Children program and other refugee resettlement programs. The current administration\u2019s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)\u2019s Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) hasn\u2019t completed a single annual report on its immigration-related expenditures, policies or statistics since taking office.\n\n\u201cPresident Biden and Vice President Harris have left Congress in the dark for the entirety of their administration and lost track of tens of thousands of vulnerable migrant children in the process,\u201d Grassley said. \u201cHow can President Biden or Border Czar Harris claim to be addressing this crisis when they can\u2019t, or won\u2019t, provide Congress statutorily required information on their efforts to do so? I\u2019ve proposed reforms to address the glaring errors in this administration\u2019s Unaccompanied Children program. It\u2019s high time the Biden-Harris HHS let the sunshine in and show its work so that Congress can continue hammering out solutions based on the facts at hand.\u201d\n\nRead Grassley\u2019s full letter HERE.\n\nBackground:\n\nThe Biden-Harris administration is failing to comply with Title 8, Section 1523 of the United States Code, which directs ORR to provide Congress annual reports on its refugee resettlement programs, including the location and status of unaccompanied migrant children in ORR\u2019s Unaccompanied Children program. Section 1523 additionally requires ORR report to Congress on:\n\nRefugee employment and labor force statistics;\n\nThe geographic location of refugees;\n\nThe activities, expenditures and policies of ORR;\n\nDescriptions of taxpayer-funded refugee assistance.\n\nGrassley has exposed the administration for losing and endangering thousands of unaccompanied migrant children and is seeking to address the dangerous policies in its Unaccompanied Children program that allow kids to be exploited.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-urges-iowans-impacted-summer-floods-apply-relief-october-22nd", "Feenstra Urges Iowans Impacted by Summer Floods to Apply for Relief before October 22nd Deadline", "2024-10-17", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "HULL, IOWA \u2013 Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) released the following statement urging Iowa homeowners and renters impacted by the floods from June 16th through July 23rd to apply for disaster relief through FEMA before the October 22nd deadline:\n\n\u201cTuesday October 22nd is the last day that Iowans impacted by this summer\u2019s devastating floods can apply for disaster assistance through the federal government. Resources are available to help families and homeowners rebuild their homes and replace damaged and destroyed personal property. I encourage anyone in need of support to visit DisasterAssistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362 before the October 22nd deadline. Iowans can also go to my website at Feenstra.House.Gov and visit my Natural Disaster Resource Center for more information about recovery assistance.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-and-bipartisan-senators-advocate-for-veterans-by-pushing-for-candp-exam-improvements", "Grassley and Bipartisan Senators Advocate for Veterans by Pushing for C&P Exam Improvements", "2024-10-17", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today led a bipartisan letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) demanding answers on the steps it is taking to ensure veterans\u2019 access to quality, timely compensation and pension examinations (C&P exams) amid allegations contracted services and insufficient federal oversight have negatively impacted veterans. Joining Grassley are Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.).\n\n\u201c[T]he overall management and oversight of VA vendors that provide C&P exams must improve. As the department relies more on contracted examiners, it should also remain committed to ensuring that veterans are properly looked after,\u201d the senators wrote.\n\n\u201cThe Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, requires the department to provide oversight of C&P exams and to apply standards of timeliness and quality performance for [Veterans Health Administration] examiners and your contracted vendors. It also requires a mechanism for veterans, such as the ones described in this correspondence, to lodge complaints with the [Veterans Benefits Administration] to provide for a resolution to the unnecessary barriers put in front of our veterans. As we await the report from the department, our concerns for veterans persist,\u201d they concluded.\n\nGrassley and his colleagues cited the following reported issues riddling C&P exam processes:\n\nVHA examiners are operating under limited capacity. A Jasper County, Iowa veteran said the VA expected him to travel 97 miles one way for a C&P exam rather than see a provider in nearby Des Moines.\n\nContracted vendors are mismanaging appointments. A contractor assigned a Rindge, New Hampshire veteran to an appointment in Maine. When the veteran explained he couldn\u2019t attend appointments there, the contractor suspended his claim.\n\nContracted vendors are not maintaining their facilities. The VA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found some contractor facilities are noncompliant with the Americans Disabilities Act, as well as Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards.\n\nThe VA is not conducting proper oversight of contracted employees. The VBA said it cannot verify subcontracts into which exam vendors enter. While the VA must at minimum verify the contractors, the VA OIG found the department has not complied with contractor vetting requirements.\n\nRead the full letter HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-joins-iowans-to-celebrate-50th-anniversary-of-landmark-juvenile-justice-law", "Grassley Joins Iowans to Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Landmark Juvenile Justice Law", "2024-10-17", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "POLK COUNTY, IOWA \u2013 U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, recognized the 50th anniversary of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) in remarks to Iowa advocates. Grassley was honored by Iowa youth for his work to champion the Charles Grassley Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Program. The Coalition for Family and Children\u2019s Services in Iowa hosted the event at Drake University amid Youth Justice Action Month.\n\n\u201cJJDPA for 50 years has brightened futures for youth who\u2019ve entered our justice system. By empowering local stakeholders and bolstering federal protections for minors, this program ensures better outcomes and gives kids the opportunities they need to get their lives back on track,\u201d Grassley said. \u201cI welcome the chance to speak with grassroots advocates in Iowa. Today\u2019s event served as a reminder of this law\u2019s impact in local communities across Iowa, and how together we can continue building on its successes.\u201d\n\n\"We were deeply honored to have Senator Grassley join us in commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) during Youth Justice Action Month. His steadfast leadership in reauthorizing this landmark legislation has had a profound and lasting impact on Iowa's youth and families. Through his advocacy, Senator Grassley has championed reforms that prioritize prevention, accountability, and the wellbeing of young people in our justice system. The power of this law goes beyond policy; it changes lives,\u201d Kristie Oliver, Executive Director of the Coalition for Family & Children\u2019s Services in Iowa, said. \u201cAs we heard from youth affected by the system, the JJDPA not only provided the youth with critical services at a turning point in their lives, but it also created opportunities for youth to have a voice in shaping the very systems that serve them. The reauthorization of the JJDPA continues to open new doors for youth across Iowa, offering them the support and resources necessary to build brighter futures. We look forward to continuing this critical work together, ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive.\"\n\n\"As we mark the 50th anniversary of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, we are reminded of the critical importance of advocating for the rights and futures of our youth. This landmark legislation has had a profound impact on youth justice reform, ensuring that young people are given opportunities for rehabilitation, not just punishment. It was an honor to have Senator Grassley with us, whose leadership on youth justice issues has been instrumental in shaping policies that support and protect our youth. At Drake Law, through our Middleton Center for Children's Rights, we are committed to continuing this vital work, educating the next generation of lawyers and leaders to advocate for fairness, justice, and equity for all our young people,\" said Drake University Law School Dean Roscoe Jones, Jr.\n\nDownload photos HERE. Read Grassley\u2019s prepared remarks HERE.\n\nBackground:\n\nGrassley is a leading advocate for juvenile justice reform. In 2018 as U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, he championed the first reauthorization of the JJDPA in nearly 16 years, including measures to expand program oversight, promote screening for mental illness and substance abuse, prohibit the shackling of pregnant youth in juvenile detention, ensure the separation of juvenile and adult offenders and provide detained minors access to adequate legal representation. Grassley, this year, introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen and reauthorize the program through 2029.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/qanda-breast-cancer_1-in-8-women-will-be-diagnosed-in-her-lifetime", "Q&A: Breast Cancer \u2013 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed in her lifetime", "2024-10-17", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "Q: Is early detection and treatment for breast cancer moving in the right direction?\n\nA: As a lead sponsor of the bipartisan Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act of 2000, I\u2019m glad to see measurable strides indicating early detection and breast screenings are helping to lower female death rates from breast cancer. The 24-year-old federal law expanded on earlier legislation that directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to create the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP). Our bill allowed states to offer patients diagnosed with cancer under this federal program to access treatment services through Medicaid. It provides a lifeline of hope for tens of thousands of patients who otherwise wouldn\u2019t be able to afford timely access to cancer screening, diagnostics and treatment. In 2023, the federal program provided cancer screening and diagnostic services to 273,989 women, diagnosing 1,761 invasive breast cancers. Although we\u2019ve made progress in the battle against breast cancer, more work remains. The National Cancer Institute estimates 310,720 Americans will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024 and 42,250 people will lose their battle to the disease. The CDC says breast cancer is still the second most common cancer among women in the United States, following skin cancer diagnoses. Breast cancer also is the second leading cause of cancer death among women, following only lung cancer. Raising public awareness is central to advancing strides for life-saving prevention, detection and treatment.\n\nLosing a beloved mother, wife, aunt or sister to breast cancer is a devastating loss to families in communities across the country. I encourage Iowans to check in with their loved ones. Take advantage of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month to prompt a friend or family member to make their screening appointment. Non-invasive mammography screenings can alert health care providers long before symptoms arise. A recent FDA rule requires mammography facilities to include a breast density assessment as part of a patient\u2019s medical report. Having this information can help lead to better patient outcomes. My wife Barbara is a 37-year breast cancer survivor. She credits early detection for putting her on the road to healing and recovery.\n\nQ: What efforts have you led to help cancer patients survive and thrive?\n\nA: From my consistent support for breast cancer research, including the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program, I also steered bipartisan legislation across the finish line to enact the Lymphedema Treatment Act that closes a coverage gap for Medicare patients for physician-prescribed compression therapy items, including for breast cancer survivors. I\u2019m a vocal champion for rural health care initiatives to ensure patients in Rural America aren\u2019t left behind, such as expanded medical residency positions to grow Iowa\u2019s health care workforce and efforts to strengthen stability and security for rural hospitals and clinics that are the safety net providers for millions of Americans. From the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over federal health care programs, I champion policies to help ensure rural hospitals, local pharmacies and health care clinics keep their doors open for the community. I also keep the spotlight shining on market-driven solutions to reduce drug costs and lower barriers to care, such as expanding telehealth services and cutting red tape for kids with complex medical needs. Oncology patients can avoid the expense and tiring experience of a long road trip by seeing health care providers via the convenience and flexibility provided by a telehealth appointment. The bipartisan infrastructure law I supported is helping expand internet access needed for rural health clinics to provide telehealth services, including diagnosis and prescribing medicine. I\u2019ve also joined a bipartisan effort to push for an expansion of Medicare coverage for telehealth services and make permanent pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities. I\u2019ll continue pushing to lower barriers to care and raise awareness so that the one in eight women diagnosed with breast cancer survives and thrives to enjoy a high quality of life for years to come.