url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/democrats-block-ernst-effort-to-protect-taxpayer-dollars-from-fraudsters,Democrats Block Ernst Effort to Protect Taxpayer Dollars from Fraudsters,2026-09-30,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, Democrats blocked passage of Senate DOGE Caucus Chair Joni Ernst’s (R-Iowa) comprehensive, bipartisan anti-fraud package, that could have saved American taxpayers approximately $240 billion. Senator Ernst called on her colleagues to pass this critical legislation to prevent fraudsters from stealing $1.4 billion every single day, but Senate Democrats objected. Following the massive fraud schemes that were uncovered in Minnesota and Ohio, Ernst has been fighting to pass her bill that would recover stolen funds, protect taxpayer dollars, and stop fraudsters. Yesterday, Ernst exposed a list of con artists who fraudulently billed government programs for over one billion dollars, highlighting that “if grift was a government agency, the Department of Fraud would be the fifth largest.” Watch Senator Ernst’s remarks here. Ernst’s full remarks as delivered: “Mr. President, while hardworking Americans are struggling to afford basic necessities, there’s one class of people who’ve never had it better: Fraudsters “Scammers are stealing more than $1.4 billion from taxpayers every day. “Yesterday, I released a list of con artists who each fraudulently billed government programs for ONE BILLION DOLLARS or more. “These billionaire bandits looted programs for the elderly, poor, disabled, and veterans to lavish themselves with million-dollar mansions, Rolex watches, expensive jewelry, and luxury cars. “One fraudster brags, ‘I had everything. I had houses, I had cars, I had watches.’ “He ripped off Medicare for over a decade before getting turned in, and says, ‘It’s just so easy. It’s unbelievable.’ “Based upon the numbers, he isn’t lying. “If grift was a government agency, the Department of Fraud would be the fifth largest. “The $521 billion going to fraud every year exceeds the individual annual budgets of the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Transportation, Homeland Security, State, and Justice. “That’s right, folks, fraudsters are being better taken care of than our veterans and farmers. “Fraud is not a victimless crime, either. “In fact, it has far-reaching consequences. “We’ve learned taxpayer dollars stolen from U.S. Small Business Administration financed the assassination, yes, you heard it right, the assassination of Haiti’s president in 2021. “A team of Colombian mercenaries and their pistols, rifles, and tactical gear were all paid for with the support of $840,000 fraudulently obtained from the SBA. “The political instability resulting from the assassination forced hundreds of thousands of Haitians to flee their nation, taking refuge in the United States. “The Biden administration provided many of these migrants with food stamps and medical care, also paid for by Americans taxpayers. “The inability to safeguard small business assistance resulted in taxpayers footing the bills for both the crime and its consequences. “Many of these scams also involve identity theft that upend the lives of the unsuspecting Americans who then must suffer the consequences. “For example, the Medicare number of a woman in California was stolen by scammers who used it to fraudulently bill for hospice care. “When she sought physical therapy for an injury, Medicare denied her coverage because she was listed as dying in hospice. “Think about that. “The same government agency that wouldn’t provide her with the health care she was promised, approved and paid for bogus medical bills submitted by scammers using her information. “Medicare exists to ensure folks like her receive medically necessary care, not to make billionaires out of fraudsters. “Yet, the identities and personal information of more than one million Americans have been stolen by Medicare mobsters to file phony health care claims. “One illegal alien submitted at least $1.3 billion in fraudulent claims to Medicare and other health insurers over just six months using stolen identities. “He laundered millions of the stolen tax dollars overseas to the Russian mob before some of his victims alerted Medicare that they were not receiving notices for care and items they did not receive prescribed by doctors they had not visited. “Another con artist orchestrated a billion-dollar fraud machine that used foreign call centers to submit bogus bills. “He treated programs meant to care for the elderly, veterans, and servicemembers like his own personal cash register. “From fake day care centers to phony small businesses, the examples are absolutely endless, but the public’s patience is not. “According to the latest Gallup poll, nine out of ten Americans say government corruption is widespread, that’s a record-high number. “I challenge you to find any other issue where Democrats, Republicans, and independents agree with each other more strongly. “We owe it to all Americans to stop the government grift. “My Protecting American Taxpayers Act would do just that by— “ Stopping government agencies from handing out quick cash with no questions asked; triggering automatic investigations when there are sudden and suspicious spikes in payment claims; banning convicted fraudsters from receiving taxpayer dollars; taking back the money that was already stolen; and sending those darn scammers to the slammer. “If enacted, this bill could save $240 billion. That’s ‘billion’ with a B, folks. “The choice is quite simple: Give the money to fraudsters or return it to taxpayers. “What would really be criminal is if the Senate left town today without passing this meaningful legislation to eliminate fraud.” ###",1,2026-10-01T11:23:28Z,2026-10-01T11:25:15Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-america-cant-hit-pause-on-ai-while-china-charges-ahead,Ernst: America Can’t Hit Pause on AI While China Charges Ahead,2026-09-30,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, during a Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Disaster Management hearing, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) praised how Super Intelligence (SI), also known as artificial intelligence, helps keep Americans safe while acknowledging Congress’ responsibility to ensure proper guardrails are in place. Ernst questioned Kurt Gaudette on how Congress can better empower SI developers and companies to collaborate to ensure we can deter and respond to cyber-attacks, emphasizing that “AI has been so helpful in medical research and protecting our troops from drone swarms or missile attacks… so we need to keep moving forward. If we pause, we're not going to see China pause.” Watch Ernst’s questioning here. Background: The hearing followed President Trump’s signing of an executive order focused on incorporating “Super Intelligence” (SI) and recognizing the continued advancement of the technological frontier and the opportunities it presents for the American people. The hearing examined the growing risks posed by increasingly capable SI systems, including SI agents acting beyond their intended instructions and the potential for hostile actors to use SI to target critical infrastructure, strategic industries, and government agencies. The hearing featured testimony from: Chris Painter, President of the Model Evaluation and Threat Research Marius Hobbhahn, Co-Founder and CEO of Apollo Research Paul Ohm, Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center Kurt Gaudette, Senior Vice President of Intelligence and Services at Dragos, Inc. Daniel Kokotajlo, Executive Director of the AI Futures Project ###",1,2026-10-01T11:23:28Z,2026-10-01T11:25:15Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/icymi-grassley-joins-washington-watch-to-recap-arctic-frost-oversight,ICYMI: Grassley Joins “Washington Watch” to Recap Arctic Frost Oversight,2026-09-30,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Tony Perkins on Washington Watch to discuss Jack Smith’s sweeping Arctic Frost investigation and the new revelations Grassley exposed during yesterday’s oversight hearing. “There's no justification for what Smith did. Not only was he after Trump, but we found out through all the hundreds, or I should say, thousands of pages of documents that we received... that he was after the Republican Party,” Grassley said. Listen to the full interview HERE. Excerpts follow. On revelations from the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing: ""Well, I think everything [Smith] said was justification for his effort to put Trump in prison, and there's no justification for what Smith did. Not only was he after Trump, but we found out through all the hundreds, or I should say, thousands of pages of documents that we received – which includes text and email and everything you could think of – that he was after the Republican Party. “There was no reason for [Smith] to get the records of 44 members of Congress, and I was one of those included. And it's a violation of the constitutional right of what we call the “Speech and Debate Clause.” And they even sought communications from roughly 50 journalists and their organizations to government sources, and private checks. Can you imagine getting financial contributions from 4,782 Americans, including 42 Iowans? So, their privacy is violated by the FBI having in their files the addresses, the check numbers, everything personal about these 42 Iowans or [4,782] Americans. “So, you can see, it was a sweep of about 400 Republican organizations [and] 44 members of Congress. And...January 6th – that was just an excuse. It was just a pretext for everything else they wanted to do. ""[Jack Smith’s team was] making a case to know all they could about the Republicans, and what [they could] do to destroy the Republicans. And yet, through