Press releases
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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893 rows where state = "IA" and year = 2015 sorted by date descending
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| url | title | date ▲ | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
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| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/commentary/review-2015-senate-gets-work | Review of 2015: Senate Gets to Work | 2015-12-31 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | By U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley At years end, most Americans take stock of the previous 12 months and consider if they met their goals for the year. A review of ones bank account, pay stub or job status and even a peek at the bathroom scale give folks a pretty good idea if they stayed true to their New Years resolutions. When the 114th Congress gaveled to order this past January, it marked the first time since 2006 that Republicans controlled both the House and Senate. The new leadership vowed to live up to the promises and expectations of the 2014 midterm elections and restore order to the peoples branch. The U.S. Senate succeeded in breathing life back into the worlds greatest deliberative body. In fact, the Senate held 163 roll call votes on floor amendments, compared to only 18 the previous year. Lawmakers performed oversight, drafted legislation, considered nominations and kept the federal government open for business. Restoring regular order ought to be considered the rule, not the exception as far as Im concerned. Considering that public opinion polls rank Congress among the least popular institutions in society, lawmakers are obligated to work towards restoring credibility and fundamental trust in our system of self-government. An appraisal of the first 12 months of the year reflects promises made and promises kept. Congress prioritized results that matter and advanced public policies that have substantive consequence on the daily lives of American families. Three key items that had evaded resolution for years in Washington were advanced by the Republican-led Congress and signed into law this year, including: approval of a five-year reauthorization of the federal transportation funding law that eluded bipartisan agreement for years. If theres one item that gets people animated at town meetings, its maintaining reliable roads and bridges. Rural Americans, in particular, typically commute longer distances in their own vehicles and need dependable roads to send and receive goods in the marketplace. The $… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://blum.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=459 | Rep. Blum Announces Service Academy Nominations | 2015-12-23 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Rod Blum | B001294 | blum.house.gov | legacy | Today, Congressman Rod Blum announced he has nominated 16 Iowa students to be considered for appointments to United States Service Academies. It is a privilege for me to nominate these 16 students for service in the United States Military, said Congressman Blum. Their willingness to serve our great nation in our armed forces is truly appreciated by the entire First District and I wish them the best as they take the next step on their journey. For more information on the process for Service Academy Nominations please visit Congressman Blums website. Below is a full list of the students nominated by Congressman Blum. United States Naval Academy Gabrielle Tath, St Donatus Evan Boss, Central City Finbar Berry, Cedar Rapids Andrew Segalla, Bellevue Rizwan Sidhu, Cedar Rapids John Taylor, Cedar Rapids Garrett Dunn, State Center Patrick Ramirez, State Center Daniel Holt, Marion Alexander Hepperle, West Union Joseph Zasadny, Walker Thomas Treptau, Lansing United States Military Academy Finbar Berry, Cedar Rapids Jonas Mason, Cedar Rapids Christian Flege, Waverly Garrett Dunn, State Center Patrick Ramirez, State Center Samuel Pisney, Cedar Rapids Joseph Zasadny, Walker Zachary Gilbert, Cedar Rapids United States Air Force Academy Samuel Pisney, Cedar Rapids Daniel Holt, Marion Thomas Treptau, Lansing Finbar Berry, Cedar Rapids Patrick Ramirez, State Center Rod Blum is the Republican Congressman in Iowas 1st District. He is a member of the Budget and Oversight & Government Reform Committees. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/dea-eases-requirement-fda-approved-clinical-trials-cannabidiol | DEA Eases Requirement for FDA-approved Clinical Trials on Cannabidiol | 2015-12-23 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | In letters to the relevant federal agencies, Sen. Chuck Grassley has pressed for the removal of unnecessary barriers to scientific research into the medical risks and benefits of cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive component of the marijuana plant that may help children with severe epileptic seizures and other conditions. In June, at the request of Grassley and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agreed to eliminate an extra layer of review for non-government funded cannabidiol research that it previously required its Public Health Service to complete. Also at that time, at the senators request, the Justice Department and HHS agreed to evaluate cannabidiol to determine whether it can be classified on a lower schedule than the entire marijuana plant, which may make research on it proceed somewhat more easily. Today, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced that it has agreed to a third request of the senators to ease some of the regulatory requirements for those who are conducting Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved clinical trials on cannabidiol by permitting waivers that will let research proceed seamlessly if the researcher requires more CBD than was initially approved by the DEA. According to the DEA, These modifications will streamline the research process regarding CBDs possible medicinal value and help foster ongoing scientific studies. Grassley is Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and the Caucus on International Narcotics Control. Grassley made the following comment on the DEAs announcement. This is good news toward the progress on scientific research on cannabidiol. Removing more barriers will help allow scientists to determine its potential medicinal value. Right now, parents who are desperate to help their children live in uncertainty over cannabidiol. Federal agencies should do whatever they responsibly can to help research proceed so these families can get answers. The DEAs news release is available here. Grassleys letters to the … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-kick-annual-99-county-meetings | Grassley to Kick Off Annual 99 County Meetings | 2015-12-23 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Senator Chuck Grassley will hold nine town meetings in Iowa Jan. 6 through Jan. 8 as part of his annual 99-county meetings. With these meetings, Grassley will begin his 36th year holding meetings in every one of Iowas 99 counties. Grassley has held a meeting in every county, every year since he was first elected to serve in the U.S. Senate. Jan. 6 through Jan. 8 Grassley will be in Grundy Center, Allison, Waverly, New Hampton, Calmar, Cresco, Osage, Manly and Clear Lake. Representative government is a two-way street. Im one half of the process and the people of Iowa are the other half. You cant have representative government without dialogue between elected officials and the people we represent, Grassley said. I appreciate the opportunity to hold town meetings, answer questions and take comments. Grassley will be available for 15 minutes after each meeting to answer questions from local reporters. These town meetings are open to the public and media. Grassleys town meeting schedule for Jan. 6 to Jan. 8 is as follows: Wednesday, Jan. 6 Grundy County 1:45-2:45 p.m. Kling Memorial Library 708 7th St. Grundy Center *Grassley will be available for 15 minutes after the meeting to answer questions from local reporters. Butler County 3:45-4:45 p.m. Allison Public Library 412 3rd St. Allison *Grassley will be available for 15 minutes after the meeting to answer questions from local reporters. Thursday, Jan. 7 Bremer County 8:30-9:30 a.m. Waverly Public Library Waverly Room 1500 West Bremer Ave. Waverly *Grassley will be available for 15 minutes after the meeting to answer questions from local reporters. Chickasaw County 10:30-11:30 a.m. Chickasaw Wellness Complex 1050 West Hamilton St. New Hampton *Grassley will be available for 15 minutes after the meeting to answer questions from local reporters. Winneshiek County 1:45-2:30 p.m. Iowas Dairy Center 1527 Highway 150 South Calmar *Grassley will be available for 15 minutes after the meeting to answer questions from local r… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-marks-policy-oversight-accomplishments-2015 | Grassley Marks Policy, Oversight Accomplishments in 2015 | 2015-12-23 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa marked a series of policy and government oversight accomplishments in 2015, continuing his tradition of grass roots involvement with Iowans and casting his 12,000th vote in the U.S. Senate. Grassley achieved many of his goals as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and a member of the Finance, Agriculture and Budget committees. Its my privilege to represent Iowans in the United States Senate, Grassley said. The legislative and oversight work is meant to fulfill my responsibilities to Iowans and to the U.S. Constitution, which sets up the co-equal branches of government. I try to adhere to the principles of accountability, transparency and getting the most bang for the buck for taxpayers. Grassley returns to Iowa every weekend when the Senate is not in session and during recesses in votes to hold meetings and attend events in Iowa. Grassley holds a meeting in each of Iowas 99 counties every year to hear concerns and answer questions on any subject in a free-flowing dialogue with constituents. In 2015, Grassley completed these annual county meetings for the 35th year in a row in October after holding 40 town meetings, question and answer sessions (Q&As) at 17 schools and Q&As at 42 local businesses and service clubs. Outside of these annual county visits, Grassley also attended a variety of events and meetings including: an avian influenza round table discussion with farmers and producers, a tax roundtable discussion with tax professionals and small business owners, a Judiciary Committee field hearing on the threat of methamphetamine, and meeting with Iowans at the state fair. When the Senate is in session, Grassley sets aside eight 15-minute meetings every Monday through Thursday to meet with Iowans in Washington, D.C., including advocacy groups, associations, chambers of commerce and local business leaders, students and families. This year, Grassley held meetings with nearly 600 groups of Iowans visiting the nations capital during these meetings and others and disc… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://loebsack.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=394850 | President Signs Loebsack Legislation to Help Critical Access Hospitals In Iowa & Nationwide Into Law | 2015-12-21 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Dave Loebsack | L000565 | loebsack.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA) released the following statement today after the President signed S. 1461 into law. Loebsack joined with Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) to introduce the House version of the legislation, which prevents Medicares enforcement of unreasonable and inflexible direct supervision rules for outpatient therapy services at Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other small, rural hospitals. This legislation was introduced this summer, passed the House and Senate this fall and was signed into law on December 18th. I am pleased that the President has signed this important legislation into law to ensure all Iowans have access to high-quality health care no matter where they live, said Congressman Loebsack. Critical Access Hospitals play an important role in rural communities by providing access to primary, emergency, and acute care services. I have visited multiple CAHs across my District that have struggled to meet the direct supervision requirement, and by becoming law, this legislation will provide them with certainty that they deserve. Item to Note: There are 1,332 CAHs across the country, 82 in Iowa. Examples of direct supervision rules for outpatient therapy services: Application of cast to a finger Blood transfusions Application of a splint to a finger Demonstration and/or evaluation of a patient utilizing a nebulizer or metered dose inhaler Alcohol and/or substance abuse (other than tobacco) structured assessment and brief intervention (such as advising of health risks and counseling for 15-30 mins) Pulmonary rehabilitation, including exercise of one hour per session up to two sessions per day | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://davidyoung.house.gov/survey/should-we-look-online-presence-incoming-refugees | Should we look at the online presence of incoming refugees? | 2015-12-20 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | David Young | Y000066 | davidyoung.house.gov | legacy | Did you see San Bernadino terrorist, Tashfeen Malik, reportedly made statements online supporting attacks against the U.S. almost two years before being granted a visa allowing her to enter America? The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced this week it has a policy against viewing applicants' social media posts because they are concerned about the public relations "optics" of vetting online posts. In response, Congress is again looking to strengthen our vetting of foreigners coming to the U.S. and tighten potential loopholes. Here is another legislative proposal we are considering, but I want to know what you think. The U.S. visa process reportedly missed the San Bernardino wife's zealotry in her social media posts. Do you believe the U.S. should require vetting of immigrants' online statements and social media posts prior to allowing them entry into the country? TAKE THE SURVEY QUESTION HERE! Only American leadership will win this fight. Congress is taking these terrorist threats seriously and we are listening to the American people. When I visit with Iowans throughout the 3rd Congressional District, national and personal security is what I hear about more and more. Folks feel less safe and they do not feel as secure as they once had and should. The number one responsibility of the federal government is to keep Americans safe and secure. I take that responsibility seriously. Congress is listening and acting to consider and pass commonsense, effective and bipartisan solutions. Before Thanksgiving, the U.S. House strengthened, with a veto-proof majority, a certification requirement for our refugee program. This was a measure to add an extra layer of scrutiny in the security process of our refugee program. It passed with an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote with Democrats and Republicans coming together to recognize refugees simply need to be properly vetted and background checked before entering the United States. I then led a letter from members of Congress to Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johns… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://blum.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=458 | Rep. Rod Blum Opposes $1.1 Trillion Spending Bill | 2015-12-18 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Rod Blum | B001294 | blum.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Rod Blum released the following statement about his vote against todays $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill: Todays $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill was a typical Washington DC backroom deal: Republicans and Democrats working together to spend even more American taxpayer money. Washington special interests are thrilled by this massive spending binge while our children and grandchildren get stuck with the bill. When I came to Washington in January, I was named to the Budget Committee. We worked hard to produce a responsible budget that put us on the path to fiscal sanity and it passed the House, but todays legislation completely busted that budget. Iowa families have to live within their means, but Congress sees no problem with breaking its own budget. This is exactly why so many Americans view their politicians as "out of touch. Further, I also voted no because the process that gave us todays spending bill is completely broken. Negotiated behind closed doors by Congressional leadership without participation from rank and file members, the bill is over 2,000 pages long and was introduced at 1:30 AM on Wednesday, giving members of Congress less than 60 hours to analyze it and make a take it or leave it judgment call while under tremendous pressure to pass the bill before the holidays. This process cuts Iowans out of the business of governing, and Im hopeful that Speaker Ryan will work hard to improve this process when we start the new legislative year in January. While there were certain good things in the bill I have worked hard to support in the past, like the repeal of the harmful Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) requirements on meat products and the extension of the wind and solar energy tax credits, these were not nearly enough to outweigh the negatives. Some of the worst aspects of the bill include: Full funding for President Obamas plan to bring 10,000 Syrian refugees into America without a rigorous screening process. At a bare minimum the omnibus should have included the American SA… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://davidyoung.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/we-must-hold-line-wasteful-spending | WE MUST HOLD THE LINE ON WASTEFUL SPENDING | 2015-12-18 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | David Young | Y000066 | davidyoung.house.gov | legacy | WE MUST HOLD THE LINE ON WASTEFUL SPENDING WASHINGTON, D.C. This morning, Iowa Congressman David Young voted against H.R. 2960 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016. "I spent all year fighting for Iowa values and priorities from my seat on the Committee on Appropriations, where we passed 12 bills that held the line on wasteful spending. At the end of the day, this was neither the process nor the result I or Iowans wanted. Ultimately, I could not support this measure."Young said. David Young is the Congressman serving all the people of Iowa's 3rd District. He is a member of the Committee on Appropriations and Subcommittees on Agriculture, Homeland Security, and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://davidyoung.house.gov/media-center/weeklyreport/happy-holidays | HAPPY HOLIDAYS! | 2015-12-18 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | David Young | Y000066 | davidyoung.house.gov | legacy | Congressman David Young's Capitol Solutions Weekly Report to Iowa's Hardworking Taxpayers EDITORS NOTE: I look forward to providing this report each week as a resource of information for Iowans on the issues being debated and discussed in my goal to be the most accessible member of congress possible. HAPPY HOLIDAYS! What a year it has been. I want to thank you for taking the time, throughout this year, to help me. A representative democracy is a two-way-street. And so your ideas your thoughts they help me better represent you. As I travel around the 3rd Congressional District, this is the most important part about my job hearing what is on your mind. But with the holidays upon us, I wanted to take a moment to say a few things. I hope you all get to spend time with your family and friends. There are only a few times a year where this happens and I love taking advantage of the opportunity to be with loved ones. In the Young house we put away our phone-devices (or at least we try to) we turn off the television and radio and we spend time together. We play cards or games. We tell stories around the table or in the living room. Passing down family stories from one generation to the next is so important. I cherish these times. And we make new memories so the next generation can carry on the tradition. We also make sure we go to Christmas Church Service together and focus on the true meaning of Christmas. We listen to the Christmas Story. We sing songs of praise. And we pray. I am also thankful for the honor of representing the 3rd District of Iowa in the United States Congress. I love the 3rd District and her people thank you for the privilege to serve you. I am truly blessed to be an Iowan and to be an American. Freedom is not free and so this Holiday Season and truly each day we must remember the sacrifice and service of our men and women in uniform. Thank you to all our veterans and all those in the Armed Forces and their families for their service. I wish you all a very joyous and safe Holiday Season Merry… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-votes-no-on-omnibus-spending-bill | King votes NO on Omnibus Spending Bill | 2015-12-18 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Steve King | K000362 | steveking.