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-emphasizes-value-esops-bring-local-economies-at-ia-ceo-conference", "Grassley Emphasizes Value ESOPs Bring Local Economies at IA-CEO Conference", "2024-10-16", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "POLK COUNTY, IOWA \u2013 U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, today delivered a keynote address at the 2024 Iowa CEO Employee Ownership Conference in Ankeny.\n\nGrassley discussed the future of our nation\u2019s business landscape as the baby boomer generation enters retirement, as well as his longstanding support for Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs): \u201c[\u2026T]his tax-advantaged tool has helped boost productivity, create wealth among the workforce, expand prosperity and grow civic roots in communities across the country,\u201d he said.\n\nDownload photos HERE. Grassley\u2019s prepared remarks follow.\n\nIowa Center for Employee Ownership (IA-CEO)\n\nEmployee Ownership Conference\n\nFFA Enrichment Center/DMACC Campus, Ankeny\n\nWednesday, October 16, 2024\n\nGood morning. It\u2019s good to be here with all of you.\n\nThank you, Randy, for your work with the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), a school near and dear to my heart. And thank you for the invitation to speak about another subject near and dear to my heart: building prosperity for Iowans across our state.\n\nNow, typically, I wouldn\u2019t be able to join you in person on a weekday in the middle of October. But since we\u2019re in the thick of a presidential election year, Congress is out of session until after November 5th.\n\nAs you know, we\u2019re also in the thick of harvest season. This week, my son and grandson are on our family farm in New Hartford running the combine and hauling grain from the fields.\n\nI\u2019m the second generation of our fourth-generation family farm, so I understand what weighs on the minds of Iowans looking to pass on the reins of a farm or small business. Although, a farmer never really retires.\n\nLike most family farms in Iowa, a lion\u2019s share of our small- and medium-sized businesses are owned by baby boomers. These operations are expected to change ownership in the next five to 10 years. Finding the future stewards of these farms and businesses is top of mind for communities across Iowa.\n\nIt will have tremendous impact on the tax base, population, school enrollment, jobs, economic vitality and social capital of the local and regional community.\n\nThis year, I completed my 44th year holding question-and-answer sessions with Iowans in all 99 counties in our state. Two issues that regularly come up at my meetings with small businesses and manufacturers are workforce shortages and employee retention.\n\nThe workforce and succession planning are top of mind for so many small businesses in Iowa, including those of you here in this room. As the baby boom generation prepares to pass the torch, a sizeable segment of our state\u2019s economy will hinge on the strategic transition of farms and businesses.\n\nChanging ownership of a business the same family has owned and operated for decades is complicated. Potential buyers and sellers need to navigate a maze of issues, including complex family dynamics, taxes, financing and more.\n\nA decade or so ago, the impending demographic shift was often referred to as the Silver Tsunami. Since 2011, roughly 10,000 Americans turn 65 every day. I would suggest the so-called tsunami has delivered rolling waves of changes, instead of catastrophic disruptions to health care, housing, transportation and community services. I attribute that to forward-thinkers, like those of you attending today\u2019s conference.\n\nWe\u2019ve seen across many sectors of the economy that not all of the demographic disruptions hit the fan at once.\n\nThat\u2019s partially because people are staying in the workforce longer, by choice or financial necessity.\n\nLike I said earlier, a farmer never really retires. The same often goes for a family-run business, perhaps due to the fact owners don\u2019t always have a viable succession plan or buyer. Having a succession plan can give families, landowners and small businesses much-needed peace of mind. After putting years of sweat and investments into their farm or business, many Iowans are what we call cash-poor and asset-rich.\n\nAs we look ahead to this era of transition in business ownership, it\u2019s important for leaders in government, business and academia to collaborate. Together, we can anticipate the challenges and embrace the economic opportunities this demographic shift will present.\n\nFrom that standpoint, I applaud the efforts of your organization, in partnership with my alma mater, UNI.\n\nI want to commend you for taking a proactive approach. You\u2019re grabbing the bull by the horns to identify the obstacles and possibilities that lie ahead. By engaging stakeholders and raising public awareness, your efforts can help expand local economic vitality and prosperity for generations to come.\n\nYou understand that a majority of the businesses owned by baby boomers will close for good if a viable buyer isn\u2019t found. Usually, a viable buyer is restricted by the sale price, or there simply isn\u2019t a buyer available at all.\n\nLet\u2019s not underestimate the benefits your efforts will bring workers and the community. Day in and day out, workers help build and grow a company. When workers are able to capture financial equity in their employing business, it fosters an ownership culture that strengthens morale and reinforces roots in the community.\n\nThese dynamics sow the seeds for broader advantages for nearby schools, civic clubs, volunteer fire departments, places of worship, and more.\n\nIf you think about it, your mission kills two birds with one stone. On the one hand, you provide an off-ramp for business owners to pull wealth from their business, monetizing the retirement nest egg they\u2019ve feathered for decades.\n\nOn the other hand, you\u2019re expanding ownership opportunity and offering a piece of the financial pie to the workforce, empowering employees to share in the fruits of their own labor.\n\nAs a former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, fostering economic growth is central to my philosophy on tax policy. That includes my support for federal tax advantages for Employee Stock Ownership Plans.\n\nEverything these days goes by an acronym, but \u201cESOPs\u201d have been around for decades.\n\nA century ago, big corporations like Proctor & Gamble, J.C. Penney and Sears Roebuck provided stock ownership through a tax vehicle Congress added to the federal tax code in 1921.\n\nThe iteration we have today sprang up in the 1950s, for the purpose of transitioning ownership of a company to its employees.\n\nESOPs were formally recognized in law in 1974 thanks to the efforts of Senator Russell Long - one of my predecessors at the helm of the Senate Finance Committee.\n\nAn ESOP allows companies to use IRS tax-qualified plans as a tool for business succession, and as a workplace empowerment tool to foster an ownership culture. They provide the seller better options to manage tax liabilities from the sale of the business rather than what many consider tax confiscation at the point of sale.\n\nSenator Long once declared ESOPs would be the perfect elixir to the economy. In fact, he used the term \u201cGeritol,\u201d if anyone here remembers that once-popular vitamin supplement.\n\nThe good news is ESOPs have outlasted Geritol. For decades, this tax-advantaged tool has helped boost productivity, create wealth among the workforce, expand prosperity and grow civic roots in communities across the country.\n\nWhen Congress passed the Tax Reform Act of 1984 that included tax-free, roll-over treatment, Washington cleared the path for privately held businesses to transfer ownership, unlocking a burst of economic activity and new ownership to the next generation of employees.\n\nA decade later, the Small Business and Jobs Protection Act of 1996 primed the pump for another wave of growth for employee ownership. In the act, Congress amended S corporation laws to permit ESOPs as eligible shareholders.\n\nTo this day, ESOPs are a preferred tool for business succession in America.\n\nFrom my platform on the Senate Finance Committee, once again, I will have a front row seat at the tax policymaking table in the new Congress. With 2025 will come a major tipping point for the U.S. economy, as lawmakers and a newly elected president confront a tax cliff. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that I helped shepherd into law in 2017 is set to expire at the end of next year.\n\nThis package enacted across-the-board tax cuts for every American taxpayer. As a result, businesses and families kept more of their hard-earned money in their pockets.\n\nThat means Iowans got to save, spend and invest more of their own money. If the 2017 Trump tax cuts expire, we will say good-bye to trillions of dollars in tax breaks.\n\nThe 2017 tax law also unlocked opportunities for small business across our state \u2013 the engines of the nation\u2019s economy. Whether a business was structured as a \u201cC\u201d corporation or subchapter \u201cS,\u201d the law lowered tax rates on their income. This tax cut applies to ESOPs with partial employee-ownership.\n\nThe law lowered the maximum corporate tax rate from 35 percent to a single marginal rate of 21 percent, empowering businesses to expand, hire more people or raise wages.\n\nJust as importantly, for pass-through businesses the law lowered tax rates across the board and created a new 20 percent business income deduction.\n\nTogether, those reforms shrunk the top federal income tax rate from 39.6 percent to 29.6 percent. Farmers and small businesses operate on tight margins. These tax breaks make a tremendous difference on the bottom line.\n\nI\u2019m always on the lookout for ways to continue to build on the success of ESOPs. A provision I\u2019ve long cosponsored to make ESOPs a more attractive option for S corporations was incorporated into the SECURE 2.0 Act, which Congress passed at the end of 2022.\n\nI\u2019ve written tax policy in the U.S. Senate for more than four decades and counting. I\u2019ll let you in on a secret: When you tax something \u2013 anything \u2013 you get less of it.\n\nTax laws influence purchase decisions on items ranging from cars and clothes to farm machinery and investments. Just consider back-to-school tax-free shopping weekends. Or how states with no state income tax attract people from high-tax states.\n\nOn the flip side, high taxes on cigarettes, gambling and alcohol aim to limit those behaviors. Tax incentives operate the same way, informing research and development, college savings and homeownership.\n\nI\u2019m sure many of you want to know what\u2019s going to happen on those expiring tax cuts in 2025. That crystal ball will get some clarity after November 5th.\n\nIn closing, I want you to know I agree ESOPs are a key instrument for communities to foster economic prosperity across our state.\n\nOwnership is a core principle in America\u2019s promise of prosperity -- and freedom itself -- that our nation\u2019s Founders enshrined in our Constitution.\n\nIn my 99 county meetings, I\u2019ve seen good things happening and economic vitality thriving in communities with ESOP-structured businesses.\n\nESOPs can provide that pathway to prosperity.\n\nBusiness owners preparing to retire can get tax-advantaged cash in their pockets, after many years of building their business.\n\nEmployees can build equity in the company and find greater satisfaction on the job.\n\nWith your advocacy, communities can realize more opportunities to keep valued businesses thriving and tap into the ownership culture that attracts a dynamic workforce.\n\nThank you again for inviting me to speak to you today. I look forward to continuing this conversation and welcome your feedback. I\u2019m happy now to open up the floor to questions.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/icymi-grassley-recognized-for-work-to-combat-sex-trafficking-crisis-the-only-person-in-a-position-of-power-who-cares", "ICYMI: Grassley Recognized for Work to Combat Sex-Trafficking Crisis: \u2018The Only Person in a Position of Power Who Cares\u2019", "2024-10-16", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "Inside America\u2019s Fastest-Growing Criminal Enterprise: Sex Trafficking\n\n\u2018Washington\u2019s lack of interest in the sex-trafficking crisis is stunning. Sometimes it seems as though the only person in a position of power who cares about the issue is 91-year-old Senator Grassley.\u2019\n\nBy Madeleine Rowley\n\nOctober 14, 2024\n\nThere is no question that the border crisis is the primary reason for the increase in the sex trafficking of migrants\u2026\n\nIn July, Republican senator Chuck Grassley hosted a roundtable on the trafficking crisis at the border. Tara Rodas, 55, a federal employee who in 2021 worked at an emergency intake shelter in California, testified that while she was there, a 13-year-old girl from El Salvador was released to a sponsor in Ohio who was affiliated with the MS-13 gang.\n\n\u2026\n\nWashington\u2019s lack of interest in the sex-trafficking crisis is stunning. Sometimes it seems as though the only person in a position of power who cares about the issue is 91-year-old Senator Grassley\u2026\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve been trying to protect unaccompanied children that are put in dangerous environments,\u201d he told me in an interview. \u201cThese are the most vulnerable people, and somebody\u2019s got to look out for them, and that\u2019s me.\u201d\n\nAs far back as 2014, when \u201cjust\u201d 57,000 unaccompanied children crossed the border\u2014less than half the current number\u2014Grassley sounded the alarm that the Office of Refugee Resettlement was having trouble accommodating so many migrant children.