all this process, there was only one indictment, and that was Trump. And that was their goal: to put him in prison so he couldn’t ever run for president again."" On the origins of Arctic Frost at the Biden FBI: “And one thing that I don't want you to forget – Jack Smith was not really the start of this. This goes way back to people within the FBI that just hated Trump. And they did all sorts of shenanigans to present a platform for Smith to take off from.” On congressional oversight and whistleblower retaliation: ""[Congress has a] constitutional responsibility to not only pass laws and appropriate money, but to make sure that the executive branch faithfully executes those laws, and that's the legislative branch's responsibility. You don't just pass a law and then say, “Forget about it.” You’ve got to make sure the president does his job, and that's true whether you're a Republican or a Democrat. “And you know...we get a lot of information from whistleblowers. In fact, Smith could not have known that we had these documents, because we got most of this stuff from the whistleblowers. We even got some grand jury information that we would have never otherwise gotten. And Smith [and] his team retaliated against whistleblowers. So, consequently, you can see how far they go. “We had an instance in which somebody on [Smith’s] team went to the Department of Justice Inspector General and said, ""You’ve got to investigate these whistleblowers.” Just think what a chilling effect that has on whistleblowing. And if you have a chilling effect on whistleblowing, you aren't going to get the information that Chuck Grassley needs to make sure that the president of the United States, whether he's a Republican or Democrat, faithfully executes the laws.” ”[W]hat we need to do is to have congressional oversight that exposes the wrongdoings of people like Smith or the FBI being weaponized against Trump and a few people in the FBI [who] hate Trump. They may not be there now, but they were there enough to create all the basis for Smith to move ahead. ""I've been [exposing] the truth, and...I think it proves that you can't rely on the Democrats running the government in a responsible way.”",1,2026-10-01T11:23:28Z,2026-10-01T11:25:15Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/video-grassley-blasts-democrats-for-blocking-legislation-to-protect-families-from-data-center-energy-costs,VIDEO: Grassley Blasts Democrats for Blocking Legislation to Protect Families from Data Center Energy Costs,2026-09-30,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Click HERE for broadcast quality video. WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) blasted Senate Democrats for blocking overwhelmingly bipartisan legislation that would protect Americans from energy costs associated with data centers. Grassley is a cosponsor of Sen. Jon Husted’s (R-Ohio) Ratepayer Protection Act, which builds on President Trump’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge signed by major tech and AI companies. The legislation encourages data centers to bring, buy or build their own energy without passing costs onto the community. This month, the House of Representatives approved the legislation with nearly unanimous, bipartisan support by a vote of 417-3. Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) and Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) voted for the legislation. On Wednesday, the White House announced its support for the legislation. Iowa is home to some of the cheapest, cleanest and most predictable energy sources in the country, in part due to renewable energy and the long-standing partnership between Iowa’s utility companies and data center companies. Video and a transcript of Grassley's remarks are below. Broadcast quality video can be found HERE. VIDEO Many Iowans have asked me about data centers and their impact on energy costs. Republicans are taking action to protect Iowans from energy costs associated with data centers, all while supporting economic growth. Representatives Hinson, Miller-Meeks, Nunn, and Feenstra voted in the House of Representatives to pass the Ratepayer Protection Act, which would require data centers to foot the bill for their own energy. Iowans shouldn’t pay the price for data centers’ energy needs. So, we have this bill, the Ratepayer Protection Act that would [support ensuring] that the homeowners don’t pay for the electricity that data centers use. Now, Democrats are against this bill, seemingly. They don’t get that common sense that this bill predicts. In fact, Senate Democrats have repeatedly blocked this bill that will lower energy costs for all Americans. Republicans will keep working to unleash American energy while bringing costs down for all Iowans.",1,2026-10-01T11:23:28Z,2026-10-01T11:25:15Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-grassley-mark-15-years-of-iowa-kosovo-partnership,"Ernst, Grassley Mark 15 Years of Iowa-Kosovo Partnership",2026-09-29,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) joined Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to introduce a resolution to recognize the 15-year partnership between the Iowa National Guard (IANG) and the Republic of Kosovo, highlighting its contributions to advancing peace, democracy, stability and mutual understanding. As Russia, China and Iran seek to weaken Western institutions and undermine Euro-Atlantic integration, the IANG–Kosovo partnership helps provide stability to the eastern European region. Last week, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited IANG Joint Force Headquarters in Johnston to highlight the partnership’s benefits and recognize Iowa’s longstanding relationship with Kosovo. “Having served in the Iowa National Guard and trained alongside the Kosovo Security Forces during my service, I know firsthand the value of the partnership between Iowa and the Kosovo Security Force that has been built over the past 15 years,” said Ernst. “During my recent visit, I saw firsthand the strength of this bond and the deep respect Kosovars have for Iowa and our men and women in uniform. Through joint training and operations, our forces advance a shared commitment to security and stability. I am proud to mark this milestone and look forward to this partnership growing even stronger.” “I’m very proud Iowa has such a close relationship with one of the most pro-American countries in the world,” said Grassley. “In those fifteen years, both our peoples have felt the benefit of this bond and strengthened our security postures. I’m happy to partner with Senator Ernst in leading this resolution to honor Iowa’s historic partnership with Kosovo and celebrate its enduring impact.” Read the resolution here. ###",1,2026-09-30T10:57:52Z,2026-09-30T10:59:04Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-investigation-reveals-fraudsters-becoming-billionaires-by-bilking-taxpayers,Ernst Investigation Reveals Fraudsters Becoming Billionaires by Bilking Taxpayers,2026-09-29,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) released her latest investigation revealing how fraudsters are becoming billionaires by bilking taxpayers. Ernst highlights ten scammers who collectively billed government programs for over $21 billion. More than $3.1 billion of those bogus charges were paid. The crooks spent the loot on million-dollar mansions, luxury vehicles, extravagant jewelry, and a beachside resort. They also laundered millions of dollars overseas to China and the Russian mob. “Klepto-currency is creating a new class of billionaire bandits,” said Ernst. “While Iowans are juggling rising health care costs, these criminals are building empires by stealing from government health care programs and using the proceeds to bankroll mansions, luxury cars, and lavish lifestyles. Fraudsters are literally putting the con in convertible. For too long, Washington focused on taxing the money earned by hard working Americans while giving it away without even checking to see who is taking it. Enough is enough. Let’s put these scammers in the slammer!” Among the cases Ernst is highlighting: Brett Blackman allegedly used foreign call centers and fraudulent doctors’ orders to exploit senior citizens and submit approximately $1 billion in bogus claims for orthotic braces and other unnecessary medical equipment. More than $450 million in claims were allegedly paid. Blackman also reportedly flaunted his fraud-financed wealth, including a gold necklace in the shape of a dollar sign, in a music video filmed at his mansion. Alexandra Gehrke and Jeffrey King allegedly submitted approximately $1.2 billion in fraudulent claims for unnecessary wound grafts to Medicare, TRICARE, and CHAMPVA. Approximately $615 million was allegedly paid, with proceeds used to purchase four luxury vehicles, real estate, and jewelry. Marizel Yukee allegedly submitted approximately $1 billion in fraudulent health care claims to Medicare and TRICARE through a scheme involving bribes and kickbacks. Reports indicate that $297 million was paid out, with proceeds reportedly spent on expensive cars, jewelry, and real estate. Brian Rowan allegedly orchestrated a $1.2 billion scheme to defraud government health care programs through kickbacks, bribes, and sham sales invoices. Approximately $614 million in fraudulent claims was allegedly paid, helping finance multi-million-dollar mansions, luxury watches, and extravagant vehicles. Erekle Gugava allegedly submitted at least $1.3 billion in fraudulent claims to Medicare and other health insurers in a six-month period. Authorities allege that approximately $6.5 million was obtained and laundered to Russian organized-crime associates before Gugava fled the country. A Russian organized-crime group allegedly obtained nearly $1 billion by submitting fraudulent claims for medical supplies, primarily urinary catheters. The group allegedly