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Steve King released the following statement after voting no on the omnibus spending bill: I introduced 9 amendments to the omnibus spending bill, said King. All of which would have passed if brought to the floor, yet none were made in order. I put these up as a record of what Congress should be doing to restore Article I Constitutional Authority. The American people have been demanding that we defund ObamaCare, executive amnesty, the Supreme Courts ruling on same-sex marriage, Planned Parenthood, WOTUS, the Iran nuclear deal, the refugee resettlement process, climate change, and strike out any expansion of H-2B visas. Going into next year we need to put the priorities of the American people, the promises we made to our constituents and the Constitution at the forefront of the Houses legislative agenda. I am hopeful we can turn the page and start fresh with a Congress that respects the will of the American people. Mr. Kings Nine Amendments to the omnibus spending bill: Defund ObamaCare Defund Executive Amnesty Defund the Supreme Courts Ruling on Same-Sex Marriage Defund Planned Parenthood Defund New WOTUS Defund the Iran Nuclear Deal Defund the Refugee Resettlement Process Defund the Climate Change Agreement Strike the Expansion of H-2B Visas | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/commentary/congress-removes-lumps-coal-taxpayers-stockings | Congress Removes Lumps of Coal from Taxpayers' Stockings | 2015-12-18 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | By Chuck Grassley For many Americans, the IRS is like the Grinch who stole Christmas. Nothing spoils the spirit of the season like a reminder that Tax Day is little more than three months away. Although no one relishes the idea of paying taxes, for many Americans the rub lies with the sheer complexity of the tax code and mismanagement by the federal agency that administers it. As a longtime taxpayer watchdog, I hound the IRS to improve service at the Internal Revenue Service. Ive secured legislative reforms to help ensure that all taxes owed are paid and more importantly, collected fairly. For example, my bipartisan IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 enacted 71 new taxpayer rights to rein in bad management and improve customer service for taxpayers, especially small businesses. Prior to that, I supported reforms that created the Office of National Taxpayer Advocate to serve as an independent voice for taxpayers inside the IRS and to advise Congress on ways to improve administrative practices at the federal tax collection agency. Each year I review its two annual reports to determine if the IRS is measuring up to its obligations to properly administer the tax laws and serve taxpayers. Lets not fool ourselves. No tax collecting entity is likely to win a popularity contest. On the other hand, the IRS is more likely to be crowned most unpopular. (Although the EPA may snag runner-up in that category.) A string of missteps, including fiscal incompetence, mismanagement and political targeting has undermined the credibility of the IRS in the eyes of the taxpaying public. Singling out law-abiding taxpayers for their political affiliation is indefensible in the United States of America. Thats why Im continuing to scrutinize practices at the IRS and working to nip future assaults on taxpayer privacy and political affiliation. The IRS must keep its nose out of the political process and has no business trying to influence it or intimidate taxpayers. Its pretty brazen that the IRS would assign resources to track politic… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-ernst-recognize-150th-anniversary-university-iowa-college-law | Grassley, Ernst Recognize 150th Anniversary of the University of Iowa College of Law | 2015-12-18 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON The U.S. Senate today recognized the 150th anniversary of the University of Iowa College of Law by passing a resolution commemorating some of the schools achievements. The resolution was introduced by Iowas two U.S. senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst. The University of Iowa College of Law is the first law school in continuous operation west of the Mississippi to reach the 150 year milestone. The resolution notes several significant achievements of the College of Law, including the graduation of what is believed to be the first female law student and one of the first African-American law students. The College of Law also graduated the first United States Attorney of American Indian ancestry. The University of Iowa College of law is the oldest continuous law school west of the Mississippi River and has produced generations of attorneys that have been dedicated to improving and enhancing the practice of law in Iowa and throughout the nation. Currently, Iowa Law has more than 10,000 living alumni who practice in Iowa and across the world. This is a well-deserved recognition, Grassley said. Im proud to recognize the significant milestone reached by the University of Iowas College of Law and celebrate their time honored tradition of providing an exceptional education to folks from Iowa and across the country, said Senator Ernst. I congratulate the College of Law on this achievement and look forward to celebrating what Im sure will be many more achievements in the years to come." The text of the resolution is pasted below. Congratulating the University of Iowa College of Law for 150 years of outstanding service to the State of Iowa, the United States, and the world. Whereas the University of Iowa College of Law was founded in 1865, embodies the motto of Iowa, our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain, and has shaped generations of lawyers who exemplify that motto; Whereas the University of Iowa College of Law is the oldest law school in continuous operation west of the Mississippi … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-nominates-iowa-students-us-service-academies-1 | Grassley Nominates Iowa Students to the U.S. Service Academies | 2015-12-18 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Senator Chuck Grassley has nominated 41 Iowa students for consideration for appointments to the U.S. service academies. Young Iowans who want to enter the academies and serve our country are a remarkable reflection on our state and signal continued excellence in the U.S. armed forces. These candidates accomplishments and leadership are outstanding, Grassley said. Each year Grassley has the opportunity as a U.S. senator to nominate either current or future Iowa high school graduates for a select few service academy placements. The Air Force, Military and Naval academies all select at least one qualified student from Grassleys nominations. The Merchant Marine Academy makes selections in proportion to states representation in Congress. Grassley said he encourages Iowa students to consider applying to more than one service academy due to the highly competitive nature of admissions and seeking multiple nominations. Iowa representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives make nominations in addition to both of Iowas U.S. senators. Students may receive more than one nomination. Students interested in academy appointments should begin the application process in the spring of their junior year of high school. Early application is encouraged. The academies select students based on the number of vacancies available for the next school year. The academies offer some of the best options for higher education, and they offer an outstanding way to serve our country. Its a tremendous opportunity for young Iowans, Grassley said. Traditionally, the high quality of Iowa nominees results in several Iowa students being offered admission to attend each of the service academies. The students then choose whether or not to attend the academy. More information about service academy nominations can be found here. Grassley said he will make announcements as academy appointments are offered to Iowans. The lists below include the names and hometowns of Grassleys nominees for the 2016-2017 school year. … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/iowa-federal-judicial-nominees-receive-vote-after-senate-convenes-next-year | Iowa Federal Judicial Nominees to Receive Vote After Senate Convenes Next Year | 2015-12-18 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Senator Chuck Grassley said today that two Iowans who have been nominated by President Barack Obama for federal judgeships will be voted on by the full Senate early next year. In an agreement between both the Republican and Democratic leaders announced on the Senate floor earlier this week, Iowans Leonard Strand of Sioux City, and Rebecca Ebinger of Des Moines, are two of five judicial nominees who will be voted on before Presidents Day. The other nominees who will receive votes are Luis Restrepo of Pennsylvania, Wilhelmina Wright of Minnesota, and John Vazquez of New Jersey. As Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Grassley helped lead the effort to reach the agreement. These two Iowans are uniquely qualified to be federal judges and have exceptional credentials. Im glad they will be voted on by the full Senate in short order, Grassley said. Grassley recommended Strand and Ebinger to the White House after an extensive effort by a Judicial Selection Commission that Grassley formed after two judges announced their intention to take senior status. The commission was comprised of highly qualified members of the Iowa legal community, and led by Cynthia Moser, a former Iowa State Bar Association president. The commission also included Richard Sapp, Jeffrey Goodman, Harlan D. Hockenberg, and Adam Freed. These lawyers spent hundreds of hours carefully reviewing applications and interviewing each of the 39 Iowans who submitted applications and sought consideration. Eleven applicants were then selected to participate in a lengthy second interview. The commissions review included not only these interviews, but also a thorough study and examination of the applicants professional history, credentials, and qualifications. The commission then made recommendations to Grassley, who in consultation with Senator Joni Ernst reviewed the candidates and their qualifications before submitting his recommendations to the White House. Strand currently serves as a U.S. magistrate judge in Sioux City for the Northe… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://loebsack.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=394848 | Loebsack Statement on CMS Delay of Iowas Proposed Medicaid Transition | 2015-12-17 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Dave Loebsack | L000565 | loebsack.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement today after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) sent a letter to the state of Iowa indicating they must delay the proposed move to privatized management of Iowas Medicaid program for 60 days. The letter indicated that the state of Iowa has significant issues to address before more than 560,000 Iowans who rely on Medicaid services switch to the new program. Originally, Governor Branstad intended for the transition to go in to effect on January 1, 2016.Loebsack has been leading the fight with leaders from the Iowa Senate to ensure those who rely on Medicaid are not negatively affected by the proposed changes.I am pleased that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have elected to slow down the states transition to a managed care system, as I urged them to do. I, along with many Iowans, expressed concerns that the transition was too fast to ensure the 560,000 Iowa beneficiaries that depend on Medicaid for quality care are not negatively affected. Going forward, I will continue to monitor the readiness of the state to implement the transition and to ensure care is not interrupted for our states most vulnerable populations. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://loebsack.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=394851 | Loebsack Statement on House Passage of the Tax Extenders Package | 2015-12-17 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Dave Loebsack | L000565 | loebsack.house.gov | legacy | Loebsack Statement on House Passage of the Tax Extenders Package Extension of PTC, important deductions for low-income families included in package f t # e Washington, December 17, 2015 | Joe Hand (202-225-6576) Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement today after the House of Representatives passed HR 2029, the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015. Among other provisions, the bill extends the Production Tax Credit (PTC) for wind energy. Loebsack has been leading the fight in Congress for this extension in order to give the wind industry and the thousands of jobs in Iowa that it supports, the stability and certainty it deserves. HR 2029 also includes tax extenders for charities, low-income families, teachers, small businesses, and farmers. The legislation now goes to the Senate for its consideration. The extension of the PTC included in todays bill will help support the thousands of jobs that the wind energy industry employs in Iowa alone. This current plan will help provide the stability and predictability that the industry needs and will not allow the rug to be pulled out from under this home grown, clean energy. Loebsack continued: Iowans deserve to have confidence in their tax system so they can plan for the future and make purchases. While I am pleased that many important provisions, including the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit and certain charitable deductions, were made permanent, this bill is not perfect. Congress must work to continue to give families, charities, teachers and small businesses confidence in our economy. f t # e | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://blum.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=457 | Rep. Blum Votes For Pro-Jobs Tax Relief Package | 2015-12-17 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Rod Blum | B001294 | blum.house.gov | legacy | Rep. Blum Votes For Pro-Jobs Tax Relief Package Legislation Provides Certainty for Families, Small Business, Agriculture f t # e Washington, DC, December 17, 2015 Today, Congressman Rod Blum (R-IA) joined a bipartisan majority of his colleagues in the House of Representatives to pass H.R. 2029, the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act, a permanent tax extenders package. The bill passed 318 - 109. This legislation allows Iowans to keep more of their hard earned money while providing long term certainty for business that make the investments in new technology and infrastructure that are so important for job creation, said Congressman Blum. I was especially encouraged to see two of my legislative priorities -- making small business expensing (Section 179) and the Research and Development Tax Credit permanent -- included in this legislation instead of being temporarily extended at the last minute as is typically done in Washington. Iowa farmers and businesses need to know what the rules are ahead of time so they can plan for the future and make investments that create jobs for Iowans. The bill also provides Iowa families with the certainty they deserve by making the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit permanent while also encouraging our citizens to contribute to charity by making contributions tax free. Overall, this package is an important step on the path to comprehensive tax reform and moves us closer to the goal of a tax code that will help reignite our economy and raise wages for our working families. For more information on Congressman Blums previous work to make Section 179 and the R&D Tax Credit permanent please click here and here. Rod Blum is the Republican Congressman in Iowas 1st District. He is a member of the Budget and Oversight & Government Reform Committees. ### … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-vows-continued-push-reform-eb-5-after-fixes-ignored-omnibus-spending | Grassley Vows Continued Push to Reform EB-5 after Fixes Ignored in Omnibus Spending Bill | 2015-12-17 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Prepared Floor Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley of IowaChairman, Senate Judiciary CommitteeEB-5 and the OmnibusThursday, December 17, 2015 Mr. President, At 1:30 am Wednesday morning, an omnibus appropriations bill was filed to keep the government operating for the remainder of the fiscal year. This bill, which will be voted on by the House on Friday, includes a straight and clean extension of a program called the EB-5 Immigrant Investor program. This program has been plagued by fraud and abuse. But more importantly, it poses significant national security risks. Allegations suggesting the EB-5 program may be facilitating terrorist travel, economic espionage, money laundering and investment fraud are too serious to ignore. Yet, the omnibus bill fails to include much needed reforms. The spending bill being considered by the House and Senate is a major disappointment. Im frustrated that, despite the alarm bells and whistleblowers warning us about the program, Republican and Democrat leadership in the House and Senate decided to simply extend the program without any changes. This was a missed opportunity. What makes this especially frustrating is that the Chairs and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees agreed on a bill. We had consensus. I appreciate the support of Senator Leahy, the Ranking Member of the committee. I also commend Chairman Goodlatte, Ranking Member Conyers, Congressmen Issa and Lofgren. We worked in a bi-partisan fashion. We agreed on every aspect, believing in our heart of hearts that we were doing the right thing. We found common ground on national security reforms. We made sure that rural and distressed urban areas benefited from the program. We instituted compliance measures, background checks, and transparency provisions. Through months of hard work, we put together a great deal. But despite this broad, bi-partisan support, and the work of the committees of jurisdiction, not a single one of our recommendations will be implemented. Instead of reforming the program, som… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/senate-passes-bill-continue-cracking-down-federal-charge-card-waste-and-abuse | Senate Passes Bill to Continue Cracking Down on Federal Charge Card Waste and Abuse | 2015-12-17 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Today, the Senate approved a bipartisan bill to curb waste, fraud and abuse in federal agency travel and purchase cards spending. The Saving Federal Dollars Through Better Use of Government Purchase and Travel Cards Act of 2015 (S. 1616), introduced by Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) with Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) now heads to the House of Representatives for further consideration. I thank Senators Grassley, McCaskill, and Johnson for their partnership on this bipartisan bill, said Sen. Carper. This common sense legislation would implement stronger and smarter controls to prevent potential abuse and misuse of government charge cards. While federal agencies have made progress in strengthening financial controls over government travel and purchase cards, more needs to be done to eliminate wasteful charge card spending. Congress must continue to work across the aisle to ensure that federal agencies crack down on charge card abuse and taxpayer dollars are being spent responsibly across the federal government. I encourage my colleagues in the House of Representatives to approve this legislation and send it to the President for his signature. This bill builds on my Government Charge Card Abuse Prevention Act of 2012 by adding an additional layer of government-wide oversight to the work of individual agency inspectors general, said Sen. Grassley. Earlier this year, a Defense Department inspector general report, which was drafted in response to the 2012 law, highlighted some areas where the Defense Department was not properly implementing the required controls and flagged casinos as a high risk for misuse of charge cards. Our bill will make sure were looking for similar patterns of misuse across all federal agencies and that agencies are sharing best practices to prevent misuse and identify potential cost savings. What weve done here to help agencies find and end the waste, fraud, and abuse of government-issued charge cards is a no-brainer, said Sen. McCas… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-amendment-to-omnibus-spending-bill-defunds-climate-change-agreement | King Amendment to Omnibus Spending Bill Defunds Climate Change Agreement | 2015-12-16 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Steve King | K000362 | steveking.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Steve King released the following statement after submitting his amendment, defunding the Climate Change Agreement, to the omnibus spending bill: It is the obligation of Congress to restore its Article I Constitutional authority and the balance of power, said King. This omnibus is the best opportunity to support and defend our Constitutional authority. With blatant disregard for the health of the American economy, and without Congressional approval, President Obama has pledged to support the climate change agreement that was worked out at the COP21 conference in Paris earlier this month. The amendment I offered today will prevent the President from imposing the harsh and arbitrary burdens of this agreement on American families and businesses. If left unchecked, the President will use this agreement to expand federal control over the economy, raise the cost of energy, and stifle an already fragile economy. This is the eighth of nine amendments I submitted to make the omnibus spending bill a bill that fulfills the promises we all made to our constituents in 2014 and to restore Article I Constitutional authority to the United States Congress. To view the original amendment text, click here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-amendment-to-omnibus-spending-bill-defunds-enforcement-of-the | King Amendment to Omnibus Spending Bill Defunds Enforcement of the Supreme Courts Same-Sex Marriage Ruling | 2015-12-16 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Steve King | K000362 | steveking.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Steve King released the following statement after submitting his amendment, defunding the enforcement of the Supreme Courts ruling on Same-Sex Marriage, to the omnibus spending bill: It is the obligation of Congress to restore its Article I Constitutional authority and the balance of power, said King. This omnibus is the best opportunity to support and defend our Constitutional authority. My amendment blocks the Federal government from forcing the states to accept and honor same-sex marriage imposed by judicial fiat. The people, through their elected representatives, should be the ones deciding whether to adopt same-sex marriage. The Supreme Court Justices are the last people on earth who can be allowed to amend our Constitution. This is the third of nine amendments that I submitted to make the omnibus spending bill a bill that fulfills the promises we all made to our constituents in 2014 and restores Article I Constitutional authority to the United States Congress. To view the original amendment text, click here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-amendment-to-omnibus-spending-bill-defunds-executive-amnesty | King Amendment to Omnibus Spending Bill Defunds Executive Amnesty | 2015-12-16 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Steve King | K000362 | steveking.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Steve King released the following statement after submitting his amendment to the omnibus spending bill to defund executive amnesty: It is the obligition of Congress to restore its Article I Constitutional authority and the balance of power, said King. This omnibus is the best opportunity to support and defend our Constitutional authority. My amendment defunds all of the President's illegal and unconstitutional actions regarding immigration. Beginning with the Morton Memos and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and covering all of his most recent illegal and unconstitutional acts to expand DACA to 5 million more illegal immigrants. Further, I submitted my language that passed the House floor earlier this year that defunds sanctuary cities. Sanctuary cities shelter criminal aliens that regularly victimize citizens with impunity while being protected by city and state officials. It is time to restore the Rule of Law and put an end to these crimes. This is the second of nine amendments that I submitted to make the Omnibus spending bill a bill that fulfills the promises we all made to our constituents in 2014 and restores Article I Constitutional authority to the United States Congress. To view the amendment text, click here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-amendment-to-omnibus-spending-bill-defunds-obamacare | King Amendment to Omnibus Spending Bill Defunds ObamaCare | 2015-12-16 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Steve King | K000362 | steveking.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Steve King released the following statement after submitting his defund ObamaCare implementation amendment to the Omnibus Spending bill: It is the obligation of Congress to restore its Article I Constitutional authority and the balance of power, said King. This Omnibus is the best opportunity to support and defend our Constitutional authority. ObamaCare was passed by hook, crook and legislative shenanigan and has been rejected by the American people multiple times. Since passage, the President has unilaterally ignored the law to delay mandates, rewrite the bills language related to exchanges and move to bailout co-ops and insurance companies without oversight or Congressional input. At this point our options are to defund the implementation of ObamaCare until we have the right President who will enforce the will of the American people. This is the first of nine amendments that I submitted to make the Omnibus spending bill a bill that fulfills the promises we all made to our constituents in 2014 and which restores Article I Constitutional authority to Congress. To view the amendment text, click here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-amendment-to-omnibus-spending-bill-defunds-planned-parenthood | King Amendment to Omnibus Spending Bill Defunds Planned Parenthood | 2015-12-16 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Steve King | K000362 | steveking.