\n\nThe next year, he wrote a letter to the Department of Homeland Security, saying that up to 3,400 unaccompanied children\u2019s sponsors had criminal histories. Two years later, he urged the ORR to take responsibility for unaccompanied children who had ties to the gang. \u201cYour agencies repeatedly pass the buck to each other. As a result, children are allowed to disappear. When these children disappear without any supervision, they are vulnerable to join dangerous gangs like MS-13,\u201d he said.\n\nGrassley reached across the aisle in 2019 and 2021, working with Democratic senators Dianne Feinstein and Ron Wyden, respectively, regarding allegations of sexual abuse and employee misconduct at ORR-funded shelters. Grassley and Wyden\u2019s investigation found that between 2016 and 2020, ORR received nearly 7,500 reports of sexual misconduct involving an unaccompanied child staying at a shelter\u2026\n\nWith the election of Joe Biden\u2014and the border crisis that ensued\u2014other Republicans have jumped on the trafficking bandwagon, but Grassley has continued to lead the charge, using his staff to conduct significant investigations. In January, for instance, he sent a detailed letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FBI Director Christopher Wray, detailing evidence his staff had uncovered of unaccompanied children who were suspected of being in the hands of traffickers.\n\nDemocrats have been shamefully silent on the trafficking issue. At the roundtable Grassley held in July, not a single Democrat attended. Neither did Mayorkas. \u201cDemocrats didn\u2019t come because they\u2019re just too embarrassed to talk about the shortcomings of this administration on immigration,\u201d Grassley told me. \u201cEspecially when you have HHS sending kids to MS-13 gang-related sponsors in Ohio. It\u2019s hard to explain that.\u201d\n\nAs for the Office of Refugee Resettlement\u2026 It has yet to do anything to reduce the sex trafficking that is taking place under its nose. On the contrary, it has lately been pushing through rules that will minimize the vetting of sponsors\u2026This, of course, will allow the NGOs to push migrant children through the system even faster. But it will also make it easier for gangs and criminals to \u201csponsor\u201d migrant girls after they\u2019ve crossed the border. Grassley is trying to stop that from happening\u2026\n\nRead the full piece HERE.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases/miller-meeks-leads-232-house-members-address-doc-cuts-2025", "Miller-Meeks Leads 232 House Members to Address Doc Cuts Before 2025", "2024-10-15", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Mariannette Miller-Meeks", "M001215", "millermeeks.house.gov", "millermeeks", "https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Dear Speaker Johnson and Minority Leader Jeffries:\n\nThe undersigned bipartisan members of Congress write to urge you to expeditiously pass legislative fixes that not only stop another damaging round of cuts to Medicare payments, but also provide greater certainty and stability for clinicians serving Medicare beneficiaries. On July 10, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Proposed Rule, which includes provisions subjecting all physicians and other clinicians treating Medicare patients to a 2.8 percent payment cut. In lieu of these harmful cuts, which, absent federal legislation, will take effect on January 1, 2025, Congress must pass a bill providing physicians and other clinicians with a payment update that takes into account the cost of delivering care to patients.\n\nThe scheduled 2.8 percent reduction represents the fifth consecutive year that CMS issued a fee schedule regulation lowering payments to physicians and other clinicians. While Congress has intervened in the past four years to mitigate portions of these cuts, the fact remains that the MPFS is inherently broken. Continued payment cuts undermine the ability of independent clinical practices\u2014especially in rural and underserved areas\u2014to care for their community, which reduces patient access to care. These ongoing cuts have forced medical groups and integrated systems of care to make difficult choices, such as imposing hiring freezes, delaying system improvements, postponing transitions to value-based care models, and potentially eliminating services. Because healthcare often comprises a large percentage of employment in rural areas, the closure of independent practices not only lessens patient access to care but also jeopardizes the livelihood of rural Americans.\n\nOver the last two decades, Medicare payment rates have fallen by 29 percent when adjusted for the costs of running a practice. Additionally, compliance with the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) is both expensive and a flawed method of measuring quality and costs of care, resulting in steep and unfair penalties. These payment cuts and MIPS compliance costs also come on the heels of the extremely disruptive COVID-19 public health emergency and the Change Healthcare cyberattack.\n\nThe CY 2025 MPFS Proposed Rule highlights that the estimated cost of running a practice\u2014covering expenses like rent, staff compensation, and purchasing supplies and equipment\u2014is expected to increase substantially next year. This widening gap between what Medicare pays and the cost of delivering quality care to patients demands Congressional intervention.\n\nThankfully, bipartisan lawmakers have come together to propose several legislative solutions aimed at providing permanent relief from the long-term problems plaguing the Medicare payment system. We urge Congressional Leadership to move legislation that provides physicians and other clinicians with a permanent, annual inflationary update in Medicare equivalent to the Medicare Economic Index (MEI). We also request targeted reforms to statutory MPFS budget neutrality requirements, raising the current MPFS budget neutrality threshold to reflect 2024 dollars, requiring CMS to cross-check utilization assumptions associated with newly unbundled codes that trigger budget neutrality cuts, mandating CMS to review key elements of practice expense costs every five years, and limiting changes to the MPFS conversion factor to no more than 2.5 percent in a given year. Some of these legislative solutions have already passed the Energy and Commerce Committee in 2023 with strong bipartisan support. Moreover, we urge Congressional Leadership to utilize bipartisan offsets as we address all issues pertaining to Medicare payments to physicians and other clinicians.\n\nIncreased instability in the healthcare sector due to looming cost hikes impacts the ability of physicians and clinicians to provide the highest quality of care and threatens patient access to affordable healthcare. Rural physicians and other clinicians, along with those treating underserved populations, are facing the most daunting challenge of trying to provide care in the wake of devastating reimbursement cuts. To prevent the very real scenario of insufficient access to physicians and other clinicians treating Medicare patients, Congress must stop the 2.8 percent payment cut from occurring in 2025, enact targeted reforms to statutory budget neutrality requirements, and provide physicians with a payment update reflective of inflationary pressures. We stand ready to work with you to pass crucial bipartisan legislative initiatives before the conclusion of the 118th Congress.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://nunn.house.gov/2024/10/15/nunn-secures-1-5-million-to-replace-bridge-in-madison-county/", "Nunn Secures $1.5 Million to Replace Bridge in Madison County", "2024-10-15", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Zachary Nunn", "N000193", "nunn.house.gov", "nunn", "https://nunn.house.gov/category/news/press-releases/", "scraper", "DES MOINES \u2014 U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) today announced that he secured a $1.5 million federal investment to replace the Bevington Park Road Bridge over the Middle River in Madison County.\n\n\u201cIowans rely on safe bridges and roads to get to work, school, and spend time with family. We need to invest in our infrastructure so Iowans can continue to get from point A to point B,\u201d said Rep. Nunn. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m proud to announce we secured $1.5 million to improve safety on Bevington Park Road in Madison County. This is exactly the kind of investment the federal government should make \u2013 one that does the most good for the most people.\u201d\n\nRep. Nunn secured the $1.5 million investment through the Community Project Funding process, which allows members to designate funding for critical initiatives. The funding was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 which was signed into law on Saturday, March 9, 2024.\n\n\u201cBevington Park Road is traveled daily by many. The bridge is used for commuters, agricultural goods and services, fire and rescue, schools, and mail routes. Getting the bridge replaced over the Middle River is an important step in bringing our infrastructure up to par,\u201d said Mike Hackett, Madison County Engineer. \u201cI am thankful that Congressman Nunn was able to secure the $1.5 million and make a critical investment into Madison County infrastructure.\u201d\n\nThe funding will help replace a narrow, weight-restricted, 91-year-old iron bridge that is beyond its useful life. The new bridge will expand its width and allow heavier vehicles to pass normally. The new infrastructure is expected to be in place sometime in FY2026.\n\nRep. Nunn announced the new funding investment following a meeting at the Bevington Park Road Bridge at Middle River alongside County Engineer Mike Hackett and other members of the County Maintenance and Secondary Roads Department. Video of the announcement can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://nunn.house.gov/2024/10/15/nunn-secures-2-million-for-minburn-infrastructure/", "Nunn Secures $2 Million for Minburn Infrastructure", "2024-10-15", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Zachary Nunn", "N000193", "nunn.house.gov", "nunn", "https://nunn.house.gov/category/news/press-releases/", "scraper", "DES MOINES \u2014 U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) today announced that he secured a $2 million federal investment in improvements to water infrastructure in the City of Minburn.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m incredibly excited to announce that we secured a $2 million federal investment for much-needed improvements for the Minburn water system,\u201d said Rep. Nunn. \u201cThis investment will help the Minburn Fire Department keep people safe and ensure Minburn residents have access to safe drinking water. This is exactly the kind of investment the federal government should make \u2013 one that does the most good for the most people.\u201d\n\nRep. Nunn secured the $2 million investment through the Community Project Funding process, which allows members to designate funding for critical initiatives. The funding was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 which was signed into law on Saturday, March 9, 2024.\n\n\u201cAs mayor, one of my highest priorities is ensuring the long-term well-being of our community, and a critical part of that is maintaining and improving our infrastructure,\u201d said Mayor Joe Stuetelberg. \u201cToday, we\u2019re pleased to announce important improvements to our town\u2019s water system. I would like to extend my gratitude to our city staff, engineers, contractors, and Congressman Nunn for working to spur economic growth within our community.\u201d\n\nMinburn\u2019s water system is more than seventy years old and experiences line breaks frequently, leading to boil orders. Additionally, the old system cannot be used by first responders to fight fires. This federal investment will support the Minburn Water Improvement Project in replacing water lines.\n\nRep. Nunn announced the new funding investment during a press conference at the Minburn City Hall with Mayor Stuetelberg and other members of the Minburn City Council. Video from the press conference can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/capitol-hill-report-10-15-24", "Capitol Hill Report, 10-15-24", "2024-10-15", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "Senator Grassley's weekly Capitol Hill Report can be found HERE.\n\nTopics include: the Farm Bill, the Congressional Budget Office's estimate of the Fiscal Year 2024 deficit, election integrity and security and the consequences of a Harris presidency.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-demands-vp-harris-own-up-for-failures-as-border-czar", "Grassley Demands VP Harris Own Up for Failures as Border Czar", "2024-10-15", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA \u2013 U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) wrote Vice President Kamala Harris asking questions about the policy decisions she has made in her role overseeing border issues for the Biden administration, as well as the dangerous consequences and crimes that have ensued as a result.\n\n\u201cEvery community is a border community because the Biden-Harris administration has refused to enforce our immigration laws,\u201d Grassley today said of his letter. \u201cThe federal government\u2019s number one job is to keep its citizens safe. By reversing the effective border security policies of the Trump administration, the Biden-Harris administration has done the very opposite of protecting American citizens.\u201d\n\nGrassley on a radio call this morning cited the following actions, among others, the Biden-Harris administration has taken that have weakened U.S. national security and made innocent Americans targets of otherwise preventable crimes:\n\nOrdering the Defense Department to stop building the southern border wall;\n\nBlocking $2 billion previously allocated for barrier construction; and\n\nEnding the Trump-era \u201cRemain in Mexico\u201d program.\n\nClick HERE for audio of Grassley discussing his letter to Vice President Harris. The full letter is available HERE and below.