submitted more than $10.6 billion in reimbursement claims to Medicare using the stolen identities of thousands of doctors and senior citizens. Ibrahim Khaldoon Hilmi and Nika Machutadze allegedly posed as medical supply providers and submitted approximately $3.7 billion in fraudulent claims for orthotic braces, glucose monitors, and wound dressings to government-funded health care programs. Authorities allege that the pair received approximately $5.7 million before the scheme was uncovered. Herbert Leon Kimble allegedly led a scheme that submitted more than $1.2 billion in fraudulent Medicare claims for orthopedic braces. Using foreign telemarketing call centers, the operation allegedly targeted hundreds of thousands of elderly and disabled patients with unnecessary knee, wrist, and shoulder braces. The scheme allegedly generated more than $200 million, which was used to purchase exotic automobiles, yachts, and luxury real estate. Ernst is calling on the Senate to pass her Protecting American Taxpayers Act which would prevent fraud before it occurs, recover stolen taxpayer dollars, and hold fraudsters accountable. Ernst notes, “every day we delay passing my bill, fraudsters get away with stealing another $1.4 billion from taxpayers.” She’s also giving her September 2026 Squeal Award to the Democratic Socialists of America for saying “billionaires shouldn’t exist,” while ignoring the government grift and graft that is making billionaires out of riffraff. In fact, the $500 billion the Democrats’ proposed “billionaire tax” would bring in isn’t even enough to pay the total cost of the $523 billion the government gives away to fraudsters every year. “When the socialists demand, ‘Medicare for All,’ apparently, they really mean it, even if that includes Russian mobsters and the FBI’s most wanted fraudsters,” said Ernst. Read the Protecting American Taxpayers Act text here. ###",1,2026-09-30T10:57:52Z,2026-09-30T10:59:04Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/09/29/2026/icymi-grassley-on-newsmax-jack-smith-was-a-tool-of-the-biden-administration,ICYMI: Grassley on Newsmax: Jack Smith Was a Tool of the Biden Administration,2026-09-29,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON –Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined “The Record with Greta Van Susteren” on Newsmax to discuss the committee’s oversight hearing on Arctic Frost and Jack Smith’s abuse of authority. “Jack Smith was trying to tell Congress that their investigation was solely related to what happened on January 6th. But we’ve proved that it goes way beyond that. This was an effort to cripple the Republican party with subpoenas, violating people's privacy,” Grassley said. Grassley highlighted the sweeping nature of Smith’s investigation of President Trump and the Republican party, which collected thousands of Americans’ personal banking information, nearly 50 journalists' communications with government sources, records from at least 430 Republican individuals and entities and the text messages of 44 members of Congress. Watch the full interview HERE. Excerpts follow. VIDEO On new information released during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing: “I think that we learned through the thousands of pages that I've released to the public that Jack Smith was a tool of the Biden administration to put Trump in prison. [Trump] was the only one indicted, but the records that we [made] public today, and a few days ago, show that he swept at least 400 Republican organizations into his investigation, and 44 members of Congress by subpoenaing their phone records. We also showed that [Smith] violated the constitutional right that protects Congress... the Speech and Debate Clause, they ignored that. “They even got the bank records of about 4,700 Americans, of which 42 of them were from Iowa – those were subpoenaed. They also subpoenaed at least a couple dozen media organizations and individuals. “This was very sweeping. Jack Smith was trying to tell us that their investigation was solely related to what [happened] on January 6th, when the Capitol was broken into. But we’ve prove[n] that it goes way, way beyond that. [It was] an effort to really cripple the Republican organization with all of the subpoenas that they gave, violating people's privacy.” On Jack Smith and the Biden administration’s weaponization of the Department of Justice: “[There was] a double standard of enforcement – one thing for Democrats and another thing for Republicans. In addition, as I said in my opening statement today, they helped Hillary Clinton get rid of her emails and things of that nature, and they go after Trump. This process against Trump was opened up just three days after he announced he was going to run for president again. So, you see the political connections and the effort to destroy Trump so that he could never run for president again.”",1,2026-09-30T10:57:52Z,2026-09-30T10:59:04Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/breaking-jack-smiths-team-collected-checks-from-nearly-5000-americans-in-all-50-states,"BREAKING: Jack Smith’s Team Collected Checks from Nearly 5,000 Americans in All 50 States",2026-09-29,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Thousands of Americans across all 50 states, as well as Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, who donated as little as $1 to President Trump and Trump-aligned Republican entities had their checks secretly subpoenaed by Special Counsel Jack Smith and his team. Records provided to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) via legally protected whistleblower disclosures reveal Smith’s team acquired at least 4,782 checks from Americans who made mainly small-dollar donations to President Trump between September 2019 to August 2023. The checks reveal the donors’ home addresses, bank account and routing numbers, and signatures. Smith’s team acquired the checks as part of its “Arctic Frost” election case against President Trump, allowing the Biden Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to gain access to nearly 5,000 Americans’ highly sensitive information, including 42 Iowans. There may be additional subpoena returns that include more donor checks. Whistleblower records show the checks were routed to former FBI Special Agent Walter Giardina. Grassley confronted Smith about this massive violation of privacy during today’s Judiciary hearing: “No matter what you say, there’s no legitimate basis for what you did. Especially since your staff killed an investigation into the Clinton campaign. Donations to Republican groups wasn’t necessary to your investigation, which is proved out by the fact it wasn’t mentioned in your public report. Now, the Justice Department and FBI will forever possess thousands of people’s addresses, phone numbers, banks, bank account numbers, bank routing numbers and copies of their true signatures. Every member on this committee ought to be outraged for what happened to their constituents. Which one of my Democratic colleagues will join me in that outrage?” Redacted copies of all 4,782 personal checks whistleblowers provided to Grassley are available HERE.",1,2026-09-30T10:57:52Z,2026-09-30T10:59:04Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/capitol-hill-report-09-29-26,"Capitol Hill Report, 09-29-26",2026-09-29,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Audio from this afternoon’s call is available HERE. Topics include: $15 billion Mesabi steel plant announcement, Iran, diesel exports and Iowa’s 2026 gubernatorial race.",1,2026-09-30T10:57:52Z,2026-09-30T10:59:04Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-questions-jack-smith-at-senate-judiciary-oversight-hearing,Grassley Questions Jack Smith at Senate Judiciary Oversight Hearing,2026-09-29,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) questioned former Special Counsel Jack Smith at today’s oversight hearing on Smith’s abuse of authority and targeting of Republicans. Grassley pressed Smith on his collection of thousands of Americans’ personal banking information, as well as his team’s exposure of classified materials, retaliation against whistleblowers and disregard for constitutional guardrails. Smith stood by his former colleagues’ reckless and political actions. Video and a transcript of Grassley and Smith’s exchange follow. VIDEO Jack Smith’s targeting of Republican donor data and Americans’ personal checks GRASSLEY: “Did your Special Counsel operation obtain possession of donor data, to include financial information? Yes or no?” SMITH: “Yes, we acquired financial information. As I sit here right now, I cannot recite to you every subpoena we issued... I can tell you why we issued subpoenas, and it was to conduct a criminal investigation...” GRASSLEY: “Indeed you did, Mr. Smith. According to protected disclosures to my office, you obtained at least 4,782 donor checks. Many of those checks were five to 10 dollars. The list includes checks from constituents in every state of every single member in this committee, both Republicans and Democrats. It includes 42 checks from Iowans who dared to donate money to Republicans. “No matter what you say, there’s no legitimate basis for what you did. Especially since your staff killed an investigation into the Clinton Campaign. Donations to Republican groups wasn’t necessary to your investigation, which is proved out by the fact it wasn’t mentioned in your public report. “Now, the Justice Department and FBI will forever possess thousands of people’s addresses, phone numbers, banks, bank account numbers, bank routing numbers and a copy of their true signatures. Every member on this committee ought to be outraged for what happened to their constituents. Which one of my Democratic colleagues will join me in that outrage?” Violations of law or policy and whistleblower retaliation committed by Jack Smith’s investigative staff: GRASSLEY: “In your public statements and testimony here today, you’ve given glowing assessments of your staff, saying they had an unwavering commitment to justice regardless of personal costs. That is blatantly untrue. You’re apparently in denial based on the litany of wrongdoing and political bias supported by reams of evidence that I referenced in my opening statement. And, I’ve either released documents or will today that proves this. “Moreover, in your public report you said, in part, ‘Those materials comprised a small part of the Office’s investigative record.’ You’re referring to J6 Committee materials. Records show that in your briefing memorandum for a meeting with [Attorney General] Garland you said your team ‘fully read and reviewed’ the J6 committee report. That memo also said your staff ‘went over it page by page and incorporated it into our investigative plan.’ The memo also said you ‘will leverage’ the report to avoid certain interviews. Your report provided false information to the public. “Your staff also obtained subpoena returns that included the content of messages from 44 Members of Congress, not just toll records, as you’ve testified previously. Based on information provided to the committee, that content was shared with the case agents and prosecutors before it went through any filter review for privileged information, which should’ve been done like it’s been in other cases. Those are clear violations by your staff. “In addition, your deputy, J.P. Cooney, said he’d ‘prosecute any nun who still wears a head habit.’ Then Cooney also said regarding the Speech or Debate clause, ‘I’m an advocate for repealing the clause.’ Lastly, Cooney and Molly Gaston filed a complaint with the Justice Department Inspector General. Your staff asked for the inspector general to investigate whistleblowers who’ve bravely exposed abuses of authority to Congress by you and your staff. These are just some of the violations of law or policy your staff and office committed. And that doesn’t include all of the violations disgraced former FBI agents like Thibault and Giardina committed while creating a false predicate for your cases and others… “Should whistleblowers who made lawful disclosures to Congress about your taxpayer funded work be investigated?” SMITH: “I'm not aware of any whistleblowers being investigated… The members of my team that you just mentioned, I'm extremely proud to have worked with them...” GRASSLEY: “I gave you evidence that [your staff] asked for an investigation by the Inspector General.” Jack Smith and his investigative team’s disregard for the Speech or Debate Clause: GRASSLEY: “When you became Special Counsel, what direction did you give your staff to handle Speech or Debate and Attorney-Client material? Did you issue any directives? If so, to whom? Please explain.” SMITH: “So, with respect to the Speech or Debate clause, first, we took our obligations seriously under the Speech or Debate clause. It's, in my view, an important part of the separation of powers. I had members of my staff who were very familiar with the clause, having worked in the public integrity section for years. We also, when it was appropriate or required, consulted with the public integrity section regarding application of that clause.” GRASSLEY: “Mr. Smith, no amount of explanation can take away from the documentary record. My opening remarks and the statement I made about your staff’s clear failures show unequivocally how you breached constitutional parameters and failed to require your staff to comply with relevant rules. Using the terrible acts on January 6 as a predicate for your misguided investigation is irresponsible. “To that end, either you are the world’s worst manager, or you shared your staff’s political animus to fuel your partisan investigation – an investigation that ruined the lives of many innocent people.” Potential exposure of classified materials by Jack Smith and his investigative staff GRASSLEY: “Following up from my opening statement. For the classified document case, where did you store the classified material? Describe the [Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF)] arrangement for both DOJ and FBI personnel during and after court sessions.” SMITH: “I can't speak to FBI facilities… our office had a SCIF, a place to store classified information, and my recollection is that there was, at least in Florida, an ability to store it there. I can't recall if it was at the FBI field office or at the courthouse. But we had a SCIF at our office as part of our investigation, knowing that classified information would be involved in the investigation.” GRASSLEY: “I said in my opening statement that one of your staff members suggested leaving the door open, which [would] obviously be a violation of law.” Jack Smith’s use of a personal device as former Special Counsel GRASSLEY: “In October last year I asked you this question, but you never responded. Did you ever use a personal device for work purposes, to include communications such as email, text or the creation or editing of work product? If so, do you commit to providing that material to the committee? If not, are you testifying that you’ve complied with all federal records requirements?” SMITH: “Yes, when I first became special counsel, I did not have a government phone or government computer, and so in the initial days when I was appointed and I was still living in the Netherlands, I did use a personal device and email to communicate with folks in the Justice Department. What I did when I got government accounts is made sure, to the best of my ability, that that information was forwarded to government accounts, so it would be within the Federal Records Act…” Jack Smith’s relationship with former CIA Director John Brennan GRASSLEY: “Have you ever received any consultation or counsel by John Brennan, former CIA Director, whether during your time as Special Counsel or otherwise? If so, when and for what purpose?” SMITH: “I've never met John Brennan.”",1,2026-09-30T10:57:52Z,2026-09-30T10:59:04Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/icymi-documents-show-nara-general-counsel-assisted-in-classified-document-prosecution-calling-jack-smiths-court-filings-into-question,"ICYMI: Documents Show NARA General Counsel Assisted in Classified Document Prosecution, Calling Jack Smith’s Court Filings into Question",2026-09-29,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Records obtained by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) refute statements made by former Special Counsel Jack Smith in a February 2024 court filing regarding the National Archives and Records Administration’s (NARA) involvement in the classified document case against President Trump. “Jack Smith represented to court that the National Archives didn’t substantively assist with the classified documents case against President Trump. These representations to the court were entirely false,” Grassley said. In response to President Trump’s January 16, 2024, motion to compel discovery from NARA on the basis that NARA participated in the government’s prosecution, the Special Counsel’s Office on February 2, 2024, claimed to the court that NARA was not part of the prosecution team and therefore President Trump’s motion should be denied. Specifically, the Special Counsel Office’s filing says that no NARA personnel “played any role in the development of prosecutorial strategy” and “NARA’s involvement in the investigation consisted entirely of providing documents and information.” However, according to NARA communications obtained by Chairman Grassley, former NARA General Counsel Gary Stern reviewed, commented on and gave edits to the Department of Justice’s court filings related to the classified documents case against President Trump.",1,2026-09-30T10:57:52Z,2026-09-30T10:59:04Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/icymi-jack-smith-obtained-journalist-communications-with-government-sources,ICYMI: Jack Smith Obtained Journalist Communications with Government Sources,2026-09-29,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Whistleblower disclosures made to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), show that former Special Counsel Jack Smith swept up communications from over a dozen national media outlets as part of the “Arctic Frost” election investigation into President Trump. “What will the partisan media say about this disgraceful government overreach? This wasn’t a normal prosecution by any means,” Grassley said. Nearly 50 journalists from the following news outlets had their communications swept up by Smith, including messages exchanged with government sources. Television:",1,2026-09-30T10:57:52Z,2026-09-30T10:59:04Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/icymi-jack-smiths-classified-documents-case-based-on-non-criminal-referral-initially-dismissed-by-fbi-as-spillage-issue,"ICYMI: Jack Smith’s Classified Documents Case Based on “Non-Criminal” Referral, Initially Dismissed by FBI as “Spillage” Issue",2026-09-29,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Records obtained by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) show Special Counsel Jack Smith’s classified documents case against President Trump began as a non-criminal referral with “little likelihood of being pursued as a criminal matter.” “Jack Smith’s operation was a partisan weapon. He broke the rules, lied to the court and engaged in bad faith throughout. His operation has no credibility – only to the partisan media and Democrats who cheered him on,” Grassley said. Background: On February 9, 2022, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) sent an email to the Department of Justice (DOJ) requesting guidance on classified records that NARA had received from Mar-a-Lago. This NARA OIG “referral” email served as the Biden DOJ’s justification