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Steve King released the following statement after submitting his amendment, defunding Planned Parenthood, to the omnibus spending bill: It is the obligation of Congress to restore its Article I Constitutional authority and the balance of power, said King. This omnibus is the best opportunity to support and defend our Constitutional authority. The gruesome, ghoulish, and ghastly Planned Parenthood practices brought to light by recent videos are more than enough evidence to block all federal tax dollars to Planned Parenthood. My amendment reflects the conscience of the American people and simply says: No funds authorized or appropriated by Federal law may be made available for any purpose to Planned Parenthood any affiliate or clinic of Planned Parenthood any successor. This is the fourth of nine amendments I submitted to make the omnibus spending bill a bill that fulfills the promises we all made to our constituents in 2014 and to restore Article I Constitutional authority to the United States Congress. To view the amendment text, click here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-amendment-to-omnibus-spending-bill-defunds-the-iran-nuclear-deal | King Amendment to Omnibus Spending Bill Defunds the Iran Nuclear Deal | 2015-12-16 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Steve King | K000362 | steveking.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Steve King released the following statement after submitting his amendment, defunding the Iran Nuclear Deal, to the omnibus spending bill: It is the obligation of Congress to restore its Article I Constitutional authority and the balance of power, said King. This omnibus is the best opportunity to support and defend our Constitutional authority. Israel is a strong ally and loyal friend of the United States. When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came before Congress earlier this year he made a powerful case to Congress, America and the rest of the world detailing how the Iran Nuclear deal puts Israels very survival at stake. The Iran Nuclear deal is one of the most dangerous proposals of our time. It starts the nuclear arms race in the Middle East, restores Irans economy, and enables Iran, within 10 years, to become a nuclear power. For these reasons, I submitted an amendment that completely defunds this disastrous deal. This is the sixth of nine amendments I submitted to make the omnibus spending bill a bill that fulfills the promises we all made to our constituents in 2014 and to restore Article I Constitutional authority to the United States Congress. To view the amendment text, click here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-amendment-to-omnibus-spending-bill-defunds-the-new-waters-of-the | King Amendment to Omnibus Spending Bill Defunds the New Waters of the United States Rule | 2015-12-16 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Steve King | K000362 | steveking.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Steve King released the following statement after submitting his amendment, defunding the new Waters of the United States rule (WOTUS), to the omnibus spending bill: It is the obligation of Congress to restore its Article I Constitutional authority and the balance of power, said King. This omnibus is the best opportunity to support and defend our Constitutional authority. Just like in every other aspect of the Presidents executive overreaches, he did not listen to the American people. Under this new Waters of the United States rule, family farms, small businesses and other landowners would not be safe from burdensome, politically motivated EPA regulations. The courts have already begun to question the legal legitimacy of the EPAs new WOTUS rule which puts 96.7% of Iowas land mass under the EPAs jurisdiction. Congress should second that motion and defund the rule until the courts ultimately decide it is unconstitutional. This is the fifth of nine amendments I submitted to make the omnibus spending bill a bill that fulfills the promises we all made to our constituents in 2014 and to restore Article I Constitutional authority to the United States Congress. To view the amendment text, click here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-amendment-to-omnibus-spending-bill-defunds-the-refugee-resettlement | King Amendment to Omnibus Spending Bill Defunds the Refugee Resettlement Process | 2015-12-16 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Steve King | K000362 | steveking.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Steve King released the following statement after submitting his amendment, defunding the Refugee Resettlement Process, to the omnibus spending bill: It is the obligation of Congress to restore its Article I Constitutional authority and the balance of power, said King. This omnibus is the best opportunity to support and defend our Constitutional authority. How can we trust this Obama Administration who will not utter the words radical Islamic jihad to accurately screen refugees coming into the United States? For years we have had thousands of illegal immigrants coming across our boarders falsely claiming refugee status. The safety and security of the American people is paramount which is why my amendment defunds the refugee resettlement process for this fiscal year. This gives Congress time to craft a thoughtful refugee policy to help build a culture in America that honors Americanism. This is the seventh of nine amendments I submitted to make the omnibus spending bill a bill that fulfills the promises we all made to our constituents in 2014 and to restore Article I Constitutional authority to the United States Congress. To view theamendment text, click here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-amendment-to-omnibus-spending-bill-strikes-expansion-of-h-2b-visas | King Amendment to Omnibus Spending Bill Strikes Expansion of H-2B Visas | 2015-12-16 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Steve King | K000362 | steveking.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Steve King released the following statement after submitting his amendment, striking the expansion of H-2B visas, to the omnibus spending bill: It is the obligation of Congress to restore its Article I Constitutional authority and the balance of power, said King. This omnibus is the best opportunity to support and defend our Constitutional authority. At a time when many Americans are struggling to find a job, Congress is poised to quadruple the number of low-skilled workers that can enter the U.S. under the H-2B visa program to compete with U.S. citizens for jobs. With at least 11 million illegal immigrants already flooding the labor market, the last thing American workers need is 264,000 more workers entering the labor force. Congress should be looking at ways to secure our border and enforce our immigration laws not using a spending bill to substantively change immigration law by radically circumventing the cap of an employment visa. My amendment would eliminate this damaging provision from the bill and provide a very welcome Christmas president to all the unemployed seeking work. This is the ninth of nine amendments I submitted to make the omnibus spending bill a bill that fulfills the promises we all made to our constituents in 2014 and to restore Article I Constitutional authority to the United States Congress. To view the original amendment text, click here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-secures-victories-wind-energy-production-college-savings-plans-taxpayer | Grassley Secures Victories for Wind Energy Production, College Savings Plans, Taxpayer Rights in Omnibus, Tax Extenders Package | 2015-12-16 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today praised the inclusion of a five-year extension of the wind energy production tax credit, his provisions to enhance Section 529 college savings plans, his measures to protect taxpayer rights and more welcome provisions in the newly released bipartisan, bicameral omnibus budget and tax package before Congress. Certainty and predictability in tax policy are necessary so businesses can plan and invest accordingly, which is important for job creation. Grassley said. A five-year extension of the wind energy provision will support jobs. It supports the renewable energy that consumers want for a cleaner environment and energy independence from countries that wish to do us harm. The college savings provisions help families and students afford college. They improve a tax incentive thats popular with Iowans and others around the country who work hard to save money for their children and grandchildren to get an education. The IRS provisions are necessary to get the agency more focused on its number one job of taxpayer service. The five-year extension of the wind energy production tax credit is a victory for wind energy producers. The extension is meant to lead to a phase-down of the industry-specific tax credit. As included, the wind production tax credit will be 100 percent in 2015 and 2016, 80 percent in 2017, 60 percent in 2018 and 40 percent in 2019. As the father of the first wind energy tax credit in 1992, I can say that the tax credit was never meant to be permanent, Grassley said. I also can say that the wind energy industry is the only energy industry that came forward with a phase-out plan. The oil and nuclear industries have benefited from tax incentives that have been permanently on the books for decades. The five-year extension for wind energy brings about the best possible long-term outcome that provides certainty, predictability and a responsible phase-down of a tax incentive for a renewable energy source. On education, the tax package before Congress … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-youth-drug-survey-marijuana-results-disturbing | Grassley: Youth Drug Survey, Marijuana Results Disturbing | 2015-12-16 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Caucus on International Narcotics Control, today made the following comment on the National Institute of Healths 2015 Monitoring the Future survey of youth habits on illicit drug and tobacco use. The survey shows the decreasing use of a number of substances, including cigarettes, alcohol, prescription opioid pain relievers and synthetic cannabinoids (synthetic marijuana). Other drug use, including the use of marijuana, remains stable, with continued high rates of daily use reported among 12th graders, and ongoing declines in the perception of its harms. The results are mixed. Theres good news in areas that have been a concern in Iowa and elsewhere in the country, including harmful synthetic drugs. I give credit to law enforcement, parents, community groups and state and federal laws, including those Ive sponsored, that have cracked down on access to the chemicals used to make synthetic drugs. But the news on marijuana use is disturbing. Marijuana use remains high. For the first time, on a daily basis, more 12th graders are smoking marijuana than tobacco. The perceptions of the risk of marijuana use among youth also continue to drop, with less than a third believing marijuana use is harmful. This may indicate that marijuana rates are unlikely to decline any time soon. Unfortunately, these developments arent at all surprising under an Administration that refuses to enforce federal law in this area and downplays the risks associated with using marijuana. The Administration should reconsider its approach. Marijuana isnt harmless. It can have especially negative physical effects on developing brains. It can also lead to the use of other drugs with even more devastating effects. The survey press release is available here. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/data-behind-sovaldi-report-wyden-grassley-investigation-looks-drug-costs-every | Data Behind the Sovaldi Report: Wyden-Grassley Investigation Looks at Drug Costs in Every State Medicaid Program | 2015-12-15 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | As Part of a Comprehensive, Bipartisan Report on the High Cost of Hep C Drugs, Senior Finance Members Collected Data on Drug Costs, Prescription Volume, and Patients Treated in All 50 States, D.C. State Medicaid Programs Imposed Access Restrictions Due to Budget Constraints, Yet Sovaldi Still Dominated Drug Spending WASHINGTON An investigation released earlier this month by Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Senator Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, a senior member of the committee, demonstrated the significant financial impact that Gilead Sciences Inc.'s hepatitis C drug Sovaldi and its follow-on drug Harvoni had on state Medicaid programs during 2014, their first year on the market. As a part of the investigation, the senators assembled a comprehensive Medicaid data set based on state-reported data, which is highlighted in detail below. The senators also released today new data on the top 25 state-reported Medicaid drug expenditures, found in the table below. The 18-month investigation found that because of Sovaldi's high price and Gilead's initial refusal to provide substantial discounts, Medicaid programs were only able treat 2.4% of some 700,000 enrollees infected with the disease, despite spending more than $1 billion on the drug during calendar year 2014, according to state-reported data. Data provided by state Medicaid programs from all 50 states and the District of Columbia show that Sovaldi ranked among the top five pharmaceutical spending items for 33 different state Medicaid programs. Fourteen states reported that Sovaldi was the top pharmaceutical cost for their fee-for-service (FFS), managed care (MCO), or combined programs. Fifteen more reported Sovaldi was the second highest cost. Four more states reported that Sovaldi ranked third, fourth or fifth in their pharmaceutical spending in 2014. (page 84 of report) The data provides a state-by-state breakdown of how much state Medicaid programs reported spending on Sovaldi and Harvoni, and where spending on the drugs ranked in compari… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-murphy-urge-committee-consideration-revolutionary-war-patriot-memorial | Grassley, Murphy Urge Committee Consideration of Revolutionary War Patriot Memorial Bill | 2015-12-15 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut have urged the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources to consider the National Liberty Memorial Clarification Act of 2015, a bill that would keep the creation of the National Liberty Memorial a monument to commemorate the tens of thousands of slaves and free black persons who fought for freedom and independence in the American Revolution on track. In a letter to Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Murphy and Grassley requested that the committee leaders schedule a hearing on the bill early in the next session of Congress so that it can be reported to the full Senate as soon as possible. The National Liberty Memorial Clarification Act was referred to the Senate committee earlier this year after it passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 402-0. We are strong supporters of the creation of the National Liberty Memorial to honor the thousands of enslaved and free black persons who fought in the Revolutionary War. However, we understand that red tape has led to delays in the final approval of the design and location for the memorial. In order to streamline the process and keep the memorial on track to be completed in the current authorization period, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1949, the National Liberty Memorial Clarification Act of 2015, on September 17, 2015, wrote the Senators. H.R. 1949 has now been referred to your committee. We ask that you schedule a hearing early in the next session of Congress to consider this bill with a view to it being reported to the full Senate for consideration as soon as possible. Grassley's work to get the memorial built began when several young Iowans took an interest in the effort and helped with the initial push for the memorial. One soldier of special interest to many Iowans is Cato Mead, an African American Revolutionary War patriot who spent his … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-presses-consideration-inspector-general-empowerment-act | Grassley Presses for Consideration of Inspector General Empowerment Act | 2015-12-15 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Senator Chuck Grassley today on the Senate floor asked unanimous consent for the Senate to begin consideration of a bill to ensure that inspectors general across the federal bureaucracy have timely access to all records needed to complete a thorough and independent investigation. Grassley's unanimous consent request was objected to by Senate minority leader Harry Reid in an effort to hide the identities of members who are holding up passage of the bill. The objection was made in violation of the spirit of the Standing Order of the Senate that says members who have holds on legislation must be identified. In a statement after the objection, Grassley said, This bill is about giving inspectors general the tools they need to provide proper oversight of the executive branch. These are common sense solutions to helping root out waste, fraud and abuse. Objecting to a bipartisan bill whose authors have been working for months in good faith, without offering constructive assistance to improving it, reflects poorly on the Senate as a whole. The text of Grassley's speech on the Inspector General Empowerment Act is below. Video of Grassley's floor speech can be found here. Prepared Floor Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2015 Tuesday, December 15, 2015 To ensure accountability and transparency in government, Congress created Inspectors Generalor IGsas our eyes and ears within the executive branch. But IGs cannot do their job without timely and independent access to all agency records. Agencies cannot be trusted to restrict the flow of potentially embarrassing documents to the IGs who oversee them. If the agencies can keep IGs in the dark, then this Congress will be kept in the dark too. So, when Congress passed the Inspector General Act in 1978, we explicitly said that IGs should have access to ALL agency records. Inspectors General are designed to be independent, but also to be part of the agency. They are there to help agency leadershi… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-usda-final-rules-actively-engaged-provisions | Grassley Statement on USDA Final Rules on Actively Engaged Provisions | 2015-12-15 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Senator Chuck Grassley made the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture released the final rules on the actively engaged provisions of the 2014 farm bill. Grassley led the effort to get passed in both the Senate and the House provisions that would have established a farm payment cap of $250,000 and tightened loopholes that have allowed some non-farmers to game the system. Despite receiving a majority of support in both bodies of Congress, the conference committee tied the hands of the U.S. Department of Agriculture by including a watered down version that allowed loopholes to remain. The final rule issued by the Department of Agriculture to reduce abuses of the actively engaged loophole is a first step. While this rule still isn't as stringent as the reforms approved by both bodies of Congress through my payment limit amendment, it represents a good faith effort by the department to make the farm bill more defensible, despite the indefensible loopholes left open by the conference committee. Meaningful and enforceable limits on farm subsidies are the right thing to do. Taking steps to end farm payments to people who don't farm is good for agriculture going forward and helps begin to bring the program back to its original intent. If the farm bill is reopened in the omnibus appropriations bill by allowing unlimited subsidies to farmers by reviving commodity certificates, it creates long-term consequences for agriculture and puts at risk the positive step this final rule takes. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://davidyoung.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/epa-broke-law-promoting-wotus-land-grab-rule | EPA BROKE THE LAW PROMOTING WOTUS LAND GRAB RULE | 2015-12-14 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | David Young | Y000066 | davidyoung.house.gov | legacy | EPA BROKE THE LAW PROMOTING WOTUS LAND GRAB RULE WASHINGTON, D.C.-The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a damning report today -finding the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) broke the law in promoting the Obama administration's controversial Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. The EPA's social media campaign engaged in congressional and grassroots lobbying on behalf of their WOTUS rule, a direct violation of the law. Iowa Congressman David Young has been a vocal critic, "The WOTUS rule is deeply unpopular -it allows the EPA to regulate water on 97 percent of the land in Iowa. No wonder the EPA used illegal practices to garner public support for it. I'm not surprised, but I am disappointed the EPA would stoop to this level to try and manufacture support for this job-killing, federal land grab." The EPA had, for months, touted the feedback they received during a public comment period on the WOTUS rule. The breaking news from the GAO today proves this data simply cannot be trusted. GAO auditors specifically identified the agency's use of a "Thunderclap"campaign as "covert propaganda." In other words, without identifying the EPA as the entity behind promotional messages, the campaign pushed their audiences to share messages in support of the rule. Several pending lawsuits have been filed against the WOTUS rule. In October, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit put the Environmental Protection Agency's WOTUS rule on hold nationwide. In addition, on November 19, Iowa joined the lawsuit pending in the North Dakota District Court against the EPA and the Army Corps. Currently, a bipartisan coalition in Congress is working to prevent the WOTUS rule from taking effect. David Young is the Congressman serving all the people of Iowa's 3rd District, with offices in Des Moines, Creston and Council Bluffs. He is a member of the Committee on Appropriations. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-weekly-schedule-41 | Grassley Weekly Schedule | 2015-12-14 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Here is information about Senator Grassley's schedule this week. The Senate is in session and members are negotiating the omnibus appropriations bill as well as the renewal and extension of tax incentives, including those for wind energy, biodiesel and Section 179 equipment expensing that helps farmers and small businesses. The Senate passed a short-term continuing resolution on Thursday, Dec. 10, which extended funding at the current level until Wednesday, Dec. 16. Depending on negotiations on final legislation, the Senate may be in session through the end of the week. Senator Grassley was a guest on public affairs programs hosted by Mike Adams on AgriTalk and Trent Rice on KASI radio in Ames, and will be a guest on public affairs programs hosted by Doug Wagner on WMT radio in Cedar Rapids, Charlie Stone on KSCJ radio in Sioux City, Sean Secrease and Quaid on WTAD radio in Quincy, and Jim Fisher on WOC radio in Davenport. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://davidyoung.house.gov/media-center/newsletters/results-guantanamo-survey-and-meetings-dc-and-iowa | Results from Guantanamo survey and meetings from D.C. and Iowa | 2015-12-13 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | David Young | Y000066 | davidyoung.house.gov | legacy | The last two weeks have been busy -here are a few stops from my travels throughout Iowa's 3rd Congressional District and a few meetings in Washington,D.C. Read the full newsletter here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://blum.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=456 | Congressman Blum Announces Congressional App Challenge | 2015-12-11 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Rod Blum | B001294 | blum.