\n\nVice President Kamala D. Harris\n\nThe White House\n\nOffice of the Vice President\n\n1600 Pennsylvania Avenue\n\nWashington, D.C. 20500\n\nDear Vice President Harris:\n\nIn one of your first official public appearances, you joined President Biden in the Oval Office when he opined on the Trump administration\u2019s immigration and border policies. President Biden dismissed the previous administration\u2019s policies as \u201ccounterproductive to our security,\u201d \u201charmful,\u201d and a \u201cmoral and national shame.\u201d\n\nSince your first day in office, you and President Biden have worked to dismantle the Trump-era border policies and halted further construction of the border wall. The presidential proclamation terminating construction read, in part: \u201cIt shall be the policy of my Administration that no more American taxpayer dollars be diverted to construct a border wall.\u201d This initiated a so-called \u201ccareful review of all resources appropriated or redirected to construct a southern border wall.\u201d By April 2021, the Department of Defense (DOD) announced the cancellation of border barrier projects. In June of the same year, the Biden-Harris administration returned $2 billion to the DOD previously allocated for the purpose of border wall construction. Your administration also initiated a review of the Remain in Mexico policy, which Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Mayorkas subsequently ended in June 2021.\n\nMeanwhile, every fiscal year throughout your engagements, crossings from Mexico and the\n\nNorthern Triangle markedly exceeded any year of the Trump administration. Despite the stark increase from those nations and many others, deportations and returns overall have decreased as a share of crossings.\n\nNow, you are engaging in a numbers racket, telling Americans modest decreases in encounters from soaring, record highs is somehow proof that what your administration has been doing all along is working. It is not.\n\nPresident Biden\u2019s executive order\u2014more than three years after your administration\u2019s reckless reversal of key policies\u2014is an implicit admission that he and you bear ultimate responsibility for this crisis and this disastrous approach. As a result of these slow-walked changes, our national security has been undermined and the safety of our communities has been threatened all across the country.\n\nDue to the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s failure to achieve adequate border security, illegal immigrants, including those entering from Mexico and the Northern Triangle, have been able to perpetrate heinous acts against innocent American citizens. For example:\n\nOn May 14, 2024, an 18-year-old Honduran national, who purportedly entered the United States illegally in April 2022, pled guilty to sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl in Waterloo, Iowa.\n\nOn April 2, 2024, a Honduran national, who was previously convicted of sexual assaulting a woman in Connecticut and deported, was charged for failing to register as a sex offender. He was reportedly able to re-enter the United States undetected by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and subsequently was arrested twice before being charged.\n\nOn February 25, 2024, a 19-year-old Honduran national was arrested for the alleged rape and aggravated assault of a 14-year-old girl at knifepoint in Louisiana. He entered the United States illegally in October 2023.\n\nOn May 4, 2024, a Guatemalan national was arrested for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl in a van in Palm Beach County, Florida. He reportedly entered the United States illegally in January 2024, was given an immigration hearing date in 2027, and was released by DHS.\n\nOn June 26, 2024, a Guatemalan national was charged with alleged sexually battery of a 14-year-old girl in Okaloosa County, Florida. He was deported on February 9, 2024, before this incident, but was able to re-enter the United States untraced days later.\n\nOn May 8, 2024, an El Salvadoran migrant was arrested for allegedly murdering a woman and the malicious assault of two homeless individuals with a baseball bat in West Virginia. He had an extensive criminal history and was in prison in El Salvador for over twenty years for \u201cDUI [driving under the influence], sexual assault/murder, aggravated robbery, and narcotics related crimes.\u201d Law enforcement believes he illegally entered the United States shortly after his release from prison.\n\nThis is just a snapshot from this year alone of the sorts of preventable tragedies, which have become all too common across the United States.\n\nThe Biden-Harris administration\u2019s policies\u2014pulling resources, reversing Remain in Mexico, and stopping wall construction\u2014are largely to blame for our open and unsafe border over the last three-and-a-half years. Because of your actions and inactions, every state is now a border state and every community is a border community.\n\nGiven your role as the leader of engagement with this region, which the media has colloquially dubbed as \u201cBorder Czar\u201d or \u201cRoot Causes Czar,\u201d I ask that you provide answers to the following immigration and border policy questions by October 24, 2024.\n\nHave you engaged with your international counterparts regarding violence perpetrated against innocent Americans by citizens of their countries? Have you raised this concern with any counterpart(s)? If so, what concerns were raised and when? What was their response?\n\nIn light of the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s ending of Remain in Mexico in 2021, what data can you provide suggesting migration from Mexico has been \u201cstemmed\u201d as you were tasked with accomplishing prior to 2024?\n\nIn February 2024, the Biden-Harris administration endorsed a proposal that, among other provisions, included a requirement that a few hundred million dollars in unspent funds be used specifically for border wall construction. As noted above, the Biden-Harris administration previously returned $2 billion allocated for the purpose of building a border wall. Did the Biden-Harris administration ever consider reversing course regarding this funding? If not, why not? If so, why has no discernable action been taken to that end?\n\nThe Biden-Harris administration has auctioned off some $300 million worth of unused border wall materials for mere pennies on the dollar. Why did the Biden-Harris administration endorse a proposal asking Congress to require them to use hundreds of millions of unspent dollars for border wall construction after deciding to sit on hundreds of millions of dollars\u2019 worth of unused supplies instead of building the wall?", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-stands-up-for-iowa-farmers-calls-out-biden-harris-ag-failures", "Grassley Stands Up for Iowa Farmers, Calls Out Biden-Harris Ag Failures", "2024-10-15", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA \u2013 U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong family farmer and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, is sharing Iowa farmers\u2019 concerns regarding the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s approach to agriculture, energy and trade.\n\n\u201cFarmers are struggling to stay afloat thanks to falling profitability, sky high input costs and burdensome regulations,\u201d Grassley said of his letter to President Biden and Vice President Harris. \u201cIn order to forge a better future for farmers, Washington needs to listen to the real-world experience of those with dirt under their fingernails. I\u2019m demanding the Biden-Harris administration wake up to the challenges our farmers are facing.\u201d\n\nGrassley\u2019s letter shines light on President Biden and Vice President Harris\u2019 harmful ag and trade policies, including:\n\nExcessive and unconstitutional regulations, such as the failed Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule;\n\nThe Biden-Harris Treasury Department\u2019s restrictive 40B Sustainable Aviation Fuel tax credit guidelines; and\n\nFailure to establish a comprehensive trade strategy.\n\nGrassley is urging President Biden and Vice President Harris to prioritize agricultural issues and lend farmers a helping hand by issuing timely, science-backed guidance on the 45Z Clean Fuels tax credit and expanding market access.\n\nDownload audio of Grassley discussing his letter HERE. Read the full letter HERE and below.\n\nMonday, October 14, 2024\n\nThe Honorable Joseph R. Biden\n\nPresident of the United States\n\n1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW\n\nWashington, DC 20500\n\nDear President Biden and Vice President Harris,\n\nI am writing to express my concerns regarding the impact of your administration's policies on the agricultural community. As a lifelong family farmer, I know first-hand the decisions made at the federal level have far-reaching consequences. It is critical that these decisions support, rather than hinder, our farmers.\n\nMany aspects of farming have changed over the last four years of your administration. Unfortunately, the most important aspect of farming, profitability, has declined. In 2021, net farm cash income for the United States was around $176 billion. This year, 2024, net farm cash income is estimated to be down to $154 billion. As any farmer could tell you, if you aren't profitable, you won't be farming for long. I would like to take this opportunity to address areas where I believe your administration has fallen short in supporting the agriculture sector.\n\nFirst, under your administration the regulatory environment has become increasingly burdensome. Farmers and businesses alike have faced a host of new regulations that complicate their operations and drive up costs. For example, your changes to the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, would have covered over 90 percent or the State of lowa and made the government involved in any land management decision for farmers, developers, and businesses such as golf courses. Thankfully, all nine Supreme Court justices agreed that the Environmental Protection Agency's expansive regulatory efforts violated the Clean Water Act.\n\nFrom electric vehicle mandates to overly complicated strategies for herbicides and insecticides, farmers are concerned that these regulations will impose additional compliance costs and restrictions on their ability to manage their land effectively. This is also seen clearly in the Department of Treasury's guidance for the 40B sustainable aviation fuel tax credit. Instead of enabling farmers to benefit from science-backed farming practices that work for them, your administration's guidance restricted American farmers and benefitted foreign feedstocks. While I understand the need for sustainable practices, pushing farmers to specific farming practices can undermine the autonomy of farmers to make decisions that best suit their unique circumstances, and edge them out of new markets.\n\nTrade policy is another area where your administration has missed the mark. The lack of new trade agreements and uncertainty around tariffs has left the United States agriculture sector with a record estimated $30.5 billion trade deficit this year. In March, I joined 21 of my Senate colleagues in a letter to Ambassador Tai and Secretary Vilsack to ask if your administration intended to pursue any new free trade agreements. As my colleagues and I expressed at that time, the increased deficit is, \"exacerbated by an unambitious U.S. trade strategy that is failing to meaningfully expand market access or reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade.\" Though your administration has acted in trade disputes and other areas, it has been based on previous trade agreements established before your administration. The lack of a comprehensive strategy to expand market access for American agricultural products has been frustrating for farmers who rely on exporting their products to sustain their livelihoods.\n\nLastly, I urge your administration to prioritize these important issues in the agricultural community. There are still important steps that you can take to support farmers. Issuing timely guidance on the 45Z clean fuels tax credit would help provide certainty to farmers looking to market the grain they are currently harvesting. Allowing farmers a seat at the table for 45Z guidance and reducing the complicated and unworkable structure from 40B would go a long way in ensuring farmers maintain their autonomy in farming practices.\n\nThank you for your attention to these important issues. I look forward to your response and hope that in the coming months you work to support our farmers who continue to contribute to the nation's food security, fuel independence, and economic stability.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/qanda-afghan-national-charged-with-election-day-terror-plot", "Q&A: Afghan National Charged With Election Day Terror Plot", "2024-10-11", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "Q: What concerns did you raise immediately after the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan?\n\nA: The Biden-Harris administration\u2019s disorganized and disastrous exit from Afghanistan three years ago resulted in the tragic deaths of 13 U.S. service members by a suicide bombing. The images of Afghan civilians jumping onto and falling from a departing U.S. military aircraft underscored sheer chaos at the airport in Kabul. Like many Americans, it reminded me of the desperate 1975 retreat in Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War. The botched departure in Afghanistan left behind American citizens and sophisticated American military equipment. It left millions of Afghan women and girls under the thumb of a murderous, suppressive Taliban regime and left a stain on American leadership, sowing seeds of doubt among our allies and partners, and sending a message of weakness to aggressive dictators like Vladimir Putin. Then, the Biden-Harris administration made matters even worse by failing to take the time to thoroughly vet Afghans applying to come to the United States. This put more American lives at risk.