for opening its classified documents investigation, which ultimately led to a search warrant for Mar-a-Lago and Special Counsel Jack Smith’s criminal prosecution of President Trump. Jack Smith asserted in court filings that the classified documents investigation into President Trump was entirely proper because it was “[p]rompted by NARA’s discovery of classified documents in the 15 boxes in January 2022 and a criminal referral from NARA in February 2022.” However, according to a January 2023 entry in a NARA OIG case report, NARA OIG did not classify its February email to DOJ as a criminal referral. NARA OIG wrote, “the OIG determined that this matter and the other relevant matters be classified as -R (referral to DOJ for their assessment and guidance, not the same as a criminal referral for prosecution which is only done for criminal investigations).” Additionally, internal NARA OIG communications obtained by Grassley show that the FBI had identified the classified documents matter as nothing more than a “spillage” issue, with “little likelihood of being pursued as a criminal matter.”",1,2026-09-30T10:57:52Z,2026-09-30T10:59:04Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-joins-president-trump-to-tout-transformative-15-billion-steel-investment-in-iowa,Ernst Joins President Trump to Tout Transformative $15 Billion Steel Investment in Iowa,2026-09-28,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) joined President Donald Trump at the White House to announce a $15 billion investment by Mesabi Metallics to build a new steel mill in eastern Iowa. Watch Senator Ernst’s statement here. “I am grateful to President Trump for securing this historic deal that will create thousands of jobs for Iowans,” said Ernst. “As chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, I’ve long advocated to make ‘Made in America’ the norm and not the exception. I am excited to see this project move forward and will continue working with the Trump administration to strengthen U.S. manufacturing.” Background: Mesabi Metallics plans to invest $15 billion to build a major steel mill in eastern Iowa, with steel production expected to begin as soon as 2030. The project is expected to support more than 1,700 jobs and initially produce 7.5 million tons of steel annually, with future development potentially increasing capacity to roughly 10 million tons per year. The eastern Iowa location provides strategic access to the Mississippi River, allowing Mesabi to transport iron ore from its Minnesota mine directly to the facility. The plant will process that iron ore for use in electric arc furnaces alongside recycled scrap steel, expanding domestic steel production and strengthening the American manufacturing supply chain. ###",1,2026-09-29T11:07:12Z,2026-09-29T11:08:49Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-names-small-business-of-the-week-ludlows-steakhouse,"Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, Ludlow’s Steakhouse",2026-09-28,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: Ludlow’s Steakhouse of Wayne County. Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in each of Iowa's 99 counties. “It’s prime time to recognize Ludlow’s Steakhouse,” said Chair Ernst. “Through their entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to their employees and community, the Pershys have grown Ludlow’s Steakhouse into a Wayne County staple — a job truly well done.” For more than two decades, Ludlow’s Steakhouse has proudly served the people of Wayne County. Ron and Maureta Redmon opened Ludlow’s in 2004 and operated the restaurant until 2013, when they sold the business to Craig and Brenda Onstot. Truett and Sheena Pershy took ownership in 2017 and have since expanded the menu, launched a catering business, and overseen a major renovation and relocation to better serve their customers and community. From custom-cut aged steaks and seafood to pasta, sandwiches, and more, Ludlow’s offers something for everyone to enjoy. Stay tuned as Chair Ernst continues to recognize outstanding Iowa small businesses with her Small Business of the Week award. ###",1,2026-09-29T11:07:12Z,2026-09-29T11:08:49Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-ernst-recognize-15-years-of-iowa-national-guard_kosovo-security-force-partnership,"Grassley, Ernst Recognize 15 Years of Iowa National Guard-Kosovo Security Force Partnership",2026-09-28,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) are introducing a resolution to recognize the 15-year partnership between the Iowa National Guard (IANG) and the Republic of Kosovo, highlighting its contributions to advancing peace, democracy, stability and mutual understanding. As Russia, China and Iran seek to weaken Western institutions and undermine Euro-Atlantic integration, the IANG–Kosovo partnership helps provide stability to the eastern European region. Last week, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited IANG Joint Force Headquarters in Johnston to highlight the partnership’s benefits and recognize Iowa’s longstanding relationship with Kosovo. “I’m very proud Iowa has such a close relationship with one of the most pro-American countries in the world. In those fifteen years, both our peoples have felt the benefit of this bond and strengthened our security postures. I’m happy to partner with Senator Ernst in leading this resolution to honor Iowa’s historic partnership with Kosovo and celebrate its enduring impact,” Grassley said. “Having served in the Iowa National Guard and trained alongside the Kosovo Security Forces during my service, I know firsthand the value of the partnership between Iowa and the Kosovo Security Force that has been built over the past 15 years,” Ernst said. “During my recent visit, I saw firsthand the strength of this bond and the deep respect Kosovars have for Iowa and our men and women in uniform. Through joint training and operations, our forces advance a shared commitment to security and stability. I am proud to mark this milestone and look forward to this partnership growing even stronger.” In remarks on the Senate floor in February, Grassley marked the 18th anniversary of Kosovo’s declaration of independence. Text of the resolution can be found HERE. Background: In 2011, the Iowa National Guard and the Kosovo Security Force were formally partnered through the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program, which was established to foster mutual interests and long-term relationships between National Guard units and partner countries. The resolution notes Kosovo’s Ministry of Defense is working to designate a military liaison officer, deployed to Iowa, to help foster continued cooperation.",1,2026-09-29T11:07:12Z,2026-09-29T11:08:49Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-iowa-congressional-delegation-applaud-historic-steel-investment-in-iowa,"Grassley, Iowa Congressional Delegation Applaud Historic Steel Investment in Iowa",2026-09-28,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Reps. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) and Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) released the following statement: “This historic investment is a major win for Iowa workers and further cements Iowa’s role in the future of American manufacturing. “As the largest steel plant investment in U.S. history, this project will generate over 1,700 good-paying Iowa jobs, create new opportunities for Iowa families, and drive economic growth. Iowa has the workforce, work ethic, resources, and business climate to compete with anyone, and we are proud to welcome this project to our state. “The administration’s pro-American manufacturing policies are incentivizing companies to invest, build, and create jobs in the U.S. We thank Governor Reynolds for her leadership in making Iowa a great place to do business and ensuring our state benefits from these policies by attracting transformational investments like this one.”",1,2026-09-29T11:07:12Z,2026-09-29T11:08:49Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-grassley-lead-resolution-honoring-iowan-ray-gaesser,"Ernst, Grassley Lead Resolution Honoring Iowan Ray Gaesser",2026-09-25,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) are leading the Ray Gaesser Memorial Farm Safety Week resolution to honor the life and legacy of Ray Gaesser. Gaesser was from Corning, Iowa, and a leading advocate for farmers. He tragically passed away on September 5, 2026, following a farming accident. The resolution designates the week of September 21, 2026, as “Ray Gaesser Memorial Farm Safety Week” to raise awareness about farm safety and honor Gaesser’s lifelong commitment to Iowa’s agricultural community. In the U.S., approximately 160 agricultural workers are injured every day while nearly 400 agricultural workers die each year as a result of farm-related accidents. “Ray Gaesser embodied the very best of Iowa agriculture—a hardworking farmer, a strong advocate for our producers, and a friend to so many across our state,” said Sen. Ernst. “His tragic passing is a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers our farmers face every day while working to feed and fuel the world. As we honor Ray’s remarkable life and legacy, I encourage every farmer to look out for one another and make safety a priority.” “Ray Gaesser was a friend, a family man, a farmer and a proud Iowan. His tireless advocacy for agriculture brought him on trade missions around the world and into high level meetings across the country,” said Sen. Grassley. “By introducing our National Farm Safety and Health Week resolution in his name, we can honor his memory, raise awareness about the dangers family farmers face and promote education to prevent future tragedies.” The resolution was also introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) and has been cosponsored by the entire Iowa