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Rod Blum released the following statement regarding his participation in the Congressional App Challenge. With the growing importance of jobs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields in the 21st century, it is vital that our young people are given opportunities to learn coding skills and a platform to promote their work. The Congressional App Challenge gives our high school students these opportunities while also providing a chance to interact with local high-tech employers in a variety of STEM fields. I am excited to host the Congressional App Challenge this year and look forward to seeing the entries from students across the First District. The Congressional App Challenge runs through January 21st, 2016, challenging high school students to design and create an original app for submission. Eligible high school students in Iowas 1st Congressional District may enter this Challenge as individuals or groups of not more than four students and will be judged by a panel chosen by the Office of Congressman Blum. The submitted app can be on any topic, provided it is original, appropriate, and has been made within a year of January 16th, 2016. All Sign-Ups/Questions can be directed to Alexah Rogge of Congressman Blums Cedar Rapids Office at (319)364-2288 or Alexah.Rogge@mail.house.gov or by visiting https://www.challenge.gov/challenge/congressional-app-challenge-ia-01-rep-blum/. Rod Blum is the Republican Congressman in Iowas 1st District. He is a member of the Budget and Oversight & Government Reform Committees. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://davidyoung.house.gov/media-center/weeklyreport/american-leadership | American Leadership | 2015-12-11 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | David Young | Y000066 | davidyoung.house.gov | legacy | Congressman David Young's Capitol Solutions Weekly Report to Iowa's Hardworking Taxpayers EDITORS NOTE: I look forward to providing this report each week as a resource of information for Iowans on the issues being debated and discussed in my goal to be the most accessible member of congress possible. American Leadership ISIS and the threat of radical Islamic extremism is a real and direct challenge to our way of life. We know there is no replacement for American leadership in the world. We must have a strategy to defeat terrorism and protect Americans. We can be successful, but we must unite as a nation behind a coherent strategy to bring our allies together with an unwavering commitment to defeating those who wish to rip away our freedoms and destroy us. Anything short of that is simply not acceptable. When I visit with Iowans throughout the 3rd Congressional District, national and personal security is what I hear about more and more. Folks feel less safe and they do not feel as secure as they once had and should. The number one responsibility of the federal government is to keep Americans safe and secure. I take that responsibility seriously. Congress is listening and acting to consider and pass commonsense, effective and bipartisan solutions. Before Thanksgiving, the U.S. House strengthened, with a veto-proof majority, a certification requirement for our refugee program. This was a measure to add an extra layer of scrutiny in the security process of our refugee program. It passed with an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote with Democrats and Republicans coming together to recognize refugees simply need to be properly vetted and background checked before entering the United States. The federal government ought to fulfill its duty to protect Americans. Period. It is just that simple. This is also why I led a letter from members of Congress to Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson reiterating Congress and the administration has a responsibility to protect Americans "against all enemies, foreign and domestic."My … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-immigration-language-in-customs-bill-adopted | King Immigration Language in Customs Bill Adopted | 2015-12-11 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Steve King | K000362 | steveking.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. - Congressman Steve King released the following video statement from his comments on the House Floor speaking in support of the Customs Conference Report. Kings immigration language, agreed upon with Speaker Paul Ryanin June of 2015, was included in the Customs Report adopted by the House today. To watch Congressman Steve Kings full remarks, click here. June 10, 2015 King Reaches Agreement with Ryan on TPA | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/commentary/qa-new-k-12-education-law | Q&A: New K-12 Education Law | 2015-12-11 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | With U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley Q: What is the Every Student Succeeds Act? A: In the first rewrite of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) since 2001, the Republican-led Congress restored a much greater degree of local control and decision-making authority to parents, teachers and local school board members in December with bipartisan passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act. It replaces the troubled No Child Left Behind Act. President Bushs proposal for that law called for greater local control over teaching in return for more accountability in terms of student achievement outcomes, but the degree of local freedom many had hoped for didnt materialize. What we did get was a detailed one-size-fits-all assessment and accountability system that prescribed interventions for schools not making progress toward all students being proficient in reading and math by 2014. That date has now passed so schools across Iowa face increasingly onerous top-down interventions. Since the No Child Left Behind Act was supposed to last only until 2007, there should have been plenty of time to adjust the goal, but until now, Congress has not been able to come up with a replacement. The Every Student Succeeds Act was a bipartisan compromise, which was necessary to pass the Senate. It does not go as far as I would like in reducing federal involvement in local schools, but it is a big improvement over the status quo. Schools serve as the lifeblood of neighborhoods across the country. It makes sense that parents, taxpayers, elected school board members and educators living and working in these neighborhoods are best able to identify problems, solve challenges and remove learning barriers in the classrooms where students are attending the schools in their communities. I believe that our local schools can do more when the Washington bureaucracy does less and this new law will allow key decisions to be made closer to the parents and students they affect. Q: What provisions did you secure in the new education law? A: As founder a… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/bipartisan-legislation-combat-nuclear-terrorism-and-proliferation-clears | Bipartisan Legislation to Combat Nuclear Terrorism and Proliferation Clears Committee | 2015-12-11 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON The Senate Judiciary Committee has passed bipartisan legislation that would strengthen the United States national security laws by ensuring that the government can successfully investigate and prosecute nuclear terrorists. The bill was introduced by Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and cleared the Judiciary Committee by a sweeping 17-3 margin. The bill implements three changes to federal criminal law that had been requested by both the Bush and Obama administrations on multiple occasions, most recently in 2011, but were not acted on by the committee until now. They were also omitted in House-authored legislation passed earlier this summer that created new offenses involving nuclear and maritime terrorism. The first provision of the bill would allow the Department of Justice to go to court and obtain a wiretap if there is probable cause that a defendant is committing one of the new offenses. The second provision would allow the newly-created offenses to be predicates for the separate crime of material support for terrorism. The provision helps to ensure that all who help plan, finance and aid terrorist attacks can be brought to justice. The third, and final provision, would permit the Department of Justice to seek the death penalty, in appropriate cases, for terrorists who commit acts of nuclear and maritime terrorism that kill Americans. The recent terrorist attacks in the United States and abroad show just how vulnerable our country is. These are complex attacks that are planned for months or even years, Grassley said. Nuclear terrorism isnt just theoretical; its a very real threat. The government needs the ability to seek the death penalty for nuclear terrorists under the appropriate circumstances. Its also common sense that we provide the government the ability to prosecute those who provide material support to these terrorists, including by financing them. And, its important that authorities have the capacity to seek lawful wiretaps, autho… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-comments-proposed-dupont-dow-chemical-merger | Grassley Comments on Proposed DuPont-Dow Chemical Merger | 2015-12-11 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley today released the following statement on the proposed merger of DuPont and Dow Chemical. The Judiciary Committee has jurisdiction over antitrust policy. DuPont and Dow are two titans of American industry and the proposed merger demands serious scrutiny. Federal regulators are responsible for examining and approving the transaction to make sure that its not anticompetitive. Vigorous enforcement of the antitrust laws is imperative to maintaining an open, fair and competitive marketplace. Ill be listening to Iowa farmers and consumers about any concerns they may have with this proposal, and the Judiciary Committee will be exercising its appropriate oversight function. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/progress-made-state-department-grassley%E2%80%99s-top-priority-still-goes-unanswered | Progress Made with State Department, But Grassleys Top Priority Still Goes Unanswered | 2015-12-11 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON In a letter sent today to Secretary of State John Kerry, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley wrote that cooperation from the State Department had increased, but the committees highest priority request remained unanswered. Grassley said that the committees top priority, a request regarding Bryan Paglianos emails, had not been fulfilled. Pagliano worked at the department as an information technology specialist but was concurrently paid by the former Secretary of State to maintain the personal server at her home while he was a State Department employee. He may have unique information regarding Clintons personal server, its set-up, whether it was subject to Freedom of Information Act requests, and if it was appropriately configured and secured considering the highly sensitive information running through it. He asserted his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination rather than speak to the committee. Grassley is seeking copies of his official State Department emails relevant to the committees inquiry before considering whether it might be appropriate to grant him immunity and compel his testimony. According to State Department officials, the department cannot locate any copy or backup of Paglianos official emails, except the limited number they are able to retrieve from other department employee email files. The retrieval is also apparently hampered by the fact that the FBI has possession of Paglianos State Department computer. Grassley reiterated his request on Paglianos emails because it is the highest priority that has yet to be fulfilled. Out of a prioritized list of 22 requests pulled from letters to the department, the committee has received seven fully complete responses, including three witness interviews, and nine partially complete responses. Grassley wrote that assuming the committee receives the additional items promised by State Department staff in a recent meeting, he intends to take action to recognize this progress before Congress adjourns for the year. A copy of … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/senate-clears-bill-enhance-mental-health-assistance-incarcerated-individuals | Senate Clears Bill to Enhance Mental Health Assistance for Incarcerated Individuals | 2015-12-11 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON A bill to help address the treatment of mentally ill offenders by the criminal justice system cleared the Senate last night. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley shepherded the bill through the committee in April. The bipartisan bill was sponsored by Senator Al Franken and was cosponsored by Grassley along with Judiciary Committee members John Cornyn, Patrick Leahy, Richard Durbin, Sheldon Whitehouse, Amy Klobuchar, Chris Coons, Lindsey Graham, Richard Blumenthal, Orrin Hatch and Dianne Feinstein, as well as 20 other senators. Mentally ill offenders make up a large part of the people in the criminal justice system. This bill takes into account the needs of this community in the prison system and works to support their unique health requirements in an effort to reduce the likelihood that they will reoffend, Grassley said. Importantly, the bill also includes accountability measures to ensure taxpayer dollars are being used in the most effective and efficient ways possible. The Comprehensive Justice and Mental Health Act: Reauthorizes the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act; Supports mental health courts and veterans treatment courts; Enhances identification of offenders with mental illness so as to provide better health services; Enhances efforts to deal with mentally ill offenders who are incarcerated; Includes accountability measures to ensure that resources are used appropriately. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/gov-branstad-longest-serving-governor-us-history | Gov. Branstad as the Longest-serving Governor in U.S. History | 2015-12-10 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Video of the floor speech is available here. Floor Statement of Sen. Chuck Grassley On Terry Branstad as the Longest-serving Governor in U.S. History Delivered Thursday, December 10, 2015 Mr. President, Id like to recognize the Iowa governor, Terry Branstad, on a significant milestone. On December 14, 2015, Governor Branstad will become the longest-serving governor in the nations history. Thats a large feather in the cap of a farm kid from the town of Leland, population 289, in Winnebago County in northern Iowa. In many ways, a small town farm background prepared Terry Branstad for his success as a state House member, lieutenant governor, and then governor in two separate tenures. The farm crisis of the 1980s hit every farm state hard, and Iowa, at the heart of the nations bread basket, suffered deeply. All of us who lived in Iowa at the time saw friends and neighbors lose their family farms and struggle with what to do next to earn a living. The state needed men and women with vision and ambition to pull the economy out of the doldrums. It needed people who could see the potential for farmers to add value to their operations and for Iowa to diversify its economy. Terry Branstad was one of those people. He was at the forefront of creating a new environment to do business. He welcomed and actively encouraged innovation that would capitalize on Iowas bedrock work ethic and strong schools. As a result, agriculture was and continues to be a mainstay of the Iowa economy, but agriculture more than ever is an engine for many other employment sectors: renewable energy, manufacturing, crop research, insurance and financial services, and much more. As governor from 1983 to 1999, Terry Branstad took the helm during some of the states worst economic turmoil in decades and steered the ship toward impressive economic growth. The unemployment rate went from 8.5 percent to a record low 2.5 percent. The governor could have rested on those laurels and continued to work outside of state government, but he answered the call when … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-leahy-bill-improves-disclosure-review-process-fbi-whistleblowers | Grassley-Leahy Bill Improves Disclosure & Review Process for FBI Whistleblowers | 2015-12-10 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and Ranking Member Patrick Leahy today introduced legislation to improve the response to FBI employees who call attention to fraud, waste or misconduct within the bureau. The FBI Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act brings the FBIs whistleblower disclosure protocols in line with all other federal law enforcement and civil service agencies and streamlines procedures for investigation, adjudication and oversight of employee claims. Its no secret that FBI whistleblowers often face harsh consequences for simply trying to address failures or misconduct at work. Inconsistent and confusing disclosure rules and perpetual delays in retaliation investigations have left well-intentioned whistleblowers without adequate protections from reprisal. The FBI Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act expands outlets for protected disclosures and improves processes to halt reprisal. We should be encouraging whistleblowers who help fix flaws in government. This bill takes meaningful steps to improve the environment for these brave Americans at the FBI, Grassley said. Whistleblowers serve an essential role in providing transparency and accountability in the Federal government. It is important that all government employees are provided with strong and effective avenues to come forward with evidence of government abuse and misuse, and that they have protections from retaliation. The bipartisan FBI Whistleblower Protection Enhancements Act of 2015 will help to ensure that FBI employees are able to blow the whistle on waste, fraud or abuse at the FBI and not face personal repercussions for when they do. This is a commonsense bill that I hope the Senate will soon pass, Leahy said. Unlike most other federal employees, FBI employees are not protected from reprisal when they disclose wrongdoing to their supervisors. Instead, Justice Department regulations restrict protections to disclosures made to a limited group of senior officials even though FBI policy encourages reporting… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-executive-business-meeting-9 | Grassley Statement at an Executive Business Meeting | 2015-12-10 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Prepared Statement by Senator Chuck Grassley of IowaChairman, Senate Judiciary CommitteeExecutive Business MeetingThursday, December 10, 2015 Good morning everyone. Today we have a number of bills and nominees on the agenda. Well consider the bills that are ripe for consideration first and then turn to nominees. Well hold over H.R. 1428, the Judicial Redress Act of 2015, S. 483, the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2015, and S. 1890, the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2015. The two bills that are ripe for consideration would help strengthen our national security. The awful attacks in Paris and California are reminders of the importance of ensuring that the legal tools used to help protect us from terrorism are fully up to date. S. 247 is the Expatriate Terrorist Act. The bill will close a significant loophole in existing law and give the government another valuable tool in our ongoing war against ISIS and other radical Islamic terrorists. That bill will be held over at Senator Cruzs request. The other bill that is ripe for consideration is S. 1318, the Nuclear Terrorism Conventions Implementation and Safety of Maritime Navigation Act of 2015. Im pleased to partner with Senator Whitehouse on this bill. The bill makes changes to the criminal code to implement four international agreements that update our counterterrorism and counter-proliferation laws to reflect the danger of nuclear terrorism. These agreements were negotiated and signed by the Bush administration in the years following the 9/11 attacks. The Senate has already given its advice and consent to them. A version of this bill that was authored in the House became law a few months ago. But three important provisions that were requested by both the Bush and Obama administrations were omitted from what passed Congress. The managers substitute that the committee will consider today restores these provisions. First, the substitute allows the Department of Justice to go to court and obtain a wiretap if there is probable cause that a d… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/defense-department-gives-incomplete-response-afghanistan-spending | Defense Department Gives Incomplete Response on Afghanistan Spending | 2015-12-09 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa is looking into a $43 million compressed natural gas station in Afghanistan, the task force that spent $800 million, including the gas station cost, and allegations that the Defense Department may have retaliated against an Army colonel for expressing concern about a lack of accountability at the task force. The Defense Department responded to Grassley's letters. Grassley made the following comment on the response. "This response is incomplete and inadequate. It ignores my request for the task force records. That's unsatisfactory. The Defense Department needs to address the request and provide me the documents I requested. It needs to give full access to task force documents to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. No inspector general's office should have to jump through hoops to get what it needs to conduct audits. The response is lacking in other ways. It says the Defense Department sought a Defense Department inspector general audit of the task force, and the inspector general 'denied' the request. That raises many questions about why the Defense Department simply didn't direct the inspector general to conduct such an audit. The inspector general and other audit agencies within the department have huge audit capabilities and easily could reallocate resources to cover high priority targets. Finally, the Defense Department says the Army colonel's delayed Officer Evaluation Report, key to a promotion, has been completed and that the delay was due to an 'administrative oversight.' This is a superficial response that requires much more accounting from the Defense Department. I've conveyed my lack of satisfaction with the response to the Defense Department. I intend to continue pursuing answers." The Defense Department's response to Grassley is available here. Grassley's letters to the Defense Department are available here. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/education-bill-includes-grassley-provisions-gifted-and-talented-children-foster | Education Bill Includes Grassley Provisions on Gifted and Talented Children, Foster Youth, Civics Education | 2015-12-09 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa included provisions in the education bill given final Senate approval today on gifted and talented students, school stability for foster youth, and an emphasis on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights in any federally funded civics education program. Senate approval of the conference committee report on the Every Child Achieves Act sends the measure to the President for consideration. The bill returns much control of how best to teach children to states and local school districts and parents, Grassley said. It also includes provisions I worked on to alter federal incentives that were allowing gifted and talent kids from disadvantaged backgrounds to fall by the wayside, and help foster kids with school stability so they achieve an education. I'm also pleased that the bill includes teaching about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights in any federally funded civics education program. It makes sense that if the federal government supports civics education, there's an emphasis on the two documents that establish our fundamental principles. The legislation includes the bipartisan bill from Grassley and co-sponsors that makes certain the needs of high ability students are included in federal education policy. The bipartisan proposal is the TALENT Act, or the To Aid Gifted and High-Ability Learners by Empowering the Nation's Teachers Act. Federal education policy tends to overlook high potential students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, Grassley said. Often these kids aren't challenged and they might even drop out of school, when they could excel with the right encouragement. These provisions give attention to the students who are bright and capable but are in danger of falling through the cracks. On foster youth, the bill includes the bipartisan Educational Stability of Foster Youth Act, which Grassley co-authored, that supports students in the foster care system by strengthening connections between child welfare agencies and state and local education institut… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-hoping-isis-will-go-away-not-strategy-fbi-oversight-hearing | Grassley: Hoping ISIS will go away is not a strategy - FBI Oversight Hearing | 2015-12-09 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Prepared Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley of IowaChairman, Senate Judiciary CommitteeHearing on Oversight of the Federal Bureau of InvestigationWednesday, December 9, 2015 Director Comey, welcome and thank you for being here today. The FBI's mission is to protect us from the most dangerous threats facing our nation. The deadly attacks in Paris last month, and in California last week, confirmed that radical Islamic terrorism continues to be such a threat, regardless of whether that's politically correct or convenient for President Obama. ISIS is a determined enemy executing a plan to gain and hold territory, enrich itself, inspire followers worldwide, and launch deadly attacks against the West. And the American people are worried. Not just about terrorism. But about the President's inability or unwillingness to rally the country, lead our international partners, develop a credible strategy to destroy ISIS, and execute it. We are now paying the price for that weakness. At almost every turn, events have proven the President wrong about ISIS. In August 2012, he drew a red line, warning the Assad's regime not to use chemical weapons in Syria. But the President backed down after Assad gassed his own people, and ISIS blossomed in the chaos that followed. In January 2014, the President referred to ISIS as the j.v., or junior varsity. It promptly spent the next six months conquering territory across Syria and Iraq. In August of that same year, the President conceded that he didn't have a strategy to defeat ISIS. A year and a half later, he remains without a coherent one. Even former Secretary Clinton admitted the other day that we're not winning this fight. The President has been hoping that ISIS will go away, because its existence doesn't fit his preferred political narrative. But hope is not a strategy. Hope is not a plan. Hope is not action. And all the while, the drumbeat of attacks in the United States continued. In May, there was the attack on a convention center in Garland, Texas. In June, police were forced to … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/senators-introduce-legislation-address-puerto-rico-debt-crisis | Senators Introduce Legislation to Address Puerto Rico Debt Crisis | 2015-12-09 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON As part of their ongoing effort to provide a fiscally responsible solution to the growing financial, debt and economic crises in Puerto Rico, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today introduced the Puerto Rico Assistance Act of 2015. The bill provides both responsible tax relief to workers and transitional relief to the Commonwealth without adding to the federal deficit or debt. Additionally, the legislation includes financial oversight intended to help Puerto Rico attain financial and economic stability, while respecting Puerto Rico's autonomy. Puerto Rico's financial and economic challenges, fueled by a sagging economy and dysfunctional bureaucracy, have been years in the making, Chairman Hatch said. And despite repeated attempts by Congress to clarify how the interplay between federal tax, healthcare and pension policies affect the territory's economy, we have been unable to receive audited financial statements from Puerto Rico or adequate information from federal health officials. Federal taxpayers and the Puerto Rican people deserve better. With this bill, we use what limited information we have to lay out a sustainable framework to improve Puerto Rico's finances and its economy by providing responsible tax relief to workers and transitional assistance to the territory's government. The Commonwealth's problems will not be solved overnight, and I am hopeful the Administration and the leaders of Puerto Rico work with Congress to provide more transparency as we work to further address the current financial challenges. Puerto Rico's fiscal problems are the result of too much government spending and mismanagement, Chairman Grassley said. So, the question has always been how we help Puerto Rico help itself, with the information we've been provided, while ensuring that people like the 16,000 Iowans who invested their hard-earned money in Puerto Rico's tax free electric u… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://davidyoung.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/young-iowa-house-delegation-call-speaker-ryan-support-rfs | Young, Iowa House Delegation Call on Speaker Ryan to Support the RFS | 2015-12-08 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | David Young | Y000066 | davidyoung.house.gov | legacy | Young, Iowa House Delegation Call on Speaker Ryan to Support the RFS WASHINGTON, D.C. The U.S. House members of the Iowa delegation, led by Congressman David Young, sent a letter to Speaker Ryan urging him to uphold Congress'promise to the renewable fuels industry by opposing any efforts to undermine the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) on must-pass appropriations bills. Members wrote "Congress established the RFS in 2005 to reduce the United States'growing dependency on foreign oil, promote cleaner air, create good-paying jobs, and foster rural economic growth. As with any new industry, it takes time to become self-sustaining. Yet, RFS is working as intended and the renewable fuels industry is continuing to develop. In 2014, Iowa produced nearly 3.9 billion of ethanol and 227 million gallons of biodiesel. Additionally, Iowa has three cellulosic ethanol facilities producing the next generation of renewable fuels. Altogether, the industry has contributed over $19 billion annually to the Iowa economy and supported over 70,000 high-paying jobs. "Unfortunately, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is creating uncertainty in the renewable fuels sector by releasing Renewable Volume Obligations lower than the Congressional requirement contained in law. This constrains investment in renewable fuels, reduces consumer choice at the pump, and hurts farmers in rural America. Congress should not contribute to this uncertainty or depress an industry which diversifies the employment opportunities in states like Iowa. Instead, we should bolster this viable, domestic industry by keeping the promises made in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007." A copy of the letter can be found here. Young is a strong proponent of the RFS. He has repeatedly fought against efforts in the Administration and Congress to modify the RFS. David Young is the Congressman serving all the people of Iowa's 3rd District. He is a member of the Committee on Appropriations and Subcommittees on Agriculture, Home… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/bill-introduced-improve-medicare-coverage-people-living-lymphedema | Bill Introduced to Improve Medicare Coverage for People Living with Lymphedema | 2015-12-08 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), joined by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Mark Kirk (R-IL), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY), introduced bipartisan legislation to improve Medicare coverage for lymphedema patients. The bill would provide for Medicare coverage of physician-prescribed compression therapy equipment used to treat lymphedema, part of the clinically-recognized standard of care for the condition. With more than 6,300 Medicare beneficiaries in Washington and millions of Americans suffering from Lymphedema, we must update Medicare to reflect necessary and effective treatments for this condition. This legislation is a common sense measure that improves care for Medicare beneficiaries living with lymphedema and reduces costly hospitalizations, said Senator Cantwell. Medicare ought to reflect the modern practice of medicine, Senator Grassley said. The equipment to treat lymphedema is something doctors recommend and that patients need. Lymphedema is more common than people might realize. It can affect breast cancer surgery survivors, for example. More than 11,700 Medicare patients in Illinois are living with lymphedema and they shouldn't be denied access to medically-necessary compression treatment, Senator Kirk said. This bill will help patients with lymphedema effectively manage their condition and reduce the likelihood that they suffer from serious and often costly complications. This important bill will finally make sure that those living with Lymphedema have access to the healthcare treatment they need to lead healthy, productive lives while also lowering the hospitalization rates for these patients. As a co-sponsor of the Lymphedema Treatment Act, I pledge to work with my colleagues in Congress to continue to improve Medicare coverage on behalf of Lymphedema patients, said Senator Schumer. The Lymphedema Treatment Act would clarify within the existing Medicare coverage guidelines compression therapy items as a reasonable and necessary treatment. Under current law, compression ther… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-welcomes-re-instatement-irs-private-debt-collection-contracts | Grassley Welcomes Re-instatement of IRS Private Debt Collection Contracts | 2015-12-08 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today made the following comment on the re-instatement of private firms to collect tax debt for the IRS. The provision was enacted as part of the five-year highway bill given final congressional approval and signed into law late last week. The provision takes effect immediately and requires the IRS to enter into qualified tax collection contracts within three months. The official revenue estimate from the non-partisan congressional Joint Committee on Taxation on the new provision is available here. The IRS allowed politics to trump its responsibility to collect unpaid taxes when it decided to prematurely discontinue the private debt collection program in 2009. As we know from an estimate by the Joint Committee on Taxation, this meant leaving billions of dollars in uncollected taxes on the table. This provision requires the IRS to once again use private contractors to collect overdue taxes that the IRS isn't attempting to collect. These are taxes that are owed and not in dispute. This provision provides the IRS with a tool to pursue these unpaid taxes while respecting taxpayer privacy and rights. The IRS should implement this program without delay. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-weekly-schedule-40 | Grassley Weekly Schedule | 2015-12-07 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Here is information about Senator Grassley's schedule this week. The Senate is in session. Senator Grassley will meet with Iowans in Washington, D.C., from the Iowa Bankers Association. Senator Grassley will be a guest on public affairs programs hosted by Sally Hart on KCII radio in Washington, Theresa Rose on KILJ radio in Mt. Pleasant, Bob Leonard on KNIA/KRLS radio in Knoxville/Pella, Dan Kennedy and Dan Deibert on WOC radio in Davenport, and Captain Steve on KCJJ radio in Iowa City. On Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 10 a.m. (ET), Senator Grassley will participate in a Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights hearing on Ensuring Competition Remains on Tap: The Anheuser Bush InBev/SABMiller merger and the State of Competition in the Beer Industry. Mr. J Wilson, of Prescott, Iowa, will testify. Mr. Wilson is the Minister of Iowa Beer of the Iowa Brewers Guild. On Wednesday, Dec. 9, at 10 a.m. (ET), Senator Grassley will preside over a Judiciary Committee hearing on Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. FBI Director James B. Comey, Jr. will testify. On Wednesday, Dec. 9, at 10:30 a.m. CT, Senator Grassley will participate in a Budget Committee hearing on Moving to a Stronger Economy with a Regulatory Budget. On Thursday, Dec. 10, at 10 a.m. (ET), Senator Grassley will preside over the weekly executive business meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee will consider S. 247, the Expatriate Terrorist Act, sponsored by Senators Ted Cruz, Grassley and Roy Blunt and S. 1318, the Nuclear Terrorism Conventions Implementation and Safety of Maritime Navigation Act of 2015, sponsored by Senators Grassley and Sheldon Whitehouse. The committee will also consider the nominations of Dana J. Boente to be United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and John P. Fishwick, Jr. to be United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://davidyoung.house.gov/media-center/weeklyreport/education-decisions-belong-iowas-parents-and-educators | Education Decisions Belong With Iowa's Parents And Educators | 2015-12-04 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | David Young | Y000066 | davidyoung.house.gov | legacy | When I visit folks throughout the Third District,theyshare with me their successes, and unfortunately, their struggles. I take their stories with me to Congress where I work as hard as I can to help Iowans. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://davidyoung.house.gov/media-center/weeklyreport/education-decisions-belong-iowas-parents-and-educators-0 | Education Decisions Belong With Iowa's Parents And Educators | 2015-12-04 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | David Young | Y000066 | davidyoung.house.gov | legacy | Congressman David Young's Capitol Solutions Weekly Report to Iowa'sHardworking Taxpayers EDITORS NOTE: I look forward to providing this report each week as a resource of information for Iowans on the issues being debated and discussed in my goal to be the most accessible member of congress possible. Education Decisions Belong With Iowa's Parents And Educators We pride ourselves in Iowa on being at the forefront of education and student achievement. And we know the one size fits all federal system has been stifling our students, parents and teachers. From Farragut in Fremont County to my hometown of Van Meter in Dallas County, we understand local control of education empowers our parents and educators while reducing the grip of the federal bureaucracy on our classrooms. Bottom line, the people of Iowa are best equipped to determine what happens in Iowa. I firmly believe this is the best approach for our kids. They are the future and our country depends on their success. This week, I voted for the Every Student Succeeds Act because it is a step in the right direction. It passed with an overwhelming majority and broad bipartisan support, 359-64. The House and Senate worked together to put a bill on President Obama's desk rolling back federal control of our education system. The criticism launched at the Every Student Succeeds Act cannot take away from what it actually does. The Wall Street Journal said this legislation is, "The largest devolution of federal control to the states in a quarter-century."The bill repeals the web of federal testing mandates created by No Child Left Behind and 49 other ineffective programs. Two big reforms for parents: it prevents the federal government from forcing states to adopt Common Core and it dramatically reduces the control of Washington bureaucrats namely the Secretary of Education in the classrooms of Iowa's children. Restoring local control to education is common sense. States can now choose to opt out of federal educations programs that dont work for their students. Moreo… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/days-program-expires-leahy-grassley-urge-support-legislation-reform-extend-job | Days Before Program Expires, Leahy & Grassley Urge Support for Legislation to Reform & Extend Job-Creating Foreign Investment Program | 2015-12-04 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON The job-creating immigrant investor visa program, known as the EB-5 Regional Center program, is set to expire in just one week if Congress does not move to reauthorize it. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) are urging Congressional leaders to support a bipartisan, bicameral proposal that would provide much-needed reforms to the program and reauthorize it for four years. The EB-5 program is not working how it was intended to by Congress. The EB-5 program has serious vulnerabilities, is loaded with fraud and abuse, and isn't nearly the job-creator it has been purported to be. We need to be sure that the EB-5 Regional Center program is not only creating economic stimulus and jobs in areas that need it the most, but also not jeopardizing the nation's security or harming U.S. investors, Grassley said. The program needs an overhaul with the common sense reforms that we've put together in a bipartisan, bicameral way. The status quo is unacceptable. The EB-5 Regional Center program has generated investment and created jobs in distressed communities, but the program is facing some pressing challenges. Reports of rampant fraud and abuse raise serious concerns and threaten the program's mission. The incentives Congress established to spur investment in high unemployment and rural communities are also routinely abused, undermining a core objective of the program, Leahy said. The Regional Center should be reauthorized, but only if reformed. There is now bipartisan consensus around these reforms, and we cannot squander this opportunity. Since launching in 1993, this program has generated capital investment and created jobs across the country. But the program has also experienced significant problems in recent years, underscoring the need for Congress to restore the program to one that transforms local economies in impoverished areas as well as rural states. To improve the program and ensure its reauthorization, Grassley and Leahy on Friday released … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-reforms-help-feds-recoup-more-35-billion-fraudsters-2015 | Grassley Reforms Help Feds Recoup More Than $3.5 Billion from Fraudsters in 2015 | 2015-12-04 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | More than $48 Billion Restored to Treasury Following Grassley Policy WASHINGTON The federal government recovered more than $3.5 billion in taxpayer dollars lost to fraud in fiscal 2015, thanks in large part to reforms championed by Senator Chuck Grassley. The Justice Department announced the recoveries, which came from judgments and settlements of civil cases brought under the False Claims Act. The False Claims Act is the most successful tool of the federal government in rooting out fraud against the Treasury and recovering taxpayer dollars lost to deceitful individuals and government contractors. We all owe a thank you' to the many whistleblowers who raised the alarm to correct fraud and save taxpayer dollars from being wasted, Grassley said. Grassley, the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, authored reforms to the False Claims Act to encourage whistleblowers to come forward with information involving fraud against the government. Since the reforms were enacted, the government has recouped more than $48.2 billion. Many of the recoveries were initiated by whistleblowers who took advantage of Grassley's provisions allowing them to bring their own case on the government's behalf. The False Claims Act was enacted to prosecute fraud against taxpayers by unscrupulous companies and government contractors. Grassley also led an effort in 2009 to pass the Fraud Enforcement Recovery Act, which bolstered existing tools and resources for government investigators and prosecutors to combat fraud. Grassley recently received the Honest Abe Integrity in Government award from the Taxpayers Against Fraud Education Fund for his work to shield taxpayers from fraud against the government. Inscribed on the award is, Senator Chuck Grassley the father of the modern False Claims Act, for his lifetime of public service, tireless commitment to protecting America's tax dollars, and unwavering support for whistleblower programs. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-welcomes-enactment-bipartisan-highway-bill | Grassley Welcomes Enactment of Bipartisan Highway Bill | 2015-12-04 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today made the following comment on a bipartisan highway bill that Congress passed this week and that the President signed into law. It was important for Congress to get back to regular business on transportation funding, and I was glad to help pass a five-year highway bill. The Republican majority deserves credit for getting this done. While there are things I would have changed in the bill, Iowa and other states need predictability in policy so they can plan transportation projects. It's hard to get roads and bridges built when funding isn't predictable. More needs to be done to address the long-term health of the Highway Trust Fund, but the bill I voted for continues in the right direction of providing certainty for those planning state and local projects. This creates the environment for more jobs, enhanced safety, and the expedited completion of projects. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://loebsack.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=394844 | Loebsack Applauds Passage of Five-Year Highway Bill | 2015-12-03 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Dave Loebsack | L000565 | loebsack.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Dave Loebsack today voted in favor of the conference report on Fixing Americas Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. This measure reauthorizes highway, bridge, transportation safety, and public transit projects for the next five years and provides $281 billion in guaranteed funding. Also included in the conference report is a fix to the devastating cuts to the crop insurance program, which were included in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 that passed earlier this year. Loebsack helped lead the fight to restore these cuts since they were originally proposed. I am pleased that Congress could come together in a bipartisan fashion to pass a long-term highway reauthorization bill today, said Loebsack. For too long, Congress has passed one short-term extension after another, leaving state and local governments in limbo and preventing many transportation projects from being built. By providing guaranteed funding for the next five years, this measure will help create jobs in Iowa and give communities the certainty needed to invest in necessary infrastructure improvements. Earlier this year, in a misguided and potentially devastating attempt, Congress tried to balance the budget on the backs of Americas farmers and ranchers by cutting the crop insurance program. I strongly opposed this move and was pleased to help lead the fight to reverse these cuts. The conference report includes a number of key transportation provisions, including: - Loebsacks amendment to create a nationwide $1.5 billion grant program to update aging buses and bus facilities. The Bus and Bus Facilities Competitive Grant Program gives all 50 states the ability to compete for limited bus funding based on the merits of the project not just geographic location. - Injecting $3.7 billion over five years into bus funding a 75 percent increase over current levels. This will reduce traffic congestion, by providing more public transportation options. - Increasing American manufacturing jobs by strengthening Buy America requirements. - Boos… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://davidyoung.