\n\nThe Biden-Harris administration was green-lighting evacuees in a matter of hours or days. While the U.S. has an obligation to protect thousands of Afghans who helped American forces, there are serious questions how those who were evacuated were selected. The screening process exists for a reason: to protect Americans from bad actors seeking to enter the United States. Within a day of the U.S. leaving Afghanistan, I wrote the Departments of State, Defense and Homeland Security to demand answers. For years, I\u2019ve pressed the Biden-Harris administration to do its job and come clean about deficient vetting of tens of thousands of Afghans evacuated by U.S. forces. According to a pair of internal watchdog reports from the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security, the administration\u2019s failure to sufficiently screen Afghan evacuees raises serious public safety concerns. That\u2019s why I\u2019ve tirelessly pushed the Biden-Harris administration to tighten up the evacuee resettlement process and answer to independent congressional oversight inquiries, the linchpin of our system of checks and balances, on behalf of the American people. For the last three years, I\u2019ve sounded alarms that individuals who may pose serious threats to national security are setting up shop on American soil.\n\nQ: Who did the FBI arrest just one month before Election Day?\n\nA: According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) criminal complaint, the FBI recently arrested an Afghan national who had secured a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) to enter the United States during the same time as the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan and is currently on parole status pending his immigration proceedings. Now in federal custody, the individual allegedly planned an Election Day terrorist attack in the United States on behalf of the Islamic State of Syria and Iraq (ISIS). According to the DOJ\u2019s complaint, the FBI found pro-ISIS propaganda on the individual\u2019s devices and communications saying, \u201c[a]fter that we will begin our duty, God willing, with the help of God, we will get ready for the election day.\u201d\n\nThe good news is the FBI stopped this terrorist plot; the bad news is it exposes the clear and present danger created by the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s failure to follow proper screening processes that are in place to prevent terrorists from getting to America in the first place. Since the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, more than 97,000 evacuees have been admitted into the United States. According to the Defense Department Inspector General, at least 50 Afghan evacuees paroled into the United States were later identified as having potentially significant security concerns that would disqualify them for parole or admission onto U.S. military bases used as temporary housing for evacuees. When I questioned FBI Director Christopher Wray about whether the FBI knows where these evacuees are located, he admitted the FBI doesn\u2019t know where all of them are located at any given time.\n\nThe Biden-Harris administration\u2019s open border policies also have made communities across the country vulnerable to a terrorist attack. During this administration, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection has encountered 382 individuals from the terror watch list. In fact, eight illegal immigrants from Tajikistan with alleged ties to terrorism are in the process of deportation.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/office-congressman-randy-feenstra-hold-october-traveling-office-hours", "Office of Congressman Randy Feenstra to Hold October Traveling Office Hours", "2024-10-10", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "HULL, IOWA \u2013 Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) announced that his office will hold fall traveling office hours this October. Representatives from Feenstra\u2019s office will be in 18 counties to help constituents with casework relating to passports, veterans\u2019 benefits, IRS issues, and other federal programs. Traveling office hours were also held this past spring.\n\n\u201cHelping Iowans resolve issues with the federal government is a top priority for me and my office. We stand ready to assist seniors with receiving their Social Security checks, veterans with navigating the VA, and families with getting their passports renewed,\u201d said Rep. Feenstra. \u201cI encourage Iowans to attend traveling office hours at any of the 18 locations throughout the 4th Congressional District scheduled for October. As always, Iowans can also reach my office by visiting Feenstra.House.Gov or by calling us at 202-225-4426.\u201d\n\nIowans in the 4th District can also stop by Congressman Feenstra\u2019s district offices Monday \u2013 Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM CT in Fort Dodge, Council Bluffs, and Sioux City or visit Feenstra.House.Gov to submit a casework request.\n\nBelow is the full list of times and locations organized alphabetically by county:\n\n*Rep. Feenstra will not be at traveling office hours*\n\nBuena Vista County\n\nMonday, October 21st, 2 PM \u2013 3 PM CT\n\nAlta Community Library\n\n1009 South Main Street\n\nAlta, IA 51002\n\nCrawford County\n\nMonday, October 21st, 3 PM \u2013 4 PM CT\n\nDenison City Hall\n\n111 North Main Street\n\nDenison, IA 51442\n\nDickinson County\n\nTuesday, October 22nd, 11:30 AM \u2013 12:30 PM CT\n\nLake Park City Hall\n\n217 N. Market Street\n\nLake Park, IA 51347\n\nEmmet County\n\nThursday, October 17th, 10 AM \u2013 11 AM CT\n\nEstherville Area Chamber of Commerce\n\n620 1st Avenue South\n\nEstherville, IA 51334\n\nHumboldt County\n\nWednesday, October 23rd, 11 AM \u2013 12 PM CT\n\nHumboldt City Hall\n\nCouncil Chambers\n\n29 5th Street South\n\nHumboldt, IA 50548\n\nIda County\n\nWednesday, October 23rd, 1 PM \u2013 2 PM CT\n\nIda Grove Public Library\n\n100 E 2nd Street\n\nIda Grove, IA 51445\n\nLyon County\n\nTuesday, October 22nd, 9 AM \u2013 10 AM CT\n\nInwood City Hall\n\n103 South Main Street\n\nInwood, IA 51240\n\nMarshall County\n\nWednesday, October 16th, 1 PM \u2013 2 PM CT\n\nMarshalltown Public Library\n\n105 West Boone Street\n\nMarshalltown, IA 50158\n\nMonona County\n\nTuesday, October 22nd, 10 AM \u2013 11 AM CT\n\nMapleton Community Center\n\n513 Main Street\n\nMapleton, IA 51034\n\nO\u2019Brien County\n\nTuesday, October 22nd, 2 PM \u2013 3 PM CT\n\nHartley City Hall\n\n11 South Central Avenue\n\nHartley, IA 51346\n\nPocahontas County\n\nThursday, October 17th, 12 PM \u2013 1 PM CT\n\nLaurens City Hall\n\nCouncil Chambers\n\n272 North 3rd Street\n\nLaurens, IA 50554\n\nPottawattamie County\n\nMonday, October 21st, 10 AM \u2013 11 AM CT\n\nTreynor Community Center\n\n11 West Main Street Post\n\nTreynor, IA 51575\n\nShelby County\n\nMonday, October 21st, 1 PM \u2013 2 PM CT\n\nHarlan Public Library\n\n718 Court Street\n\nHarlan, IA 51537\n\nStory County\n\nWednesday, October 16th, 11 AM \u2013 12 PM CT\n\nNevada Public Library\n\n631 K Avenue\n\nNevada, IA 50201\n\nWebster County\n\nWednesday, October 16th, 1 PM \u2013 2 PM CT\n\nGowrie Public Library\n\n1204 Market Street\n\nGowrie, IA 50543\n\nWinnebago County\n\nTuesday, October 22nd, 10 AM \u2013 11 AM CT\n\nForest City Economic Development\n\nConference Room\n\n145 South Clark Street\n\nForest City, IA 50436\n\nWoodbury County\n\nMonday, October 21st, 9 AM \u2013 10 AM CT\n\nSioux City Office of Congressman Randy Feenstra\n\nFederal Building Room 112\n\n320 West 6th Street\n\nSioux City, IA 51101\n\nWright County\n\nWednesday, October 23rd, 9:30 AM \u2013 10:30 AM CT\n\nWright County Courthouse\n\nSupervisors Room\n\n115 North Main Street\n\nClarion, IA 50525", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://hinson.house.gov/larc", "Hinson Introduces Legislation to Increase Safe Birth Control Options for Women in Rural Areas", "2024-10-10", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Ashley Hinson", "H001091", "hinson.house.gov", "hinson", "https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (IA-02) introduced the Access to LARCs Act, legislation aimed at improving birth control options for adult women in rural areas.\n\nClinics that receive Title X funding offer women the full range of pregnancy preventing contraception, including long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs), onsite at much higher rates than community clinics and CHCs that do not receive Title X funding. This inequality in access to the most effective FDA-approved pregnancy preventing contraception leaves many who live in \u201chealth care deserts\u201d unable to receive long-acting birth control such as IUDs or arm implants.\n\nThe Access to LARCs Act would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a study and submit to Congress a report on contraceptive access at community health centers (CHCs) in health care deserts.\n\n\"Ensuring women, regardless of zip code, have access to safe birth control options is vital for women's health and family planning. This legislation will help expand access to safe birth control options for adult women in rural or underserved areas who rely on Community Health Centers for care. I've listened to women across Iowa, and will continue proposing commonsense solutions to improve women's health care access.\" - Congresswoman Ashley Hinson\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-investigation-into-fbi-sexual-misconduct-reveals-fox-is-guarding-the-hen-house", "Grassley Investigation into FBI Sexual Misconduct Reveals \u2018Fox is Guarding the Hen House\u2019", "2024-10-10", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is shining new light on the prevalence of sexual misconduct at the FBI, amid continued agency stonewalling and empty assurances from Director Christopher Wray that he would \u201cfollow up\u201d on Grassley\u2019s inquiries. Despite FBI\u2019s lack of cooperation, Grassley\u2019s ongoing oversight reveals the FBI is still not protecting its own employees from sexual harassment and is treating child sex abuse cases as a non-priority.\n\nGrassley today sent a pointed letter to the FBI and Justice Department (DOJ). In it, he urged the FBI to own up to its failures and provide the data he\u2019s requested for years. The information Grassley recently received via protected whistleblower disclosures suggests his oversight dating back to October 2022 is as timely as ever.\n\nSexual Misconduct Persists among FBI Employees:\n\nLatest records show the assistant director who requested a review of disciplinary patterns at the FBI \u2013 which found hundreds of senior officials voluntarily retired or resigned to evade accountability for sexual misconduct allegations \u2013 left the FBI while he, himself, was under investigation.\n\n\u201cApparently, one of the reasons DOJ and its component agencies can\u2019t straighten out their problems of workplace harassment is that the fox is guarding the hen house,\u201d Grassley wrote. \u201cThe supreme irony of [then-Executive Assistant Director of the Human Resources Branch, Jeffrey] Sallet requesting the [Office of Disciplinary Appeals] review of senior officials retiring or resigning to avoid disciplinary action is that \u2018Sallet left the FBI and federal service while this investigation was ongoing.\u2019\u201d\n\nFBI Moves Agents off Child Sex Abuse Cases, onto January 6 Cases:\n\nPer protected whistleblower disclosures, the FBI has reassigned personnel from high-volume child exploitation cases to January 6 cases. Grassley notes FBI\u2019s failure to dedicate adequate resources to child sex abuse cases is a decades-old problem politicization at the bureau is exacerbating. One reassigned whistleblower said they sat \u201cessentially idle for eight to nine months\u201d on January 6 cases while child sex abuse cases piled up. An Assistant Special Agent in Charge reportedly told that whistleblower, \u201cChild sexual abuse material investigations were no longer an FBI priority [\u2026].\u201d\n\n\u201cOne thing is certain,\u201d Grassley wrote, \u201cThe FBI will not be able to remedy its many failings in this area if it treats sexual abuse against children as a non-priority.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nDOJ Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and Congress have long pushed FBI to address sexual harassment across the bureau. In 2021, DOJ OIG issued the FBI two recommendations on its demonstrated failures to hold employees responsible for wrongdoing after they separate from the agency, particularly when they do so while under investigation. As of today, approximately three years later, the FBI has not closed either of those recommendations.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-ossoff-laud-senate-passage-of-bipartisan-prison-contraband-bill", "Grassley, Ossoff Laud Senate Passage of Bipartisan Prison Contraband Bill", "2024-10-10", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) applauded the Senate\u2019s unanimous passage of their Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act. The bipartisan bill aims to increase the penalty for smuggling or possessing a contraband cellphone in federal prisons from a misdemeanor to a felony. It now awaits passage in the House of Representatives.\n\n\u201cContraband cellphones allow prisoners to coordinate illegal activity from behind bars. That\u2019s an obvious security risk to prison staff, other inmates and the public,\u201d Grassley said. \u201cI\u2019m glad the Senate passed our bipartisan legislation to stiffen penalties for cellphone smuggling, and the House ought to follow suit.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy bipartisan investigations of corruption, abuse, and misconduct in the Federal prison system have revealed systemic challenges that allow for the dangerous flow of contraband, which is a threat to safety and security,\u201d Ossoff said. \u201cBringing Republicans and Democrats together, we\u2019ve passed our bipartisan bill to strengthen penalties for smuggling contraband into Federal prisons.