delegation. “Ray Gaesser spent his life doing what he loved: farming, fighting for agriculture, and helping the next generation of producers continue Iowa’s oldest tradition,” said Rep. Nunn. “Ray was a trusted friend and advisor whose impact reached far beyond his own farm. We owe it to him, his wife Elaine, and every American farmer to honor his legacy and make sure every producer gets home safe this harvest.” “Ray was a tireless champion for Iowa’s farmers and a devoted steward of the land he loved,” said Rep. Miller-Meeks. “His life was defined by his service to agriculture and his commitment to the farming community. We honor his memory by carrying forward his legacy and renewing our commitment to keeping our farmers and families safe. My thoughts and prayers are with Ray’s family and loved ones.” “I’m heartbroken that my friend and one of the most amazing Iowans I know, Ray Gaesser, is no longer with us. He put his heart and soul into advocating for Iowa agriculture and family farms. There was no stronger voice for farmers and agriculture,” said Rep. Hinson. “Ray will be missed by so many who loved and knew him, and I’m proud to join the Iowa delegation in introducing this resolution honoring his life and the contributions he made. My prayers continue to be with his wonderful wife, Elaine, and his entire family as we grieve this immense loss for Iowa.” “Ray Gaesser represented the very best of Iowa agriculture. He was a dedicated farmer, respected leader, and tireless advocate for our producers who devoted his life to strengthening agriculture and leaving the land better for the next generation. His tragic passing is a heartbreaking reminder of the risks that farmers and their families face every day,” said Rep. Feenstra. “During National Farm Safety Week, I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing this resolution to honor Ray’s remarkable life and legacy while reaffirming our commitment to keeping our farmers, families, and rural communities safe. My prayers remain with Elaine, Chris, Jennifer, and the entire Gaesser family.” Read the resolution here. ###",1,2026-09-26T09:43:57Z,2026-09-26T09:44:55Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-ernst-iowa-congressional-delegation-introduce-resolution-honoring-iowan-ray-gaesser,"Grassley, Ernst, Iowa Congressional Delegation Introduce Resolution Honoring Iowan Ray Gaesser",2026-09-25,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), along with the entire Iowa congressional delegation, introduced the Ray Gaesser Memorial Farm Safety Week resolution to honor the life and legacy of Ray Gaesser. Gaesser was a Corning farmer and a leading advocate for agriculture. He tragically passed away this month due to a farming accident. The resolution designates the week of September 21, 2026, as “Ray Gaesser Memorial Farm Safety Week” to raise awareness about farm safety and honor Gaesser’s lifelong commitment to Iowa’s agricultural community. In the U.S., approximately 160 agricultural workers are injured every day while nearly 400 agricultural workers die each year because of farm-related accidents. “Ray Gaesser was a friend, a family man, a farmer and a proud Iowan. His tireless advocacy for agriculture brought him on trade missions around the world and into high level meetings across the country. By introducing our National Farm Safety and Health Week resolution in his name, we can honor his memory, raise awareness about the dangers family farmers face and promote education to prevent future tragedies,” Grassley said. “Ray Gaesser embodied the very best of Iowa agriculture—a hardworking farmer, a strong advocate for our producers, and a friend to so many across our state,” Ernst said. “His tragic passing is a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers our farmers face every day while working to feed and fuel the world. As we honor Ray’s remarkable life and legacy, I encourage every farmer to look out for one another and make safety a priority.” In the U.S. House of Representatives, the resolution was introduced by U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) and cosponsored by U.S. Reps. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) and Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa). “Ray Gaesser spent his life doing what he loved: farming, fighting for agriculture, and helping the next generation of producers continue Iowa’s oldest tradition,” Nunn said. “Ray was a trusted friend and advisor whose impact reached far beyond his own farm. We owe it to him, his wife Elaine, and every American farmer to honor his legacy and make sure every producer gets home safe this harvest.” “I’m heartbroken that my friend and one of the most amazing Iowans I know, Ray Gaesser, is no longer with us. He put his heart and soul into advocating for Iowa agriculture and family farms. There was no stronger voice for farmers and agriculture,” Hinson said. “Ray will be missed by so many who loved and knew him, and I’m proud to join the Iowa delegation in introducing this resolution honoring his life and the contributions he made. My prayers continue to be with his wonderful wife, Elaine, and his entire family as we grieve this immense loss for Iowa.” “Ray was a tireless champion for Iowa’s farmers and a devoted steward of the land he loved,” Miller-Meeks said. “His life was defined by his service to agriculture and his commitment to the farming community. We honor his memory by carrying forward his legacy and renewing our commitment to keeping our farmers and families safe. My thoughts and prayers are with Ray’s family and loved ones.” “Ray Gaesser represented the very best of Iowa agriculture. He was a dedicated farmer, respected leader, and tireless advocate for our producers who devoted his life to strengthening agriculture and leaving the land better for the next generation. His tragic passing is a heartbreaking reminder of the risks that farmers and their families face every day,” Feenstra said. “During National Farm Safety Week, I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing this resolution to honor Ray’s remarkable life and legacy while reaffirming our commitment to keeping our farmers, families, and rural communities safe. My prayers remain with Elaine, Chris, Jennifer, and the entire Gaesser family.” Read the full resolution HERE.",1,2026-09-26T09:43:57Z,2026-09-26T09:44:55Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-welcomes-over-182-million-in-federal-funding-to-support-iowa-communities,Grassley Welcomes Over $18.2 Million in Federal Funding to Support Iowa Communities,2026-09-25,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) welcomed news from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that Iowa will receive over $18.2 million in federal funding to benefit Iowans across the state. This funding will impact Iowans in Linn, Polk, Cherokee, Lyon, Woodbury, Buena Vista, Sioux and Pottawattamie counties. “Iowans have worked tirelessly to repair and rebuild after terrible storms struck our state,” Grassley said. “It’s encouraging to see these federal dollars coming to support the Hawkeye State as Iowans continue to be resilient. In the Senate, I’ll keep working to ensure Iowans get the support they need.” Details on the FEMA awards follow:",1,2026-09-26T09:43:57Z,2026-09-26T09:44:55Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/qanda-protecting-fairness-in-sports,Q&A: Protecting Fairness in Sports,2026-09-25,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Q: Why did you hold a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on women’s sports? A: Fifty-four years ago, Congress passed legislation to ensure schools provide fair and equitable treatment for male and female student-athletes. Title IX opened the door for women to participate in sports at educational institutions that receive federal money, from elementary schools through college. In the last five decades, the law has revolutionized athletic opportunities for females in gyms, courts, tracks, fields, pools and mats across America. Nine times as many girls are participating in high school sports today than when President Nixon signed the law in 1972. More than a quarter million women competed in college athletics in the 2024-2025 season. These statistics are just the tip of the iceberg. Millions of girls in communities across the country are empowered with self-confidence, teamwork, resilience, physical fitness and more by participating in clubs, recreational leagues and local teams. However, the equal footing launched in 1972 has one foot on a banana peel. Common sense and sound science have been thrown out the window by allowing men to compete in women’s sports. What’s worse, the practice is reckless and endangers opportunity, fairness and safety for female athletes. Simply put, allowing men to play in women’s sports breaks the promise of Title IX. The committee hearing I led gave female athletes a platform to tell their stories and inform policymakers about the impact of men competing in women’s sports. Witnesses explained the damaging consequences of prioritizing men over women and called upon lawmakers to recognize how young female athletes are getting sidelined and harmed by allowing men to compete in women’s sports. The Supreme Court ruling this summer allowed states to bar boys and men from competing in girls’ sports. To date, 27 states have laws and policies in place to protect girls sports. At least 66% of American adults favor a law or policy that would require athletes to compete on teams that match their sex at birth. And yet, none of the Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee fully participated at the hearing. Not a single one asked a question or called witnesses to testify. It’s pretty ironic that the political party claiming to support women and science is the political party not backing science or girls’ aspirations to compete. Testimony from a former professional women’s soccer player pinpointed what’s at stake for daughters and granddaughters across the country, “We are training girls to suppress their correct instincts and feelings to cater to the desires of boys. We are failing female athletes as a society, and we are raising girls who are punished for standing up for what is right and obvious.” Women should not be asked to cede their opportunities just to make men comfortable. Q: What is the Protect College Sports Act? A: Sports is woven into the social fabric of America. From a young age, athletes aspire to succeed and put in the work and sacrifice to reach their full potential. Many Iowans plan their calendars around sporting events to cheer for their favorite teams. Barbara and I are lifelong Panther fans for our alma mater, the University of Northern Iowa. In recent years, collegiate sports have experienced quite a bit of turbulence navigating the ecosystem of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) compensation rights, billion-dollar media contracts and the uncertainty of the transfer portal. Consensus has grown among fans, student athletes, coaches, and leaders of colleges and universities across the country to bring stability to college sports. A broad coalition supports the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act. This legislation would help foster fair competition, promote transparency and bring certainty to the chaos that’s disrupting collegiate sports in conferences across the country. It would establish a nationwide playbook so athletes, coaches, professional sports leagues and Olympic organizations are on the same page. Here’s some key provisions in the bill:",1,2026-09-26T09:43:57Z,2026-09-26T09:44:55Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-budd-kaine-urge-trump-administration-to-prioritize-securing-the-freedom-of-detained-pastors-and-people-of-faith-at-us-china-summit,"Grassley, Budd, Kaine Urge Trump Administration to Prioritize Securing the Freedom of Detained Pastors and People of Faith at U.S-China Summit",2026-09-24,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sens. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) in sending a bipartisan letter to President Trump encouraging the administration to continue raising concerns with China at this week’s meeting in Washington, D.C., on the persecution of religious groups in China, specifically including pastors and religious minorities being unjustly held because of their faith. The letter highlights the persecution of ethnic and religious minority groups such as Tibetan Buddhists, Christians, Uyghur Muslims and Falun Gong practitioners. In May, President Trump successfully secured the release of Pastor Ezra Jin following conversations with President Xi Jinping at the U.S.-China Summit in Beijing. Jin was finally set free from Chinese captivity in July. The senators are now urging President Trump to specifically raise the following cases at the U.S.-China Summit in Washington: Pastor Gao Quanfu and his wife Pang Yu, and Pastor Tang Bingyi of Light of Zion Church and the eight remaining members of Zion Church—Gao Yingjia, Wang Lin, Yin Huibin, Wang Zhong, Wang Cong, Liu Zhenbin, Lin Shucheng and Wu Qiuyu. “The United States should continue to promote international religious freedom by calling on the Government of the People’s Republic of China to end its harassment and persecution of members of religious organizations, unconditionally release all unjustly detained political prisoners imprisoned for exercising their right to freedom of religious belief, and ensure that detainees who have not yet been released are treated humanely,” the senators wrote. In addition to Grassley, Budd and Kaine, the letter was signed by Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas). Read the full letter HERE and below. September 22, 2026 The Honorable Donald J. Trump President of the United States The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear President Trump, Thank you for raising Pastor Ezra Jin’s case with President Xi earlier this year and working to secure his release. We were incredibly grateful to see him reunited with his family on July 3, right before we celebrated the 250th Anniversary of the United States. The United States should continue to promote international religious freedom by calling on the Government of the People’s Republic of China to end its harassment and persecution of members of religious organizations, unconditionally release all unjustly detained political prisoners imprisoned for exercising their right to freedom of religious belief, and ensure that detainees who have not yet been released are treated humanely. Building on your successful engagement leading to the release of Pastor Ezra Jin, we request that you continue keeping those persecuted for their faith in China, including ethnic and religious minority groups such as Tibetan Buddhists, Christians, Uyghur Muslims, and Falun Gong practitioners, top of mind in conversations with President Xi. Specifically, we ask that in your meeting with him in Washington in late September you raise the cases of remaining pastors like Pastor Gao Quanfu and his wife Pang Yu and Pastor Tang Bingyi of Light of Zion Church in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province and the remaining eight members of Zion Church in Beijing: Gao Yingjia, Wang Lin, Yin Huibin, Wang Zhong, Wang Cong, Liu Zhenbin, Lin Shucheng and Wu Qiuyu. Thank you for your consideration,",1,2026-09-25T10:04:52Z,2026-09-25T10:05:46Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/senate-judiciary-committee-advances-13-judicial-and-executive-nominees,Senate Judiciary Committee Advances 13 Judicial and Executive Nominees,2026-09-24,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the following nominations: Anna St. John, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit, by a vote of 12-10. Gregory Carl Cook, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Alabama, by a vote of 12-10. Adam Candeub, to be an Assistant Attorney General, by a vote of 12-10. John Peter Cronan, to be a Member of the United States Sentencing Commission, by a vote of 12-10. Jason Manion, to be a Member of the United States Sentencing Commission, by a vote of 12-10. Claire McCusker Murray, to be a Member of the United States Sentencing Commission, by a vote of 15-7. Luis Felipe Restrepo, to be a Member of the United States Sentencing Commission, by a vote of 22-0. Joy Lynne Pittman Thorp, to be United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, by a vote of 12-10. Steven Weinhoeft, to be United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, by a vote of 19-3. William Gerald Hardy, to be United States Marshal for the Northern District of Alabama, by a vote of 16-6. Philip Lewis III, to be United States Marshal for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, by a vote of 15-7. Seth Reister, to be United States Marshal for the Northern District of Florida, by a vote of 18-4. Jurgen Ryan Soekhoe, to be United States Marshal for the District of Columbia, by a vote of 12-10. Watch the executive business meeting HERE. Read Chairman Chuck Grassley’s (R-Iowa) opening statement HERE. -30-",1,2026-09-25T10:04:52Z,2026-09-25T10:05:46Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-miller-meeks-bill-to-strengthen-us-manufacturing-heads-to-presidents-desk,"Ernst, Miller-Meeks Bill to Strengthen U.S. Manufacturing Heads to President’s Desk",2026-09-23,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed U.S. Senator Joni Ernst’s (R-Iowa) bipartisan Critical Infrastructure Manufacturing Feasibility Act to decrease our reliance on foreign adversaries for key materials and boost manufacturing in rural America. The bill instructs the Secretary of Commerce to identify critical goods that are currently being imported and find ways to help domestic producers manufacture them in rural areas and industrial parks, boosting manufacturing here at home. The bill now heads to the president’s desk to be signed into law. Ernst spoke on the Senate floor ahead of its passage. “My bipartisan bill will identify vulnerabilities in our supply chains and help bring manufacturing back to rural America, where Iowans are ready to roll up their sleeves, get to work, and once again make ‘Made in America’ the norm instead of the exception,” said Sen. Ernst. “I look forward to President Trump signing it into law.” “Iowa has the skilled workforce, manufacturing expertise, and strong communities America needs to lead the next generation of domestic manufacturing. For too long, critical production has moved overseas, leaving American workers behind and making our country dependent on foreign supply chains,” said Rep. Miller-Meeks. “This bipartisan bill gives us a roadmap to bring that production home, create more opportunities for Iowa workers, and strengthen our nation’s economic and national security. I’m proud to have led this effort with Senator Ernst and grateful for her partnership in getting it across the finish line.” “Supply chains are critical to global competitiveness and our national security,” said Sen. Blunt Rochester. “I’m proud to see this bipartisan legislation pass into law to help identify where we are over-reliant on foreign imports for critical infrastructure and explore how we can bring that manufacturing back to the United States. These investments will strengthen domestic production, secure our supply chains, and support good-paying jobs right here at home.” “We have become heavily dependent upon overseas supply chains, leaving us vulnerable to increased cybersecurity risks and price fluctuations,” said Sen. Ossoff. “This bipartisan bill will take steps to mitigate those risks, while helping open the door to new manufacturing jobs in Georgia and across the