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/young-wins-us-house-fight-reverse-crop-insurance-cuts | YOUNG WINS U.S. HOUSE FIGHT TO REVERSE CROP INSURANCE CUTS | 2015-12-03 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | David Young | Y000066 | davidyoung.house.gov | legacy | YOUNG WINS U.S. HOUSE FIGHT TO REVERSE CROP INSURANCE CUTS "This legislation restores a promise to Iowa farmers by reversing the $3 billion in crop insurance cuts -a big win for rural America." WASHINGTON, D.C. The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation today to improve America's transportation infrastructure. The legislation included a legislative proposal authored by Iowa Congressman David Young, reversing crop insurance cuts. Congressman Young said, "This legislation restores a promise to Iowa farmers by reversing the $3 billion in crop insurance cuts -a big win for rural America." In October, Congress reached a budget agreement that reopened the 2014 Farm Bill and took $3 billion from federal crop insurance program to increase federal spending on non-agricultural related programs. Young immediately introduced legislation, H.R. 3845 - the Crop Insurance Restoration Act, leading the charge to repeal the crop insurance reductions and honor the commitment Congress made to America's farmers in the 2014 Farm Bill. The bill now awaits a vote in the U.S. Senate before it can go to the president's desk. David Young is the Congressman serving all the people of Iowa's 3rd District, with offices in Des Moines, Creston and Council Bluffs. He is a member of the Committee on Appropriations. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/federal-farm-policy-and-reopening-farm-bill | Federal Farm Policy and Reopening the Farm Bill | 2015-12-03 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Prepared Floor Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa Federal Farm Policy and Reopening the Farm Bill Thursday, December 3, 2015 Mr. President, I rise to speak about the 2014 farm bill and attempts to change it by members of this Congress. The farm bill process was a long, hard and frustrating exercise. Nobody got everything they wanted, but in the end we got a new bill for farmers across the country. Our country needs good farm policy, which means an adequate, yet limited safety net for farmers. Our farmers face real, uncontrollable risks every year. The farm bill provides farmers with a number of programs that help mitigate those risks. That is why I was very concerned when I learned the budget deal was cutting $3 billion from the federal crop insurance program. That cut would have forced the Risk Management Agency at the Department of Agriculture to renegotiate the Standard Reinsurance Agreement next year and save $300 million per year. These cuts were almost universally opposed by rural America. Lenders, commodity groups, input suppliers, and many others opposed the cuts to the crop insurance program. Beyond being bad policy, I opposed the crop insurance cuts, because like many of my colleagues on both the House and Senate Agriculture committees, I do not support reopening the 2014 Farm Bill. I'm very glad the Highway Bill is going to reverse these cuts to the crop insurance program. I also want to speak to the importance of not reopening the farm bill in the Omnibus. Section 739 of the House Agriculture Appropriations Bill reauthorized commodity certificates. For those who don't remember what commodity certificates are, they are a way around payment limits. The language in the House bill specifically directs USDA to administer commodity certificates as they were in 2008 when they were not subject to any payment limits at all. I want to be very clear so there is no misunderstanding by those in this body or the agriculture lobby Section 739 of the House Ag Appropriations Bill brings back commodit… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-cantwell-introduce-biodiesel-tax-reform-extension-act-urge-inclusion-tax | Grassley, Cantwell Introduce Biodiesel Tax Reform, Extension Act, Urge Inclusion in Tax Extenders Package Under Discussion | 2015-12-03 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington today introduced legislation to reform and extend the biodiesel tax credit. The legislation is similar to the provision that passed out of the Finance Committee in July. This provision should be included in the tax extenders package under discussion, Grassley said. Converting to a production credit would improve the biodiesel incentive in many ways. It would make the biodiesel incentive easier to administer. Also, a credit for domestic production would ensure that we're incentivizing a domestic industry rather than subsidizing imported biofuels. The goal is to meet the country's biodiesel needs and support domestic producers at the same time. And it would save money over the current biodiesel tax incentive. Investing in America's clean energy economy is the smart thing to do for our environment and America's energy security, Cantwell said. The biodiesel tax credit has been an extremely successful energy tax policy, allowing biodiesel to become America's first advanced biofuel. Since the credit was created in 2005, 8.2 billion gallons of biodiesel have replaced traditional diesel, the equivalent of removing nearly 16 million vehicles from our roadways. This bill gives businesses the certainty they need to invest in biodiesel, create jobs here in America, and continue the development of affordable, domestic alternatives to fossil fuels. The senators' Biodiesel Tax Incentive Reform and Extension Act of 2015 would modify the biodiesel fuel blenders credit to a domestic production credit and extend the credit through 2018. The change would offer numerous benefits, Grassley and Cantwell said. The blenders credit can be difficult to administer, because the blending of the fuel can occur at many different stages of the fuel distribution. This can make it difficult to ensure that only fuel that qualifies for the credit claims the incentive. It has been susceptible to abuse because of this. A credit for domestic production would ensure that the … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-hatch-seek-accounting-recovery-misused-state-health-care-exchange-funds | Grassley, Hatch Seek Accounting of Recovery of Misused State Health Care Exchange Funds | 2015-12-03 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah are asking the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to account for how much federal money it has given to each state health care exchange, how much money it has identified as misused, what it can do to recover money for unallowable activities, and how much money for unallowable activities it has recovered. Given the continuing failure of SBMs (state-based marketplaces or exchanges) and the use of taxpayer funds for unallowable activities, CMS has an elevated responsibility to ensure that any future funding to SBMs is appropriate and that SBMs fulfill all grant terms and conditions, Grassley and Hatch wrote to CMS Acting Administrator Andrew Slavitt. With the ongoing risk that more SBMs will shut down or partially transition to the federal IT structure, and the continuing threat that SBMs will use taxpayer funds for unallowable activities, it is imperative to determine the full cost to the taxpayer of the failures thus far, and what funds the federal government has been able to recover. Grassley and Hatch described the failure of Maryland's exchange as an example of a murky outcome for federal taxpayers. As a result of a lawsuit, the Maryland exchange's prime contractor settled with the state for $45 million. That amount appears to contain federal funds, since the federal government provided $179 million to create the Maryland exchange. Grassley and Hatch said Slavitt wrote in a prior response that CMS is working with the Maryland SBM so that funds are returned to the Treasury. The senators wrote, but it is not clear what specifically the federal government is doing to recoup these federal monies. The Grassley-Hatch letter to Slavitt is available here. Their prior letter to Slavitt is available here. Slavitt's response to the prior letter is available here. Hatch is chairman and Grassley is former chairman and a senior member of the Finance Committee, with jurisdiction over federal health care programs. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-regional-director-holding-local-office-hours-2 | Grassley Regional Director Holding Local Office Hours | 2015-12-03 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Senator Chuck Grassley's regional director based in Davenport, Penny Vacek, will be holding open office hours in Scott, Cedar, Clinton and Jackson counties on Monday, Dec. 14, and Thursday, Dec. 17. The office hours provide an opportunity for Iowans to obtain casework assistance or to express views. Vacek's schedule is as follows: Monday, Dec. 14, 2015 2:30-3:30 p.m. Scott County Walcott City Hall 128 Lincoln St. Walcott Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015 8-9 a.m. Cedar County Cedar County Courthouse Basement Meeting Room 400 Cedar St. Tipton 10-11 a.m. Clinton County DeWitt City Hall Council Chambers 510 9th St. DeWitt 3-4 p.m. Jackson County Maquoketa City Hall Council Chambers 201 East Pleasant St. Maquoketa Grassley's offices in Iowa regularly help constituents contact federal agencies to sort through problems with Social Security payments, military service matters, immigration cases and other issues. His state offices are located in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Sioux City and Waterloo. Here is a comment from Grassley about his staff's upcoming office hours: Open office hours are designed to help more Iowans access the assistance that is available from the office of their United States senator. I hope anyone with federal agency-related casework will take advantage of Penny's visits. Should constituents have any questions, please contact Grassley's Davenport office at (563) 322-4331. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/private-housing-security-defense-department-employees-afghanistan | Private Housing, Security for Defense Department Employees in Afghanistan | 2015-12-03 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa is investigating the compressed natural gas station in Afghanistan that cost the U.S. taxpayers $43 million, as much as $42.5 million more than it should have, and the $800 million Pentagon task force that oversaw the construction. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction is releasing a letter to the Secretary of Defense regarding the security and housing expenditures of the task force, called the Task Force for Business and Stability Operations. Grassley made the following comment on the letter. I hope this inquiry is the beginning of much more insight into how this task force operated. So far, the Defense Department hasn't been forthcoming with task force documents. The concerns raised in SIGAR's letter don't inspire confidence that the task force took care with spending. For example, the assertion that task force employees had to have outside housing and security to set an example for private companies sounds like U.S. Grade A baloney. I look forward to learning more about how the task force operated and what, if any, results it achieved in exchange for spending $800 million. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://loebsack.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=394846 | Loebsack Backed Legislation to Improve K-12 Education Passes House | 2015-12-02 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Democrat | House | IA | Dave Loebsack | L000565 | loebsack.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement today after the House of Representatives passed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The legislation replaces the outdated No Child Left Behind and ensures children across the country have access to a quality education and important resources and opportunities that will prepare them for college and career. The bill was passed by a bipartisan vote of 359-64 and now goes to the Senate for consideration.As someone who grew up in poverty, I know firsthand how important education is for kids to get ahead in life. With the passage of this legislation, our nations schools finally have the meaningful reform that students and teachers have long needed. The Every Student Succeeds Act ensures that all students graduate from high school with college and career-ready skills by investing in our childrens education and our countrys future economic growth. I am proud that many of my priorities have been included in this bipartisan, compromise legislation.As a former member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, Loebsack worked to ensure his proposals were included in this bipartisan compromise. Loebsacks Schools of the Future Act, which provides resources to rural schools for improving their education technology programs, was included in the House version of the bill as an amendment that was passed on a bipartisan vote. Loebsacks amendment paved the way for the creation of the Student Support and Academic Enrichment grant program, a new $1.6 billion dedicated funding stream, up to 60 percent of which can be used by districts to support the effective use of technology in schools. This new fund will be distributed based on need, with a large proportion flowing to rural schools, and can be used to: Provide educators, school leaders and administrators with the professional learning tools, content and resources to provide high quality digital learning; Provide students in rural, remote, and underserved areas with the resources to take advantage of high-quality di… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://davidyoung.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/young-votes-block-federal-stranglehold-education-iowas-kids | YOUNG VOTES TO BLOCK FEDERAL STRANGLEHOLD ON EDUCATION OF IOWA'S KIDS | 2015-12-02 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | David Young | Y000066 | davidyoung.house.gov | legacy | YOUNG VOTES TO BLOCK FEDERAL STRANGLEHOLD ON EDUCATION OF IOWA'S KIDS "This legislation kills Common Core and kicks the federal government out of Iowa's classrooms." WASHINGTON, D.C. - Iowa Congressman David Young voted for S. 1177 Every Student Succeeds Act. The commonsense legislation sets federal elementary and secondary education policy, replacing No Child Left Behind. It passed with an overwhelming majority and broad bipartisan support, 359-64. Congressman Young said, "This legislation kills Common Core and kicks the federal government out of Iowa's schools and classrooms. This is a clear step in the right direction and a vote for local control of our education system - empowering parents to be in charge of their kids'education plan, not some Washington bureaucrat. "A no vote on this bill would have been a vote to continue the failed status quo of federal control. A no vote would have given the federal government a blank check to continue implementing policies and regulations to continue mandating Common Core against the will of Iowa parents and the American people, I could not support that,"said Congressman Young. The Every Student Success Act repeals the web of federal testing mandates created by No Child Left Behind and 49 other ineffective programs. Two big reforms for parents: it prevents the federal government from forcing states to adopt Common Core and it dramatically reduces the control of Washington bureaucrats - namely the Secretary of Education - in Iowa classrooms. The Wall Street Journal noted the bill represents, "the largest devolution of federal control to the states in a quarter-century." David Young is the Congressman serving all the people of Iowa's 3rd District, with offices in Des Moines, Creston and Council Bluffs. He is a member of the Committee on Appropriations. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-obamacares-failures-need-replace-it-better-changes | Grassley on Obamacare's Failures, Need to Replace it With Better Changes | 2015-12-02 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Floor Speech of Sen. Chuck Grassley on Obamacare and the Reconciliation Debate Delivered Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015 Several years ago, I gave a speech about Obamacare. As we begin debate, I harken back to that speech. Obamacare wasn't working then; it's not working now. Webster's Dictionary defines the word success as the correct or desired result of an attempt. I want to discuss the definition of the word success as we consider repeal of Obamacare. On the day the bill was signed into law, President Obama said the following: QUOTE: Today we are affirming that essential truth, a truth every generation is called to rediscover for itself, that we are not a nation that scales back its aspirations. END OF QUOTE Such grand words for where we are today. Five years later, the success of the law that now bears his name, Obamacare, is defined in much more meager terms. Think of all that we have been through to this point. The fight over the bill and the extreme legislative means used to pass it through Congress. The Supreme Court decision that effectively repealed half of the law's coverage. Think of all the changes made to the law through regulation to make sure Obamacare launched. The postponing of the employer mandate. The postponing of lifetime limits. Think of the impact this law has had on our economy. People losing jobs. People losing the health insurance they currently have, because if you like what you have you may NOT be able to keep it. And let's talk about that for a moment. If you like what you have, you can keep it. This was the promise the President made to the American people on at least thirty-six separate occasions. It's a great soundbite. It's easy to say; it rolls off the tongue. It's also not true. It was never true. It was obviously not true when the law was written. It was obviously not true when the first proposed regulation came out. This is what I said on the Senate floor in September of 2010: QUOTE: Only in the District of Columbia could you get away with telling the people if you like what you have… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-judiciary-committee-hearing-oversight-obama-administration%E2%80%99s | Grassley Statement at a Judiciary Committee Hearing on Oversight of the Obama Administrations Criminal Alien Removal Policies | 2015-12-02 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Prepared Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley of IowaChairman, U.S. Senate Committee on the JudiciaryHearing on Oversight of the Obama Administration'sCriminal Alien Removal PoliciesWednesday, December 2, 2015 Over the last several years, the Obama administration has made many public statements about focusing immigration enforcement resources on removing undocumented criminals from the United States. In one such statement, the President promised, we're focusing our limited resources and people on violent offenders and people convicted of crimes not just families. But, although there has been more funding for enforcement in 2015, the President's promise goes unfulfilled and many criminals remain in our communities. Too often we hear stories of undocumented or gang-affiliated violent criminals who are released from custody or receive protection in so called sanctuary jurisdictions. And since our hearing on the administration's misdirected immigration enforcement in July, unfortunately, there have been even more victims. Recently, I sent a letter to Secretary Johnson about the murder of a teenager from Loudoun Countyjust beyond the beltway from where we all sit today. Danny Centeno Miranda was 17 when he was allegedly murdered on the way to his high school bus stop by three undocumented criminals with ties to the MS-13 gang. These gang members were in Homeland Security custody, but released and told to appear for their court date in August. They never showed up to their hearing. The murder occurred several days later. Across the country in California, Francisco Javier Chavez was arrested for brutally beating a two year old baby girl. Although Chavez had been previously convicted three times, he was still not deemed a priority by this administration, and is currently out on bail. When will enough be enough? Even those with violent criminal histories aren't being removed, as promised, to the extent they should be, and American citizens are paying the price while law enforcement officers are instructed to look the ot… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-judiciary-committee-hearing-theft-trade-secrets | Grassley Statement at a Judiciary Committee Hearing on Theft of Trade Secrets | 2015-12-02 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Prepared Statement by Senator Chuck Grassley of IowaChairman, Senate Judiciary CommitteeHearing on Protecting Trade Secrets: the Impact of Trade Secret Theft on American Competitiveness and Potential Solutions to Remedy This Harm.December 2, 2015 The United States is the world's leader in innovation, creating cutting-edge technologies and products that improve our daily lives. This occurs in good measure because of our robust system of intellectual property protection and enforcement. Trade secrets are a lesser known, but increasingly important form of intellectual property. Trade secrets allow for the legal protection of commercially valuable, proprietary information. Some famous and oft-cited examples of trade secrets include the formula for Coca-Cola or the recipe for Kentucky Fried Chicken. In fact, a broad range of valuable information may be protected as a trade secret, including complex financial and technical information and computer algorithms. These trade secrets hold immense value to American companies. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently released a report stating that publicly traded U.S. companies own an estimated $5 trillion worth of trade secrets. Trade secrets encompass an expanding portion of firms' intellectual property portfolios, particularly in knowledge-centric areas of the economy such as technology and manufacturing. However, the theft of trade secrets of American companies is increasing, and this hurts the U.S. economy and costs American jobs. Globalization, the emergence of the digital economy, and the increasing frequency with which trade secret thieves utilize technology and cyber capabilities, has made it more difficult for trade secret owners and law enforcement to guard against theft and to fight back. Last year, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Assistant Director of the Counterintelligence Division, Randall Coleman, testified before the Committee that economic espionage and theft of trade secrets are increasingly linked to the insider threat and the growing trend of … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-offers-amendment-to-preserve-a-free-and-competitive-energy-market | King Offers Amendment to Preserve a Free and Competitive Energy Market | 2015-12-01 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Steve King | K000362 | steveking.