\u201d\n\n\u201cA cell phone in a prison is a deadly weapon. Yet, as our investigative work continues to demonstrate, contraband cell phones have proven to be pervasive inside many federal prisons\u2014a reality that undermines the safety and security of these institutions for BOP staff, inmates, and the public,\u201d said Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General Michael Horowitz. \u201cLieutenant Albarati was a true hero, selflessly dedicated to making his community and MDC Guaynabo safer by preventing criminal activity inside the facility. I commend Senators Ossoff, Grassley, and Booker for honoring his memory by sponsoring this public safety reform and for recognizing the severity of this problem. By making the introduction of a cell phone into a prison a felony, the Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act will allow investigators and prosecutors to more effectively bring to justice those introducing cell phones into prisons, curb the flow of illicit cell phones into prisons, make our communities and prisons safer, and help to save lives. We look forward to working with the House of Representatives on a bipartisan basis, as it considers this critical public safety reform.\u201d\n\nAdditional cosponsors include Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas).\n\nBill text is available HERE.\n\nLetters of support from the National Council of Prison Locals, Voices of Joe and the American Federation of Government Employees are available HERE.\n\nBackground:\n\nThe Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Stopping Prison Contraband Act builds on the Grassley-Feinstein Cell Phone Contraband Act, which became law in 2010, designating cellphones as contraband in federal prison.\n\nLieutenant Osvaldo Albarati, a Bureau of Prisons (BOP) correctional officer, was murdered in 2013 after completing his shift at a federal prison in Puerto Rico. Five men who plead guilty to the crime admitted they targeted Albarati as a direct result of continuous seizures of contraband, including cellphones. The inmate who placed the hit on Albarati did so using a contraband cellphone.\n\nA recent DOJ report from Inspector General Horowitz found nearly a third of deaths in BOP custody have occurred as a result of contraband, drugs or weapons.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-recognizes-national-4-h-week", "Feenstra Recognizes National 4-H Week", "2024-10-09", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "HULL, IOWA \u2014 Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) issued the following statement recognizing National 4-H Week:\n\n\u201c4-H is an incredible organization that helps our future leaders \u2014 especially the next generation of Iowa farmers and producers \u2014 develop lifelong skills and reach their full potential,\u201d said Rep. Feenstra. \u201cThis week, we recognize the positive impact that 4-H has had on millions of young Americans and the importance of investing in the future of our nation.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-colleagues-push-doj-to-investigate-requirements-for-hamas-linked-campus-orgs-to-register-as-foreign-agents", "Grassley, Colleagues Push DOJ to Investigate Requirements for Hamas-Linked Campus Orgs to Register as Foreign Agents", "2024-10-09", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sen. Chuck Grassley, a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, wrote the Justice Department (DOJ) and FBI regarding Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) enforcement, raising concerns Hamas-linked entities are escaping FARA scrutiny as they seek to shape U.S. public opinion and policy outcomes through partnerships with campus organizations. Joining Grassley on the effort are Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.).\n\nThe senators\u2019 inquiry hones in on the National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP) \u2013 which received backing from an organization whose associated entities the U.S. government has implicated for financing Hamas \u2013 and the hundreds of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapters NSJP claims to support across the U.S. Their letter reads, in part:\n\n\u201cIt is incumbent upon all of us crack down on hidden foreign influence. [\u2026] The introduction of hostile foreign adversaries into domestic political discussion is especially of issue when it is fueling an alarming rise in antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment. The public reporting appears to indicate that NSJP and related chapters may fit into the FARA definition of \u2018publicity agent,\u2019 at minimum, and its conduct, among other activity, may constitute a public relations effort designed to impact U.S. public opinion in favor of a foreign principal, which would meet FARA\u2019s definition of political activities.\n\n\u201cTaken as a whole, these actions require further investigation from DOJ and the FBI to fully determine whether NSJP and SJP chapters should register as foreign agents under FARA and the extent of Hamas and Iran\u2019s potential involvement.\u201d\n\nGrassley and his colleagues cite numerous examples that signal NSJP and SJP chapters may have an obligation to register as agents under FARA. Several follow.\n\nFederal court filings from state Attorneys General assert NSJP\u2019s material support to Hamas.\n\nDozens of SJP chapters echoed NSJP\u2019s social media messages lauding Hamas\u2019 brutal October 7, 2023, attack on Israel; some \u201c[praised] the creativity\u201d of Hamas\u2019 surprise attacks on Israeli civilians.\n\nNSJP urged SJP chapters in the U.S. to publicly facilitate and join \u201carmed struggles, general strikes and popular demonstrations.\u201d\n\nNSJP launched a campaign against U.S. college administrators, pushing for divestments in Israel-connected assets.\n\nNSJP held a summer 2024 program for SJP participants to \u201cdeepen our understanding of our current political moment [\u2026] with the aim entrenching the frameworks necessary to sustain and grow the Student Intifada.\u201d\n\nNSJP has stated it \u201caim[s] to develop a student movement that is connected, disciplined, and equipped\u201d with tools toward fulfilling its mission.\n\nConsidering this evidence and more, the senators are asking DOJ and FBI pointed questions about the steps they have taken to assess NSJP and SJP\u2019s potential requirement to register as foreign agents.\n\nRead the full letter HERE.\n\nBackground:\n\nCongress passed FARA in 1938 to identify Nazi propaganda and other foreign efforts to sway U.S. policy and public opinion. The content-neutral law was designed not to prohibit activity, but rather, to ensure certain individuals who act as agents of a foreign government or enterprise register with DOJ.\n\nGrassley previously pressed for FARA enforcement as Confucius Institutes cropped up on college campuses, working to combat Chinese Communist Party influence in the U.S. education system. He has probed potential FARA violations in recent Congresses, including by Qatari media network Al Jazeera, a Ukrainian operative who consulted for the Democrat National Committee and a Russian lobbyist who attended a meeting with Donald Trump, Jr. Grassley questioned the Biden family\u2019s FARA compliance amid business dealings with a Chinese energy company and sought answers upon learning the top lobbying firm for Ukrainian energy company Burisma filed incomplete disclosures. A longtime advocate of enforcing FARA to the fullest extent, he is leading congressional oversight and legislative reforms to further strengthen the law.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-condemns-biden-harris-admin-for-ignoring-alarms-about-afghan-evacuee-vetting-resettlement-procedures", "Grassley Condemns Biden-Harris Admin for Ignoring Alarms about Afghan Evacuee Vetting, Resettlement Procedures", "2024-10-09", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA \u2013 U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today issued the below statement on the FBI arresting an Afghan native who secured a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) to enter the U.S. following the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s botched troop withdrawal from the region in 2021. The individual, now in federal custody, was plotting an ISIS-fueled terrorist attack on American soil in the coming weeks.\n\n\u201cI was highly vocal about the need to thoroughly vet SIV applicants during \u2013 and in the weeks, months and years following \u2013 the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. But the White House, executive agencies and many of my Democratic colleagues in Congress were quick to dismiss those glaring alarms,\u201d Grassley said. \u201cThe number one job of our government is to protect its citizens. By hiding behind clerical excuses, refusing to take accountability and neglecting to address known vulnerabilities in vetting and resettlement processes, the Biden-Harris administration failed to prioritize Americans\u2019 safety and, once again, projected weakness on the global stage.\u201d\n\nGrassley\u2019s Related Oversight, Legislative Work\n\nJuly 1, 2024: Watchdog Report Corroborates Grassley Oversight of DHS, FBI Failures to Properly Vet Afghan Evacuees\n\nJuly 21, 2023: Grassley & Judiciary Committee Colleagues Introduce Bill To Protect Afghan Allies\n\nMay 12, 2023: Grassley Joins Thune, Risch, Colleagues To Introduce Bill To Release Afghanistan Dissent Cable\n\nSeptember 21, 2022: Grassley: Americans Deserve To Know How FBI Is Addressing Afghan Evacuee Vetting Failures\n\nSeptember 7, 2022: Grassley Statement On DHS Inspector General Finding Deficiencies With Vetting Of Afghan Parolees\n\nAugust 22, 2022: Senators Seek Transparency On Flagged Afghan Evacuees Amid Ongoing Concerns Of Vetting, Security Failures\n\nAugust 4, 2022: Grassley Statement At FBI Oversight Hearing\n\nMay 27, 2022: Grassley, Portman, Inhofe Demand Update From FBI On Afghan Evacuees Flagged For Security Concerns, Denounce DHS\u2019 Continued Failure To Use All Vetting Tools\n\nFebruary 17, 2022: Grassley Statement On Watchdog Warnings About Deficient Vetting Of Afghan Evacuees\n\nDecember 22, 2021: Portman, Grassley, Shelby, Risch, Inhofe & Capito Request Biden Administration Provide Overdue Report On Composition & Vetting Of Afghan Evacuees\n\nOctober 28, 2021: State Dept. AWOL As Americans, Allies Remain Stranded In Afghanistan\n\nSeptember 27, 2021: Grassley On Afghanistan Collapse Through The Lens Of The Inspector General\n\nSeptember 27, 2021: Grassley Presses Justice Dept., FBI On Terrorist Travel After Afghanistan Withdrawal\n\nSeptember 15, 2021: Grassley On President Biden's Afghanistan Failures\n\nAugust 31, 2021: Grassley To Biden Admin: Don\u2019t Let Bad Actors Take Advantage Of Chaotic Afghanistan Withdrawal\n\nAugust 26, 2021: Grassley Statement on Afghanistan", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-helps-introduce-legislation-deport-illegal-immigrants-convicted-sex", "Feenstra Helps Introduce Legislation to Deport Illegal Immigrants Convicted of Sex Crimes", "2024-10-08", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "HULL, IOWA \u2013 Last week, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) helped introduce the Better Enforcement of Grievous Offenses by Unnaturalized Emigrants (BE GONE) Act, which would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to classify sexual assault and aggravated sexual violence as aggravated felonies, and thus, deportable offenses.\n\nU.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced this legislation in the U.S. Senate.\n\n\u201cAccording to data recently released by ICE, there are over 660,000 illegal immigrants with criminal records \u2013 including nearly 16,000 with sexual assault convictions \u2013 on the loose in our communities. These numbers are infuriating and are the result of the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s dangerous, open-border policies,\u201d said Rep. Feenstra. \u201cI\u2019m glad to work with Senator Ernst and Senator Grassley to introduce legislation to deport illegal immigrants who have been convicted of sex crimes. It is just common sense to remove criminals from our communities so that we can keep our kids and families safe.\u201d\n\nThe data from Immigration and Customs Enforcement can be found HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/cbo-estimate-2024-deficit-reaches-18-trillion-under-biden-harris-spending", "CBO Estimate: 2024 Deficit Reaches $1.8 Trillion under Biden-Harris Spending", "2024-10-08", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) today estimated the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 deficit was $1.8 trillion, double what the agency projected when the Biden-Harris administration took office. Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) issued the following statement on the need to reverse course.\n\n\u201cPresident Biden and Vice President Harris have ignored resounding messages from Iowans and Americans nationwide, as well as alarms from global credit ratings companies. By consistently choosing a spendthrift agenda over fiscal sanity, this administration has hamstrung our economy for generations to come,\u201d Grassley said. \u201cOur nation needs a change of pace from the one this administration has set. Vice President Harris\u2019 recent proposals, however, signal an unwillingness to meaningfully address Americans\u2019 concerns and a readiness to double down on policies that have caused major consequences, like prices rising over 20 percent in less than four years.\u201d\n\nPer CBO\u2019s report, in FY 2024:\n\nThe deficit totaled $1.8 trillion, up $139 billion from FY 2023 and double what CBO estimated when the Biden-Harris administration took office.\n\nSpending increased $617 billion (10 percent) from FY 2023, driven in part by costly executive actions and soaring interest payments.\n\nNet interest payments on the national debt totaled $950 billion, up $240 billion (34 percent) from FY 2023.\n\nBackground on the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s Irresponsible Economic Record:\n\nMoody\u2019s Investors Service downgraded the U.S. credit outlook last year, citing the deficit as a key factor in its decision. Independent experts, such as the Federal Reserve Chairman and CBO Director, have warned that our nation is on an \u201cunsustainable fiscal path.\u201d Even so, the Biden-Harris administration plowed full steam ahead with trillion-dollar student loan bailout schemes and a $21 billion Medicare cost-shifting plan \u2013 an attempt to cover up negative effects the so-called Inflation \u201cReduction\u201d Act is having on seniors, including hiking premiums and reducing plan options.