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. - Congressman Steve King released the following statement after submitting an amendment to the House Rules Committee for H.R. 8, the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 2015: The petroleum industry lobby is working towards a 100% petroleum mandate, said King. The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is the only tool that provides market access so that ethanol and other renewable fuels are sold in competition with petroleum. Attacking the RFS is forcing Iowa farmers and the ethanol industry out of the competitive market. My amendment to H.R. 8 simply states that, any law that reduces market access or changes the tax structure of one energy industry has to proportionately affect the entire energy sector. By supporting a free and competitive market, it has allowed the innovation of the biofuels sector to lower prices at the pump, create American jobs, and secure Americas domestic energy supply. To view original amendment text, click here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-co-releases-investigative-report-pricing-strategy-behind-84000-hepatitis | Grassley Co-Releases Investigative Report on Pricing Strategy Behind $84,000 Hepatitis Drug | 2015-12-01 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa is the lead Republican on a bipartisan investigative report released today that gives rare insight into how a company prices a landmark prescription drug. In this case, the company anticipated it would face public outcry over a high price for a Hepatitis C drug but went forward anyway. This report sheds light on one example of the pricing decisions made by one company with a new prescription medicine that entered the market without competition in high demand, Grassley said. This might be an example that received the most attention in some time, but it won't be the last. I look forward to discussions with my colleagues and the public on the policy questions in the report. I encourage everyone to read the report for the level of detail into pricing strategy that we don't often see. Grassley and Sen. Ron Wyden released the results of their 18 month investigation into the pricing and marketing of Gilead Sciences' Hepatitis C drug Sovaldi and its successor, Harvoni. The investigation draws on internal documents from the company. These include a chart linking price points with levels of potential public outcry and an email from a company executive saying the company should not fold to advocacy pressure and should hold our position whatever competitors do or whatever the headlines on the price. The drug went on the market for $1,000 per pill, or $84,000 for a single course of treatment, creating significant expense for Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies. Iowa and many other states faced significant pressure on their Medicaid programs over the costs, struggling with wanting to give patients access to a landmark treatment and how much taxpayers can afford. This is the second time in recent weeks that Grassley has weighed in significantly on high prescription drug costs. Last month, he and Sen. John McCain pressed the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to use her full authority to allow the importation of prescription drugs from Canada. The So… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-releases-investigative-report-agencies%E2%80%99-use-paid-administrative-leave | Grassley Releases Investigative Report on Agencies Use of Paid Administrative Leave, Endorses Reports Recommendations to Clamp Down on Overuse | 2015-12-01 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today released a report from his oversight and investigative staff analyzing 18 federal agencies' responses to his inquiries on paid administrative leave and endorsed the report's recommendations for reining in this largely unproductive, expensive practice. Everything I've seen shows a Wild West environment among agencies on paid administrative leave, Grassley said. According to this report, and others related to it, every agency uses this leave differently. Some agencies use it too extensively, and the taxpayers get short-changed. The statutory and regulatory vacuum on the use of paid leave has contributed to this problem. As the report recommends, Congress should step in with legislation to fill the void. The legislation would make clear when paid administrative leave is allowable and when employees should be on the job instead. This kind of leave shouldn't be a crutch for management to avoid making tough personnel decisions or a club for wrongdoers to use against whistleblowers. The report analyzes responses from 18 agencies to an inquiry from Grassley and Rep. Darrell Issa in October 2014. The report finds that agencies use the paid leave designation broadly, for everything from negotiating collective bargaining agreements to returning from active military duty to investigating allegations of employee misconduct. This is because agencies' policies on when this type of leave can be used and the appropriate length of time for paid leave vary widely. Open-ended leave is expensive and unproductive for taxpayers, the report finds. Seventeen agencies spent almost $80.6 million to place employees on paid administrative leave for one month or more in fiscal year 2014. That amount might be lower than the reality due to the imprecise calculations some agencies provided. Although requested by Grassley in his inquiry letters, agencies did not always provide sufficient justification for placing employees on administrative leave for more than one year, and their justific… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-hearing-puerto-ricos-fiscal-problems | Grassley Statement at Hearing on Puerto Rico's Fiscal Problems | 2015-12-01 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Prepared Statement by Senator Chuck Grassley of IowaChairman, Senate Judiciary CommitteeHearing on Puerto Rico's Fiscal Problems:Examining the Source and Exploring the SolutionDecember 1, 2015 Good morning. The purpose of today's hearing is to learn more about the origin of Puerto Rico's fiscal problems, and what's needed to help restore fiscal balance and economic growth. It's my hope that we'll have a valuable discussion based on facts, and informed by our witnesses' expertise. Puerto Rico's debt crisis didn't happen overnight. It's been years in the making. Fundamentally, the starting point for any solution is to first identify the problem and understand its size and scope. Unfortunately, confusion reigns as Puerto Rico has failed to provide audited financial statements for the past two years. What we do know is that for many years as Puerto Rico's economy suffered, debt and spending increased to the point where the Island lost investor confidence. Puerto Rico has defaulted on certain debt obligations, lost access to the normal markets, and now faces a liquidity crisis. The Governor and others have stated that the Island's current debt is not payable. Puerto Rico's economy has suffered for decades in part because of barriers to job creation and labor force participation. The federal minimum wage mandate, generous entitlement programs, bureaucratic red tape, and a bloated public sector have stifled business activity. This has a direct impact on Puerto Rico's residents, who are our fellow U.S. citizens. High unemployment rates have resulted in a declining population as Puerto Ricans have left the Island in search of jobs. A diminished population means lower tax revenues to fund government spending. Despite these long-term economic challenges, for many years Puerto Rico maintained a balanced budget and high credit ratings on its debt. What, then, led to the fiscal crisis the Island faces today? While the economic challenges may be debatable, it's clear that since 2000, Puerto Rico's public debt has risen from 6… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://loebsack.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=394845 | Loebsack Statement on RFS Announcement | 2015-11-30 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | IA | Dave Loebsack | L000565 | loebsack.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement today after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final rule for the 2014, 2015 and 2016 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) obligations. Loebsack, a co-chair of the Biofuels Caucus, has led the fight for a strong RFS and highlighted its importance to Iowa.The RFS has proven it works. It creates jobs, supports our agricultural communities and lessens our dependence on foreign oil. I have been leading the bipartisan fight in Congress for a strong RFS, and while the numbers are greater than the original proposal, they do not go far enough. I will continue to work with the EPA to ensure the RFS remains good for Iowa. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-comments-on-final-rfs-volume-requirements | King Comments on Final RFS Volume Requirements | 2015-11-30 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | Steve King | K000362 | steveking.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Steve King released the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveiled the final volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for 2014 through 2016: To watch Congressman Steve Kings full remarks, click here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-epa-drops-ball-renewable-fuels-rule | Grassley: EPA Drops the Ball With Renewable Fuels Rule | 2015-11-30 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | For months, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa has urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revise and increase its proposed volume obligations for renewable biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for 2014, 2015 and 2016. After hearing from Grassley and other senators, the EPA released a final rule today that improves the volume requirements over its last proposal but still underestimates the capacity for farmers and ethanol and biodiesel producers to generate enough renewable fuel to meet higher goals. Grassley made the following comment on the final rule. This rule is a slight improvement but it still sells biofuels short. The EPA just doesn't appreciate that farmers and biofuels producers can generate enough renewable fuels to meet the goals set by Congress. The EPA doesn't seem to appreciate that the law on the books requires strong biofuels targets and that consumers like the chance to use alternate fuels. Instead, the EPA took a flawed approach that seems to buy into Big Oil's rhetoric. The new rule is not only more than two years late, but it also sets back the development of next generation biofuels. This rule undermines the efforts to commercialize the next generation of biofuels. It's unfortunate that this Administration, which claims to be for renewable and clean energy, would stand in the way of the production and use of more renewable fuels. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-weekly-schedule-39 | Grassley Weekly Schedule | 2015-11-30 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Here is information about Senator Grassley's schedule this week. The Senate is in session. Senator Grassley will meet with an Iowa family from Bettendorf. Senator Grassley will meet with Iowa students from Iowa Jobs for America's Graduates. On Tuesday, Dec. 1, at 10 a.m. (ET), Senator Grassley will preside over a Judiciary Committee hearing on Puerto Rico's Fiscal Problems: Examining the Source and Exploring the Solution. The hearing will examine the root cause of Puerto Rico's fiscal problems and look at the tools available for Puerto Rico to help itself out of the situation. On Tuesday, Dec. 1, at 2:45 p.m. (ET), Senator Grassley will participate in a Finance Committee hearing on International Tax: OEDC (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) BEPS (Base Erosion and Profit Shifting) & EU State Aid. On Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 10 a.m. (ET), Senator Grassley will preside over a Judiciary Committee hearing on Protecting Trade Secrets: the Impact of Trade Secret Theft on American Competitiveness and Potential Solutions to Remedy This Harm. Trade secrets are a form of intellectual property that allows for the legal protection of commercially valuable, proprietary information such as the formula for Coca-Cola or complex financial and technical information and computer algorithms. On Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 10 a.m. (ET), Senator Grassley will participate in an Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry Committee hearing on Agriculture's Role in Combating Global Hunger. On Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 10:30 a.m. (ET), Senator Grassley will participate in a Budget Committee hearing on Reforming the Federal Budget Process: Modernizing Budget Concepts to Improve Accuracy and Transparency. On Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 2:30 p.m. (ET), Senator Grassley will preside over a Judiciary Committee hearing on Oversight of the Administration's Criminal Alien Removal Policies. Grassley has done extensive oversight on the Obama Administration's decisions to release back into U.S. communities immigrants with criminal records. Between … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/irs-whistleblower-office-needs-improvement-could-collect-even-more-its-2-billion | IRS Whistleblower Office Needs Improvement, Could Collect Even More Than Its $2 Billion Over Tax Fraud | 2015-11-30 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa drafted the 2006 provisions that improved the IRS whistleblower office to stop tax fraud. A new report from the non-partisan Government Accountability Office shows the IRS whistleblower office has collected almost $2 billion since 2011 that otherwise would have been lost to fraud. The report describes several major barriers that might discourage whistleblowers from coming forward. Grassley made the following comment on the report. The IRS commissioner has told me many times that the whistleblower office is an important priority. The GAO report gives the IRS a list of concrete steps to improve the whistleblower office. There's a matter for Congress to consider as well. We all need to make sure the IRS puts out a welcome mat for whistleblowers. The collection of $2 billion for the federal treasury that otherwise would have been lost to fraud is good news for the taxpayers. The news would be even better if the IRS stepped up its work. The GAO report is available here. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://davidyoung.house.gov/media-center/newsletters/iowas-youth-veterans-and-thanksgiving-november-was-great-month | Iowa's youth, veterans and Thanksgiving - November was a great month! | 2015-11-29 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | David Young | Y000066 | davidyoung.house.gov | legacy | Here is a quick recap of some of the events I hosted and participated in over the last month. Also, I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and family. If you missed my Thanksgiving message, here it is! Read the full newsletter here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-asks-about-possible-coordination-between-clinton-and-former-state | Grassley Asks About Possible Coordination Between Clinton and Former State Department Staff Involved in Email Scandal | 2015-11-25 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Senator Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, is pressing the attorneys for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and several of her former staff members at the department about possible joint defense agreements or other coordination to respond to questions from Congress and other legal inquiries. Grassley's letter comes after news reports that an invoice may have been sent to Clinton's accountant from Platte River Networks, a company providing computer network and server work to Clinton. According to the reports, the invoice included line items for [l]egal activity re: Hillary Clinton and PR for Clinton email media inquiries. In a letter to the attorneys, Grassley wrote, The invoice raises questions as to whether Secretary Clinton has similar arrangements with other people or entities associated with her email server. In light of this, it is important for the Committee to know whether Secretary Clinton and her attorneys are providing financial support, legal support, or other coordination to those associates of hers who are involved in congressional committee and federal law enforcement inquiries relating to her email server. A copy of the text of the letter is below. The letter can also be found here. November 24, 2015 VIA ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION David E. Kendall, Esq. Attorney for Secretary Clinton Williams & Connolly LLP 725 Twelfth Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20005 Mark MacDougall, Esq. Attorney for Mr. Pagliano Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP 1333 New Hampshire Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20036 Karen Dunn, Esq. Attorney for Ms. Abedin Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP 5301 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20015 Miguel Rodriguez, Esq. Attorney for Ms. Abedin Bryan Cave LLP 1155 F Street NW Washington, DC 20004 Beth A. Wilkinson, Esq. Attorney for Ms. Mills, Ms. Samuelson, Mr. Sullivan Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP 2001 K Street, NW Washington, DC 20006 Dear Mr. Kendall, Mr. MacDougall, Ms. Dunn, Mr. Rodriguez, and… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/%E2%80%8Einternal-us-marshals-policy-ambiguous-whistleblower-rights | Internal U.S. Marshals Policy Ambiguous on Whistleblower Rights | 2015-11-24 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON An internal U.S. Marshals Service policy limiting communications with Congress does not clearly express legal protections for employees who disclose fraud, waste or misconduct. The policy can lead to confusion for staff, and impede oversight needed to improve government operations and guard taxpayer dollars. In a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley is calling on the agency to clarify the policy to include legally protected rights of employees to communicate with Congress. Grassley's letter follows an October 23, 2015, letter to Lynch reiterating whistleblower protections after the Committee obtained email correspondence in which an assistant chief inspector at the Marshals Service discouraged an employee from communicating with the Senate Judiciary Committee on an oversight matter. In February, Grassley raised similar concerns with the FBI, which later revised ITS policy to articulate that it should be applied in a manner consistent with federal law, specifically including whistleblower protections. Grassley has been investigating claims of improper hiring practices and misuse of funds at the Marshals Service for much of this year following whistleblower disclosures. Full text of Grassley's letter to Lynch follows: November 23, 2015 VIA ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION The Honorable Loretta E. Lynch Attorney General U.S. Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20530 Dear Attorney General Lynch: On October 23, 2015, I sent a letter describing an apparent instruction by Assistant Chief Inspector Sharon Duncan of the U.S. Marshals Service Office of Internal Affairs, to a federal employee to refrain from any direct communications with this Committee. Among other things, that letter asked what steps the Department would take to prevent Assistant Chief Inspector Duncan from interfering with employees' rights to speak directly to Congress and to determine whether the USMS has violated the relevant statutory and appropriations res… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/criminal-investigations-under-way-over-pentagons-afghanistan-task-force | Criminal Investigations Under Way Over Pentagon's Afghanistan Task Force | 2015-11-24 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa is investigating the compressed natural gas station in Afghanistan that cost the U.S. taxpayers $43 million, as much as $42.5 million more than it should have, and the Pentagon task force that oversaw the construction. The task force spent $800 million in total on the gas station and other similar projects. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction reported on the gas station cost over-run and cited a lack of cooperation from the Pentagon with its auditors. Grassley is seeking full cooperation from the Pentagon with SIGAR. SIGAR confirmed to Grassley that it has several ongoing criminal investigations related to the task force, called the Task Force for Business and Stability Operations (TFBSO). SIGAR cannot discuss the specifics of those investigations. Grassley made the following comment on this development. Everybody responsible for the tremendous waste of U.S. tax dollars on the gas station and any other projects ought to be held accountable. That includes any warranted criminal cases. I expect the Pentagon to cooperate fully with the inspector general and with my office in all inquiries involving the task force. With the poor track record reported on the auditing side, there's reason to be skeptical on the level of cooperation with the inspector general on the criminal side. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/goodlatte-grassley-press-dhs-information-threat-isis-terrorists-entering-us-sw | Goodlatte & Grassley Press DHS for Information on Threat of ISIS Terrorists Entering U.S. at SW Border | 2015-11-24 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today pressed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson for information about the threat of ISIS members entering the United States through the porous southwest border. Recent news reports have highlighted concerns about Syrian nationals with fraudulent passports attempting to come to the U.S. In November 2015, it was reported that five Syrian men with fraudulent Greek passports were apprehended in Honduras with the intention of entering the United States. Additionally, U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed that six Syrians were arrested after they presented themselves at the Laredo, Texas port of entry. In the letter, Chairmen Goodlatte and Grassley note that ISIS will seize every opportunity to exploit the vulnerabilities inherent in this Obama Administration's reckless open border immigration policies, including the irresponsible effort to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees in the United States despite the real dangers presented by ISIS operatives posing as refugees. The lawmakers request that Secretary Johnson provide information on aliens from countries of particular concern that have been apprehended at the border, including whether or not the alien had a fraudulent passport or requested asylum. Below is the text of the Goodlatte-Grassley letter. November 24, 2015 The Honorable Jeh Johnson Secretary Department of Homeland Security U.S. Department of Homeland Security Washington, D.C. 20528 Dear Secretary Johnson: We write to express our serious concern regarding recent information that has come to light, which highlights the threat of ISIS members entering the country through the southwest border of the United States. On November 19, 2015, a news report indicated that a Syrian woman was arrested in Costa Rica posing as a Greek citizen. Just one day prior, Reuters reported that five Syrian men were apprehended in Honduras holding frau… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/obama-administration-allegedly-releasing-unaccompanied-minors-criminals%E2%80%99-custody | Obama Administration Allegedly Releasing Unaccompanied Minors into Criminals Custody | 2015-11-24 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Federal authorities responsible for vetting potential guardians of children who enter the country without an adult have been placing some with convicted criminals, according to whistleblower claims. The whistleblower, who is familiar with the vetting process, alleges that at least 3,400 sponsors out of a sample of 29,000 listed in a government database have criminal histories that include domestic violence, homicide, child molestation, sexual assault and human trafficking. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) are seeking details on the review practices for potential sponsors of unaccompanied children, as well as corrective procedures once it has determined that a child has been placed with a convicted criminal sponsor. In a letter to the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services, the Senators are also asking for statistical information regarding criminal convictions of the sponsors of migrant children. The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement is responsible for coordinating the screening of potential sponsors for exploitation, abuse, or other safety concerns. However, the background checks are allegedly often inadequate, leaving children in the custody of potentially dangerous individuals. Earlier this year federal agents arrested human smugglers who reportedly posed as sponsors to force at least six Guatemalan boys to work 12 hours a day on an Ohio egg farm. The whistleblower brought the claims to the Judiciary Committee's attention after raising concerns with supervisors reportedly yielded no immediate corrective actions. Grassley began asking questions more than a year ago about the process for vetting the people unaccompanied minors have been released to. These questions continue to take on urgency as unaccompanied children arrive at the southern border in record numbers in recent months. Text of the Senators' letter follows: November 23, 2015 VIA ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-cosponsored-noaa-sexual-harassment-and-assault-prevention-legislation | Grassley-Cosponsored NOAA Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Legislation Clears Commerce Committee | 2015-11-23 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON The Senate Commerce Committee unanimously approved the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Act to improve NOAA's response to harassment or abuse in the workplace. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley helped craft key provisions of the version that won committee approval. The reforms follow whistleblower accounts of inadequate procedures to assist victims of abuse at NOAA. Victims of sexual abuse and harassment should not be forced to endure insufficient reporting and support programs in the midst of recovering from their experiences. This bill ensures that victims have reliable access to advocates who can provide a safe place and needed guidance in a difficult time. I applaud the Senate Commerce Committee for recognizing the need for these important reforms to protect and empower victims of abuse and harassment at NOAA, Grassley said. The bill would require NOAA to develop policies to protect its approximately 12,000 employees. Among its major provisions, the bill calls for: Specified procedures for reporting incidents, including those occurring after business hours, at sea, or in other remote geographically isolated locations;Availability of advocates to aid victims through the reporting and adjudication process;Protection for the rights of accusers and the accused, including changes of duty station; andYearly reporting on the status of efforts to implement the new policies. Whistleblowers called attention to the inadequate reporting procedures late last year when disclosing that they had been sexually abused and harassed while conducting research on behalf of universities aboard NOAA research vessels. Their reports prompted Grassley and Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune to raise concerns with the Department of Commerce Inspector General. They also questioned the effectiveness of the current reporting system that directs victims to disclose misconduct through the chain of command, which may include the alleged perpetrat… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-explores-whether-pentagon-retaliated-against-colonel-who-questioned-800 | Grassley Explores Whether Pentagon Retaliated Against Colonel Who Questioned $800 Million Afghanistan Task Force Records | 2015-11-23 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa is seeking answers on allegations from an Army colonel that the Pentagon is slow-walking his performance review because he questioned the lack of accountability at the $800 million task force that oversaw an excessively expensive $43 million natural gas filling station in Afghanistan. Grassley wrote to Defense Secretary Ash Carter about Army Colonel John C. Hope. Being long overdue, (the evaluation) has placed his next assignment in jeopardy, leaving him in limbo, Grassley wrote to Carter. He alleges he is being deliberately slow rolled' by his raters.' Would you please look into this and find out why Colonel Hope's (evaluation) has not been completed? I respectfully ask that you provide a deadline for completing that task and providing Colonel Hope with a new set of orders for his next assignment. Your assistance is necessary in this case. Grassley wrote that Hope believes he's been singled out for retaliation and retribution for speaking out about a lack of accountability at the task force. He's been told he performed poorly at the task force, in contrast to four previous job reviews recommending a promotion to brigadier general. If the Pentagon is retaliating against someone for speaking out on poor accountability and wasteful spending, that's unacceptable, Grassley said. It's detrimental to the individual and to the taxpayers. The now-defunct Task Force for Stability and Business Operations spent $800 million in carrying out its mission to facilitate economic development in Afghanistan. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) faced impeded access to task force documents in reviewing the gas station cost over-run. Grassley has asked the Defense Department to give him all records related to task force activities pertaining to Afghanistan, from January 1, 2009, through March 31, 2015; and all records concerning the task force from April 1, 2015, to the date of his request, including all records pertaining to SIGAR's requests… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-floor-speech-terrorist-attacks-against-united-states | Grassley Floor Speech on Terrorist Attacks Against the United States | 2015-11-23 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Prepared Floor Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee Remaining Vigilant Against Terrorist Attacks Delivered Thursday, November 19, 2015 *Video of Grassley's speech can be found here. Madam President, because of what happened in Paris last week, many speeches are going to be given on the floor of the Senate about terrorism. But it's too bad that we only seem to talk about the dangers of terrorism when an attack occurs either here in the United States, or elsewhere that brings the issue to our attention. Even though we may not see the effects of terrorism on a daily basis, we should remember that terrorism poses a constant danger. Because somewhere right now, there are people thinking about killing Americans simply because of who we are and what we believe. So I rise today, first to again express my sympathies to the people of Paris and all those affected by Friday's (Nov. 13) terrible attacks by radical Islamic terrorists there. On behalf of the people of Iowa, I continue to stand with the people of France. Unfortunately, the attacks last Friday (Nov. 13) should not have been a surprise. Radical Islamic terrorists have been waging war against the United States and our allies for years. In 1972, 11 Israeli athletes were massacred during the Munich Olympics. In 1983, 241 U.S. Marines and other service personnel were killed in Beirut by a truck bomb. In 1985, an American was murdered on a hijacked TWA plane there as well. That same year, an American in a wheelchair was thrown overboard into the Mediterranean by terrorists who had hijacked a cruise ship, the Achille Lauro. Not long afterward, in 1993, Al-Qaeda made its first attempt to bring down the Twin Towers with another truck bomb. In 1996, an attack on the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia killed 19 American soldiers. In 1998, attacks on the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania killed over 200 people, including 12 Americans. And in 2000, the attack on the U.S.S. Cole killed 17 American sailors. Now, all of those attacks ha… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-mccain-urge-greater-importation-prescription-drugs-other-countries | Grassley, McCain Urge Greater Importation of Prescription Drugs from Other Countries | 2015-11-23 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Sen. John McCain of Arizona have urged the secretary of Health and Human Services to use her full authority to increase the importation of prescription drugs from Canada and other countries for the benefit of U.S. consumers. Their action comes as the agency held a drug pricing forum on Friday and amid revelations of drug pricing excesses in the United States. As public concern over rising costs of prescription drugs continues, there is a need to reduce the financial burden that prescription drugs are placing on Americans, Grassley and McCain wrote to Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell. Given the priority that voters place on addressing the high cost of prescription drugs, we believe that it is time Congress and the Administration work together to take concrete steps to address pricing abuses. Grassley and McCain described the significant statutory authority given to the secretary to increase the importation of prescription drugs under certain conditions, such as certification that the imported drug would be safe and reduce U.S. consumer prices. They urged importation under certain circumstances, including significant and unexplained increases in price and that the drug is produced in another country by the name brand manufacturer that initially developed the drug or by a well-known generic manufacturer that commonly sells pharmaceutical products in the United States. Grassley and McCain asked the secretary to outline whether she needs additional statutory authority to undertake prescription drug importation to protect American consumers. The text of the senators' letter is available here. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/state-dept-watchdog-kennedy-mills-ignored-protocols-ambassador-prostitution | State Dept. Watchdog: Kennedy, Mills Ignored Protocols in Ambassador Prostitution Investigation | 2015-11-23 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley today is asking why senior State Department officials halted an investigation of alleged sex solicitation by a U.S. Ambassador, opting instead to handle the case as a management issue. Grassley's inquiry follows a State Department Inspector General report, which concluded that factors surrounding the handling of the 2011 case created an appearance of undue influence and favoritism by Department management. According to the State Department IG, in May 2011 the department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security launched an investigation into allegations that the U.S. Ambassador to Belgium had solicited a prostitute. However, just two days later, senior department officials halted the investigation after only one of multiple witnesses was interviewed. The IG concluded that additional evidence could have been collected if Diplomatic Security had been allowed to interview more witnesses and the Ambassador himself. Instead of allowing a full internal investigation or referring the case to the independent IG, Under Secretary of State for Management Patrick Kennedy referred the case to then-Chief of Staff Cheryl Mills. Kennedy and Mills held a single meeting with the Ambassador, who denied the allegations. Mills handled the questioning of the Ambassador, but the IG could not find any documentation of this meeting, nor could it find any documentation to explain the handling of this matter or to justify its treatment as a management issue. The ambassador was allowed to return to his post without any further actions taken affecting him. In the course of its review, the IG was given inconsistent explanations for the decision to handle the case as a management issue, including that the allegations of solicitation were relatively minor. However, the agency's own Foreign Affairs Manual prohibits such activities. In a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry, Grassley is seeking details surrounding the decision to halt the initial Diplomatic Security investigation and ignore … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://davidyoung.house.gov/media-center/newsletters/60-second-survey-should-we-pause-accepting-refugees | 60 Second Survey: Should we pause accepting refugees? | 2015-11-22 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | David Young | Y000066 | davidyoung.house.gov | legacy | The most solemn and consequential responsibility of the federal government is to protect our nation and keep the American people safe. In the past few weeks, over 350 innocent people were killed at the hands of ISIS in just two terrorist attacks in Paris and on a Russian passenger jet. It would be reckless for us to not take ISIS'threats against our homeland seriously. I joined with a bipartisan and veto-proof majority in the U.S. House this past week to approve legislation pausing the acceptance of refugees until we can enact proper safeguards and background checks to fully verify their identity and intentions. I voted for this commonsense bill because I believe anything less would be irresponsible and would put American lives at risk. I have heard from many of you, but I want to know what you think. Answer the survey question here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://davidyoung.house.gov/media-center/weeklyreport/keeping-american-people-safe-our-first-responsibility | Keeping The American People Safe Our First Responsibility | 2015-11-20 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | David Young | Y000066 | davidyoung.house.gov | legacy | Congressman David Young's Capitol Solutions Weekly Report to Iowa's Hardworking Taxpayers EDITORS NOTE: I look forward to providing this report each week as a resource of information for Iowans on the issues being debated and discussed in my goal to be the most accessible member of congress possible. Keeping The American People Safe Our First Responsibility What happened in Paris is devastating and an act of pure evil. I know all across Iowa and America our hearts and prayers go out to France and her people. Our hearts also go out to those refugees fleeing from the violence and terror in Syria. We are a generous nation and have always welcomed those from abroad who are escaping war and oppression. We will continue to be involved in providing assistance to these children, women and men. However, we are in a very dangerous position as we consider opening our doors to those escaping violence in Syria and Iraq. It didn't have to be this way. From the beginning, President Obama has not taken the threat of ISIS as serious as a commander-in-chief should. On the morning of the Paris terrorist attacks, the president said ISIS was "contained" just hours before they carried out one of the most deadly and sophisticated attacks since 9/11. The disconnect is alarming to Congress and to the American people. Now the Obama administration is charging full speed ahead on a plan to bring 10,000 Syrian refugees into the United States with no reliable way to vet whether these individuals are members of ISIS or have ties to other terrorist organizations. This makes me think back to 2009, when a flaw in the screening of Iraqi refugees allowed two al Qaeda-linked terrorists to enter the United States and settle in Bowling Green, Kentucky. In the aftermath of this case the Obama administration halted the refugee program for Iraqis for six months. It is clear, we need to press the pause button on the Syrian refugee process. The most solemn and consequential responsibility of the federal government is to protect the American people. ISIS … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/setting-record-straight-sourcing-state-department-inquiries | Setting the Record Straight on Sourcing for State Department Inquiries | 2015-11-20 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Democratic staff for the Senate minority leader and Democratic operatives appear to be circulating a false, misleading timeline with reporters suggesting incorrectly that a former staffer for Sen. Chuck Grassley is the confidential source for one of many Grassley inquiries into State Department personnel practices. The former Grassley staffer was not the source. The source, in fact, was well-known to bipartisan, bicameral staff who met with him jointly, along with Grassley staff. A comment from Grassley's office in response to comment from staff for the Senate minority leader about fishy coincidences regarding the former Grassley staffer follows. What's fishy' is that the minority leader is engaging in vague implications rather than gathering the facts directly from his colleagues. Senator Grassley has been seeking answers from the State Department on its use of the Special Government Employee designation since June 2013. The Special Government Employee designation is an exception to criminal conflict of interest statutes and can be used as a means of avoiding conflict of interest rules that normally apply. How that specific designation has been used by the department is a matter of public interest, and the laws at issue are within the jurisdiction of the Judiciary Committee. Senator Grassley has pressed the State Department for complete responses and added inquiries as new information came to light, such as whether the use of private email interferes with Freedom of Information Act compliance. FOIA is also in the Judiciary Committee's jurisdiction, and the flood of FOIA litigation created by former Secretary Clinton's unusual email arrangement demands the attention of the committee and the State Department's Office of Inspector General. The information in Senator Grassley's July 30, 2015, letter was based on a confidential source who is well-known to staff for senior Democrats in the House and the Senate, not from a former Grassley staffer. If the minority leader wants to know where the information came from, t… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-escalates-holds-state-department-nominees-over-agency%E2%80%99s-inadequate | Grassley Escalates Holds on State Department Nominees Over Agencys Inadequate Responsiveness to Inquiries | 2015-11-19 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, is escalating his holds on State Department nominees over the State Department's continued failure to respond in a timely, reasonable manner to numerous inquiries beginning in June 2013. Grassley has added a hold on the nomination of Thomas A. Shannon, Jr., to be an Under Secretary of State (Political Affairs). Grassley maintains his hold on two other nominees and released his hold on 20 Foreign Service Officer nominees. The continued intransigence and lack of cooperation make it clear that the Department did not care enough about their Foreign Service Officer candidates to get in gear' and begin to produce responses to my oversight letters. Accordingly, I have released my hold on these officer candidates and have escalated to Mr. Shannon, Grassley said in his floor statement in placing the latest hold. The Department of State's refusal to fully cooperate with my investigations is unacceptable. As I have noted before on the floor of the Senate, the Department continues to promise results but there has been very little or no follow-through. The Department's good faith will be measured in documents delivered and witnesses provided. the Department must recognize that it has an ongoing obligation to respond to Congressional inquiries in a timely and reasonable manner. Grassley detailed the numerous inquiries he has made to the State Department since June 2013. The topics include the State Department's use of the Special Government Employee program and private email use that raises concern about the proper handling of classified information, as well as compliance with the Freedom of Information Act, which is the Judiciary Committee's exclusive jurisdiction in the Senate; federal archiving law compliance; and several State Department Inspector General and whistleblower reports that suggest that the State Department does not hold its own employees accountable for human trafficking and prostitution violations. In addition to Shannon, Grassl… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-receive-award-cedar-falls-work-protect-seniors | Grassley to Receive Award in Cedar Falls for Work to Protect Seniors | 2015-11-19 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTONSen. Chuck Grassley will receive the Guardian of Seniors' Rights award from the 60 Plus Association on Friday, November 20, for his work to create financial stability for seniors through tax reform. The 60 Plus Association will present Grassley with the award at Western Home Communities in Cedar Falls. Following the award presentation, Grassley will meet with Western Home Communities employees and answer questions. I'm honored to receive this award. I've worked in the Senate to advance retirement security, going back to my work as chairman of the Aging Committee, continuing as Finance Committee chairman, where I led the committee's work on enacted provisions that improved qualified retirement accounts. This included increasing and indexing to inflation the amounts that can be contributed to IRAs and employer defined contribution plans, such 401(k)s, as well as allowing individuals over the age of 50 to make catch-up' contributions to increase their retirement income security. The catch-up provisions were designed to be especially helpful to women, whose time out of the workforce affected their employment-based retirement savings. Pro-savings and pro-growth tax policy continue to be a high priority for me as a lawmaker. Going forward, the right kind of comprehensive tax reform would increase financial security for everyone by keeping tax rates low and fair and giving certainty to the tax code from year to year, so taxpayers know what to expect and can budget accordingly, Grassley said. Details on the award presentation are as follows. Members of the press may attend. Friday, November 20 9:15-10 a.m. Western Home Communities Windridge 5311 Hyacinth Drive Cedar Falls -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-executive-business-meeting-8 | Grassley Statement at an Executive Business Meeting | 2015-11-19 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | IA | Charles Grassley | G000386 | www.grassley.senate.gov | legacy | Prepared Statement by Senator Chuck Grassley of IowaChairman, Senate Judiciary CommitteeExecutive Business MeetingThursday, November 19, 2015 Good morning. Today we have two bills on the agenda, they'll both be held over if we get a quorum. Both of these bills would help strengthen our national security at a time when doing so is critically important. S. 247 is the Expatriate Terrorist Act, authored by Senator Cruz. I'm proud to co-sponsor it. The bill would provide a way for the government to recognize a U.S. citizen's renunciation of his citizenship by joining a terrorist group like ISIS, as well as a way to revoke his passport on that basis. Also on the agenda is S. 1318, the Nuclear Terrorism Conventions Implementation and Safety of Maritime Navigation Act of 2015. I was glad to partner with Senator Whitehouse on this bill. Much of it became law earlier this year, with passage of the USA FREEDOM Act. But three important provisions in the bill that were requested by both the Bush and Obama administrations were omitted from what passed Congress. One of those provisions would ensure that nuclear terrorists would be eligible for the death penalty if their acts of terror killed someone. So the committee will consider a manager's amendment that will restore those provisions. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |
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