\n\nFurther, high borrowing costs and mounting federal debt have increased spending on net interest payments, which now exceed discretionary outlays for national defense. In early 2021, when interest rates sat at a record low, White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shalanda Young claimed it would be a \u201chistoric missed opportunity\u201d to forego borrowing trillions of dollars. Grassley last week called out OMB for neglecting to provide CBO with enough information to fully analyze the fiscal impacts of the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s 2025 budget, despite committing to doing so.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-issues-statement-one-year-anniversary-hamas-terror-attacks-israel", "Feenstra Issues Statement on One-Year Anniversary of Hamas Terror Attacks in Israel", "2024-10-07", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "HULL, IOWA \u2014 Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) issued the following statement on the one-year anniversary of the October 7th terror attacks in Israel:\n\n\u201cOne year ago today, the world watched in horror as Hamas terrorists invaded Israel and murdered more than 1,200 people in the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust. To this day, Hamas continues to hold captive innocent civilians and escalate tensions in the region with the backing of Iran. The violence against Israel is horrific and must come to an end. As our strongest ally in the Middle East, the United States will always stand with Israel against vicious terrorists and evil regimes.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases/hinson-hamas-terrorist-attacks-were-pure-evil", "Hinson: Hamas Terrorist Attacks Were Pure Evil", "2024-10-07", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Ashley Hinson", "H001091", "hinson.house.gov", "hinson", "https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (IA-02) released the following statement on the first anniversary of the October 7th terrorist attack against Israel.\n\n\u201cOne year ago, the world witnessed pure evil when Hamas ended the ceasefire that was in place and brutally attacked Israel \u2013 slaughtering both Israeli and American civilians, and taking others hostage. The Harris-Biden doctrine of appeasement has emboldened Iran and its terrorist proxies, freeing up funding for their acts of terrorism and enabling the regime in Tehran to significantly advance its nuclear capacity without consequence. As Israel continues to fend off terrorist attacks and anti-Semitism continues to rise, I will continue standing with Israel and the Jewish community around the world. It is past time we return to peace through strength and bring every single hostage home.\" - Congresswoman Ashley Hinson\n\nBackground:\n\nFollowing the October 7th attacks, Rep. Hinson has supported legislation to condemn Hamas attacks on Israel, ensure Israel has robust military support, and freeze funds to Iran.\n\nIsrael Security Supplemental Appropriations Act: Provides military assistance to Israel, replenishes U.S. stockpiles to preserve our military readiness, and ensures the safe return of American citizens impacted by the terrorist attacks.\n\nIsrael Security Assistance Support Act: Reaffirms Israel's right to self-defense and enforces that the Biden Administration delivers defense articles and services and obligates funds appropriated for assistance to Israel.\n\nH.Res. 409: Condemns the acts of terrorism committed by Hamas against the people of the State of Israel.\n\nNo Funds for Iranian Terrorism Act: Immediately freezes the $6 billion of Iranian funds released as part of the Biden Administration\u2019s 2023 hostage deal.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://nunn.house.gov/2024/10/07/nunn-stands-tirelessly-with-israel/", "Nunn Stands Tirelessly with Israel", "2024-10-07", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Zachary Nunn", "N000193", "nunn.house.gov", "nunn", "https://nunn.house.gov/category/news/press-releases/", "scraper", "DES MOINES \u2014 U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) released the following statement in remembrance of the brutal terror attack on Israel by Hamas one year ago today:\n\n\u201cToday marks one year since Hamas launched a barbaric and unprovoked terror attack on Israel, brutally killing hundreds of innocent people and taking many individuals as hostages, including U.S. citizens. Since then, the conflict has only escalated with Iran launching unprecedented missile strikes against Israel, and Hamas brutally murdering hostages, including an American.\n\n\u201cLet me be clear: The United States must be unwavering in our commitment to support Israel\u2019s right to defend herself. Congress must stand righteously against the Iranian regime of terror. We cannot abandon our strongest ally in the Middle East in her time of need.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND:\n\nWhile in Congress and especially since the unprecedented attack on October 7, 2023, Rep. Nunn has been resolute in his unyielding support of Israel by:\n\nLeading a bipartisan resolution immediately following the attack in 2023 on Israel to declare unwavering support and call for congressional action in response to this barbaric attack.\n\nBringing home American citizens as the conflict in the Middle East escalated, assisting in the successful evacuation of Iowans from Gaza.\n\nChampioning the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act to replenish the Iron Dome and assist our strongest ally in the Middle East as they fight Hamas and other militant groups.\n\nLeading and passing an amendment to prevent Iran from funding acts of terrorism by Hamas, Hezbollah, and their proxies.\n\nLeading and passing a bipartisan amendment to establish a strategic partnership with Israel to bolster military defense with state-of-the-art U.S. technology.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-ernst-and-gop-colleagues-stand-with-israel-condemn-iran-backed-hamas-one-year-after-terror-attacks", "Grassley, Ernst & GOP Colleagues Stand with Israel, Condemn Iran-Backed Hamas One Year After Terror Attacks", "2024-10-07", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, one year since terrorist group Hamas invaded Israel, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and all Senate Republicans in fully condemning Hamas, calling for American hostages\u2019 safe return home and reaffirming U.S. support for an enduring, prosperous Israel.\n\n\u201cFor the past 12 months, the Israeli military has taken necessary actions to preserve its homeland and neutralize the threat of horrific Iran-backed, Hamas terrorism. In the face of ongoing Iranian aggression and rising antisemitism, the United States remains unwavering in our resolve to stand with Israel \u2013 our strongest ally in the Middle East,\u201d Grassley said.\n\n\u201cThis time last year, I woke up in the Middle East to the unbearable news that Israel was under attack by Iran-backed terrorists and Americans were being killed and taken hostage,\u201d Ernst said. \u201cI immediately traveled into Israel to show that our nation\u2019s friendship is unwavering, in good times and bad. Regardless of whether I have been in Jerusalem, Washington or Iowa, I have worked around the clock to hold the White House accountable to its \u2018ironclad\u2019 commitment, bring our hostages home, and cut off the source of terrorism in Tehran. One year since that day, as Israel remains under attack on all fronts, Senate Republicans stand united with our greatest ally in the Middle East.\u201d\n\nRead the resolution HERE.\n\nGrassley Stands with Israel:\n\nGrassley has long worked to maintain and fortify the United States\u2019 partnership with Israel. Since October 7, 2023, Grassley has led legislative efforts to reaffirm Israel\u2019s right to self-defense, counter Iran\u2019s terrorist regime and seek justice for victims of antisemitism. Learn more HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases/hinson-recognized-protecting-second-amendment-rights", "Hinson Recognized for Protecting Second Amendment Rights", "2024-10-04", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Ashley Hinson", "H001091", "hinson.house.gov", "hinson", "https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "\"The Harris-Biden Administration continues to target law-abiding gun owners and push thinly veiled attempts at gun control. I will continue working to protect the Second Amendment rights of law abiding gun owners, who care deeply about gun safety and combating violence, and should not be demonized by this Administration.\" - Congresswoman Ashley Hinson\n\n\"The 2024 NSSF Congressional Report Card is a comprehensive analysis of our elected representatives\u2019 positions on firearm and ammunition industry priorities in the 118th Congress. The Report Card\u2019s grades are based on key votes, co-sponsorships, committee activity, floor speeches, and other official actions by Senators and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Members of our industry are grateful to have so many strong allies in the Halls of Congress. NSSF is proud to especially recognize Representative Hinson as a member of the new NSSF Congressional Dean\u2019s List for her exemplary leadership in supporting the firearm and ammunition industry and the nearly 400,000 hardworking Americans employed in the industry. Making the Dean\u2019s List is special recognition that Rep. Hinson has gone above and beyond to protect and preserve the Second Amendment rights of her constituents and the industry that makes the exercise of those rights possible. We applaud Rep. Hinson for her exemplary level of support.\u201d - Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President for Government & Public Affairs and General Counsel.\n\nBackground:\n\nCongresswoman Hinson's work to protect Second Amendment rights includes:\n\nSupporting the Protecting the Right to Keep and Bear Arms Act to prevent the Biden Administration from using a public health emergency to enact federal gun control measures.\n\nSupporting the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act to expand reciprocity of state-issued concealed carry.\n\nSupporting the Home Defense and Competitive Shooting Act to remove short-barreled rifles from National Firearms Act regulation.\n\nReining in the ATF by helping introduce legislation to rescind their unconstitutional effort to regulate firearms with stabilizing braces under the National Firearms Act.\n\nIntroduced the RIFLE Act to remove burdensome taxes on firearms sold to law-abiding citizens.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-biden-harris-stonewalling-prevents-cbo-from-conducting-complete-analysis-of-presidents-2025-budget", "Grassley: Biden-Harris Stonewalling Prevents CBO from Conducting Complete Analysis of President\u2019s 2025 Budget", "2024-10-04", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today issued the following statement on the Congressional Budget Office (CBO)\u2019s report, \u201cAn Analysis of the President\u2019s 2025 Budget.\u201d\n\n\u201cBiden-Harris pie-in-the-sky policy proposals are so unrealistic CBO can\u2019t even calculate their budget impact. This administration's unprecedented lack of transparency and fiscal discipline is insulting to Congress and the taxpayer,\u201d Grassley said. \u201cPresident Biden and Vice President Harris shouldn\u2019t count on Congress to go along with their plan to stick Americans with the bill for a bunch of unclear initiatives \u2013 especially today, when households are facing 20 percent higher prices than they were four years ago.\u201d\n\nThe nonpartisan CBO has analyzed presidents\u2019 budget proposals since the 1970s. Due to limited detail in many Biden-Harris policies, CBO hasn\u2019t been able to estimate their budgetary effects as promptly or precisely as past administrations.\n\nGrassley in March asked White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shalanda Young if she would give CBO all the information it needs for this year\u2019s report to Congress. In response, Director Young committed, \u201cWe will provide CBO what they need to do this independent assessment.\u201d Despite this promise, CBO and the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) did not have enough information from OMB to produce independent estimates for more than 60 Biden-Harris budget proposals. Notably:\n\nCBO could not determine the total spending, revenues, deficits and debt under the Biden-Harris budget.\n\nFor the tax and mandatory spending policies CBO and JCT could assess, they found the administration overstated expected savings by over $1 trillion.\n\nCBO projects Biden-Harris\u2019 base nondefense funding request exceeded the spending cap enacted in the Fiscal Responsibility Act.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/cbo-confirms-biden-harris-medicare-cost-shifting-policy-will-cost-taxpayers-billions", "CBO Confirms: Biden-Harris Medicare Cost-Shifting Policy Will Cost Taxpayers Billions", "2024-10-03", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued its fiscal analysis of the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s Medicare Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration Program. Among other findings, CBO estimates the program \u2013 which the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched to artificially lower seniors\u2019 premiums that have surged due to Democrat policymaking \u2013 could cost taxpayers more than $21 billion over three years if implemented as planned.\n\nCBO conducted its analysis at the request of Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), along with Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.).\n\n\u201cWhen Democrats unilaterally enacted major changes to Medicare two years ago, they set seniors up for new expenses and fewer options. This nonpartisan CBO analysis confirms CMS\u2019s cost-shifting plan is a dishonest election year gimmick to cover up those consequences,\u201d Grassley said. \u201cRather than coming to the table and legitimately addressing its partisan mistakes, the Biden-Harris administration threw taxpayer dollars at the problems it created, putting Americans on the hook for tens of billions more dollars.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs predicted, the Biden-Harris Inflation Reduction Act not only quelled investment for new cures, but caused Medicare prescription drug plan premiums to skyrocket, and Democrats are scrambling to cover it up before the election. In July, the Biden-Harris CMS scrambled to create a new federal program that will send billions of tax dollars to large health insurance companies to cover up a massive flaw in their so-called Inflation Reduction Act,\u201d Arrington said. \u201cToday, CBO confirmed that the administration\u2019s election year Hail Mary will cost taxpayers an astounding $7 billion next year alone, and $21 billion over the planned three-year demo, adding to the more than $2 trillion in Biden-Harris executive spending.\u201d\n\nCBO findingsof note:\n\nBackground:\n\nCongressional Democrats in the Inflation Reduction Act significantly redesigned the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit at an estimated cost of nearly $30 billion over 10 years. PDP sponsors then moved to increase their plan bids and base beneficiary premiums, while reducing plan offerings for 2025.\n\nAs a reaction, CMS announced its Premium Stabilization Demonstration. This cost-shifting program artificially lowered the cost of seniors\u2019 Part D premiums by sending federal funds to large health insurance companies. It applies a uniform reduction of $15 to the base beneficiary premium, establishing a year-over-year limit of $35 on how much a plan\u2019s total Part D premium can increase. The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board called the demonstration a \u201cMedicare election bribe for seniors.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-hyde-smith-targeted-program-offers-rural-hospitals-financial-shot-in-the-arm-but-cms-isnt-maximizing-it", "Grassley, Hyde-Smith: Targeted Program Offers Rural Hospitals Financial \u2018Shot in the Arm,\u2019 but CMS Isn\u2019t Maximizing It", "2024-10-03", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) are pressing Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on its refusal to use the budget-neutral Rural Community Hospital Demonstration (RCHD), despite the program\u2019s proven efficacy for participating rural hospitals and qualifying facilities\u2019 interest in joining.\n\n\u201cCMS last solicited program applications in 2017 and has communicated to us that the agency is not planning any further solicitations. Current law allows up to 30 hospitals to participate in the RCHD, but for the past several years CMS has underutilized the program, leaving as many as eight spots vacant,\u201d the senators wrote CMS Administrator Brooks-LaSure.\n\n\u201cA 2022 evaluation report found that new hospitals participating in the RCHD program saw their finances stabilize. The evaluation noted that hospitals joining the program saw a \u2018large, positive, and statistically significant increases in their Medicare inpatient and combined margins.\u2019 Rural stakeholders have called the RCHD a \u2018lifeline\u2019 and that has enabled struggling hospitals to expand health care services to seniors,\u201d they continued. \u201cThe RCHD program is supporting rural hospitals and it should be fully utilized. If CMS has the tools to help one rural hospital, then you should be doing something about it.\u201d\n\nRead Grassley and Hyde-Smith\u2019s full letter HERE.\n\nBackground:\n\nThe RCHD program improves financial viability for hospitals that are too large to be Critical Access Hospitals and too small to succeed under Medicare\u2019s hospital inpatient prospective payment system. Congress established the RCHD in 2003 and has reauthorized it three times since.\n\nGrassley\u2019s RCHD Efforts:\n\nGrassley is a lifelong resident of rural Iowa who, through his membership and leadership on the Senate Finance Committee, consistently works to improve patients\u2019 access to care and ensure their hospitals stay open, regardless of where they\u2019re located.\n\nLast year, Grassley secured a commitment from Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra that his agency would \u201cdo more\u201d to support rural hospitals in need. Grassley followed up shortly after, urging CMS to open RCHD spots. At Grassley\u2019s request, CMS spoke with Iowa facilities looking to participate in the RCHD program. However, after months sans action, Grassley at a March hearing questioned Secretary Becerra about his failure to fill program openings, asserting the agency should be wielding every tool in the toolbox to help rural hospitals.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/qanda-one-year-since-october-7-attacks", "Q&A: One Year Since October 7 Attacks", "2024-10-03", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "Q: Are you surprised the conflict in the Middle East is escalating?\n\nA: It\u2019s been one year since the horrific terrorist attack in Israel, when the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas launched its brutal assault killing 1,200 people, systematically raping women and taking 250 people hostage, including Americans. Among those taken hostage were elderly people and infants. At least ninety-seven hostages are still believed to be alive in captivity, including two children. Throughout the last year, I\u2019ve worked to keep up the public pressure for their safe return home. Tragically, a month ago, Hamas murdered six Israeli hostages, including an American with dual citizenship. In July, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a historic fourth appearance before a joint session of Congress. He spoke about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas and underscored the strategic partnership between the United States and Israel, the only democracy and our most trusted ally in the Middle East.\n\nFor 12 months, Israel has been fighting Hamas in the Gaza strip, where the terrorist group has embedded itself among the civilian population, urging Gazans not to comply with evacuation warnings, using schools and hospitals as military bases and a United Nations headquarters to provide power to its network of terror tunnels. In response to 11 months of constant missile attacks that have forced 68,000 Israelis to flee their homes, Israel recently launched military strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Both fronts underscore the danger of appeasement pushed by the Obama and Biden administrations. Iran\u2019s military and financial support for terrorist groups has one goal: to wipe the Jewish people and the State of Israel off the face of the Earth. Israel must be able to defend itself against attacks from Iran and its proxies and I have supported military aid to uphold U.S. leadership for peace in the world.\n\nEarlier this year, I condemned action by the Biden administration to block or restrict the supply of U.S. ammunition and weapons to Israel. Our commitment to Israel\u2019s security and long-term prosperity must be upheld. Terrorism has no place at home or abroad. That\u2019s also why I\u2019ve called upon the Biden-Harris administration to secure our southern border. The open border policies of this administration are putting national security at risk. Hamas and Hezbollah fighters could take advantage of the lax enforcement at our southern border to plan an attack on U.S. soil. The number one responsibility of the federal government is national security. Complacency is not an option. Peace through strength works. The United States must not bow to our adversaries, such as approving reckless nuclear agreements with Iran. Most recently, I joined dozens of my Senate colleagues to condemn proposals that would strip Israel\u2019s right to self defense. As we observe the one-year anniversary of the barbaric attacks against Jewish civilians, America and the community of nations must stand shoulder to shoulder to support Israel\u2019s sovereignty and unite against terrorists plotting to destroy the historic homeland of the Jewish people.\n\nQ: How are you working to stop antisemitism surging on college campuses?\n\nA: As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I shined a bright light on the rise of antisemitism in the United States during a congressional hearing convened in September. The hearing examined the rising tide of hate crimes in America. Shortly after the attacks last year, I called upon the Biden administration to enforce anti-discrimination laws and protect Jewish students on our college campuses. Since the Oct. 7 attacks, antisemitic threats have spiked, including violent protests, campus encampments and barricades inside of school buildings. Some schools canceled commencement ceremonies to protect public safety. Reports of antisemitic incidents on U.S. college campuses surged 700 percent in the last year. Enough is enough.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-and-colleagues-outline-stark-consequences-of-biden-harris-failure-to-follow-border-laws-protect-whistleblowers", "Grassley and Colleagues Outline Stark Consequences of Biden-Harris Failure to Follow Border Laws, Protect Whistleblowers", "2024-10-02", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) led 32 Senate and House colleagues in demanding President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris collect DNA samples from every immigrant the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) encounters, per the DNA Fingerprint Act of 2005.\n\nLegally protected whistleblowers to Grassley\u2019s office have exposed how DHS\u2019s failure to collect DNA hampers law enforcement efforts to stop violent crime. Notably, DHS missed three separate opportunities to gather DNA from the illegal immigrant who murdered Rachel Morin, a Maryland mother of five.\n\n\u201cIt is beyond heartbreaking to know that my daughter\u2019s brutal death could have been prevented. This isn\u2019t just a bureaucratic oversight; it\u2019s a deadly failure that turned a protective measure into a hollow promise,\u201d said Patty Morin, mother of Rachel Morin. \u201cPresident Biden and Vice President Harris\u2019 reckless disregard for border security puts every American family in imminent danger. How many more precious lives have to be lost before they decide to protect the people they were elected to serve?\u201d\n\n\u201cFollowing the law, protecting whistleblowers and ensuring the safety of American citizens like Rachel Morin shouldn\u2019t be controversial,\u201d Grassley and colleagues wrote to President Biden and Vice President Harris. \u201cThe Biden-Harris administration\u2019s DHS must follow the law\u2014the consequences are stark when they don\u2019t.\u201d\n\nRead the full letter HERE.\n\nBackground:\n\nThe DNA Fingerprint Act of 2005 requires federal law enforcement to collect DNA from every individual Customs and Border Protections (CBP) arrests, charges, convicts or detains. Yet, per whistleblower disclosures to Grassley\u2019s office, DHS has collected DNA samples from fewer than approximately 40 percent of the more than 10 million known illegal immigrants who have entered the country during the Biden-Harris administration.\n\nWhistleblowers additionally revealed to Grassley that a CBP official who recently visited major border facilities in Arizona and California did not observe any DNA collection taking place. As a result of disclosing DHS\u2019s failures to Congress, whistleblowers have suffered long-term, severe retaliation.\n\nJoining Grassley on the letter are House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-Tenn.), House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas), as well as Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Thune (R-S.D.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kans.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.).\n\nAdditional House co-signers include Reps. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), Chip Roy (R-Texas), Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.), Lance Gooden (R-Texas), Barry Moore (R-Ala.), Troy Nehls (R-Texas), Michael Rulli (R-Ohio), Wesley Hunt (R-Texas), Clay Higgins (R-La.), Michael Guest (R-Miss.), Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), August Pfluger (R-Texas), Mike Ezell (R-Miss.) Anthony D\u2019Esposito (R-N.Y.) and Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 734, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Republican", "p1": "IA", "p2": "2024"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=IA&year=2024", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 734, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=IA&year=2024", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=IA&year=2024", "results": [{"value": "Senate", "label": "Senate", "count": 373, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=IA&year=2024&chamber=Senate", "selected": false}, {"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 361, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=IA&year=2024&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=IA&year=2024", "results": [{"value": "IA", "label": "IA", "count": 734, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2024", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=IA&year=2024", "results": [{"value": "2024", "label": "2024", "count": 734, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=IA", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2024-10-02,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Egrassley~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnews~2Fnews-releases~2Fgrassley-and-colleagues-outline-stark-consequences-of-biden-harris-failure-to-follow-border-laws-protect-whistleblowers", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=IA&year=2024&_next=2024-10-02%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Egrassley~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnews~2Fnews-releases~2Fgrassley-and-colleagues-outline-stark-consequences-of-biden-harris-failure-to-follow-border-laws-protect-whistleblowers&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 725.120491348207, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}