nation.” Ernst’s full remarks as delivered below: “Mr. President, I’m here today to talk a little more about our national and economic security of the United States. This has really been the focus of my career, protecting that national and economic security. “In 1940, the United States became the ‘Arsenal of Democracy,’ and our country came together to quickly accelerate production of the weapons, vehicles, food, and supplies that enabled the Allies to defeat the Axis powers. “Americans in factories, farms, small businesses, and across the country did what was necessary to make what was needed. “Instead of internalizing the lesson that our ability to make these critical items in the United States led to great success…we spent much of the last 50 years offshoring our jobs and manufacturing capabilities. “This is something China, Russia, and other nefarious actors around the world have all been too happy to accommodate and take on themselves. “Today, we have only ONE active facility producing cannon barrels. “Today, we rely 100 percent on foreign sources for 12 critical minerals essential to our military and our economy. “During COVID, we saw what happens when supply chains are strained. “There was a global shortage of microchips, which upended manufacturers’ ability to make everything from cars to computers. At the same time, moms in the Midwest had to worry about finding baby formula due to supply chain issues at both the production and shipping levels. “Put simply: we’ve lost the ability to make what we need right here at home. “In the event of a conflict with one of our near-peer adversaries, supply chains will be challenged, and the United States will have to make what it needs. “Thank goodness President Trump, his administration, and Congress have been taking steps to put us on the right track and bring back the manufacturing capabilities we need right here at home. “My bipartisan Critical Infrastructure Manufacturing Feasibility Act builds on these efforts. “My bill, which has already passed the Senate unanimously, directs the Secretary of Commerce to identify critical goods that are currently being imported and find ways to help domestic producers manufacture them in rural areas and shovel-ready industrial sites. “Rural Iowans are ready to roll up their sleeves and build the factories and processing facilities we need to secure our supply chains. “We can and need to make things here. “But you can’t fix vulnerabilities you can’t see. “Which is why my bill gives Congress and the Executive Branch the visibility necessary to identify gaps and close them. “I am grateful to Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks for introducing the House version of this bill, and for the House of Representatives passing the bill unanimously. “Now it is time for the Senate to act and send this bill to the President’s desk. Thank you.” ###",1,2026-09-24T09:44:48Z,2026-09-24T09:45:52Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/icymi-grassley-leads-senate-judiciary-republicans-in-standing-with-female-athletes-against-biological-men-in-womens-sports,ICYMI: Grassley Leads Senate Judiciary Republicans in Standing with Female Athletes Against Biological Men in Women’s Sports,2026-09-23,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) co-hosted a press conference alongside Senate Judiciary Republicans and female athletes and advocates following today’s committee hearing on empowering and protecting women in sports. Sixty-six percent of U.S. adults favor a law or policy that would require transgender athletes to compete on teams that match their sex at birth. Despite this overwhelming support from the American public, every Democrat member of the Judiciary Committee refused to fully participate in today’s hearing. Democrats called no witnesses and asked no questions. “Democrats love to claim they are the party that supports women. But today they didn’t bother to bring a single witness to listen and engage with the concerns that athletes and scientists are raising about men playing in women’s sports. These women deserve to have their stories heard,” Grassley said. “Female athletes need our support.” “Women and girls deserve fair competition in their sports, and privacy in their locker rooms. It was a historic moment, to see this issue come to such a huge platform, but it was also incredibly distressing to see that the Democrat senators were so dismissive of young women who are suffering across the country today,” said Marshi Smith, cofounder of the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS). “There are huge threats to women’s sports. Adults need to stand up in leadership positions and do something about it.” Grassley was joined at the press conference by Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.) and Darline Graham (R-S.C.), as well as the following athletes and advocates: Marshi Smith and Kim Jones, cofounders of ICONS Carly Smolak, a retired professional women’s soccer player and U.S. Australian Football League national champion Briley Lechner, a high school volleyball player Jeff Moravec, a father of an impacted female athlete Matt Sharp, Vice President of Public Policy at Alliance Defending Freedom Lainey Armistead, a former NCAA soccer player and intervenor in the landmark Supreme Court victory for female athletes, Little v. Hecox Kendall Kotzmacher, an NCAA softball player Angie Griffin, a U.S. Masters swimmer Video and a transcript of Grassley’s remarks follow. VIDEO I welcome you all to this press conference. As you’ve just heard at our hearing, the dangers biological men pose to women’s sports are very real – very real dangers. Female athletes need our support. Without action, we’re putting an entire generation of young women at risk. Ultimately, this is an issue that comes down to safety and comes down to real commonsense. You’re in a part of our country, D.C., where it’s surrounded by reality – if you wonder what’s wrong with Washington, D.C. Democrats love to claim they are the party that supports women. But today they didn’t even bother to bring a single witness to listen and engage with these concerned athletes that testified and were otherwise in attendance. These witnesses and the people in attendance all raised the issue of men, and the dangers of men playing in women’s sports, but mostly about the unfairness of it. These women deserve to have their stories heard. That’s why we’re here today. I commend the brave athletes and advocates who often risk precious contracts and face public blowback for just simply speaking out and exercising their right under the first amendment of freedom of speech. So, please know that you have this senator’s support.",1,2026-09-24T09:44:48Z,2026-09-24T09:45:52Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-names-small-business-of-the-week-north-lumber-and-home-center,"Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, North Lumber & Home Center",2026-09-22,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: North Lumber & Home Center of Decatur County. Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in each of Iowa's 99 counties. “North Lumber & Home Center has truly gotten to the root of what it means to be a hardworking, dedicated small business” said Chair Ernst. “For more than four decades, this family-owned and operated business has continued to branch out by providing quality services and staying actively engaged in its community.” In 1980, current owner Sally Dykes and her family purchased North Lumber. As the family continued to expand their inventory and operations to better serve its customers, they renamed the business to North Lumber & Home Center. In 2002, they opened a second store in Lamoni, Iowa. Today, Sally continues to run the lumberyard and building materials supplier business alongside her son, Tony Dykes. Stay tuned as Chair Ernst continues to recognize outstanding Iowa small businesses with her Small Business of the Week award. ###",1,2026-09-23T09:45:16Z,2026-09-23T09:46:14Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/capitol-hill-report-09-22-26,"Capitol Hill Report, 09-22-26",2026-09-22,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Audio from this afternoon’s call is available HERE. Topics include: Diesel prices, press access at the White House, the Farm Bill, Iran, the Improving Social Security’s Service to Victims of Identity Theft Act and the Kennedy Center.",1,2026-09-23T09:45:16Z,2026-09-23T09:46:14Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassleys-support-for-cancer-research-highlighted-in-new-nationwide-progress-report,Grassley’s Support for Cancer Research Highlighted in New Nationwide Progress Report,2026-09-21,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, discussed his leadership and advocacy for cancer research in an interview featured in the American Association for Cancer Research’s (AACR) 2026 progress report. The report also highlighted Grassley’s work to establish and reauthorize the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration (RCHD) program, which provides a lifeline for rural hospitals across the nation, including four RCHD participating hospitals in Iowa: “Inequities in access to screenings and follow-up care contribute to health disparities and reduced survival in some patient populations... Policymakers like Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are continuing to work to support these rural medical services, investing in programs such as the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration.” -- AACR Cancer Progress Report 2026 Read Grassley’s full interview HERE and below. Q&A With U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley American Association for Cancer Research Q: What are some current gaps in cancer care and what is the role of Congress in closing these gaps? A: As with any public policy, the role of every lawmaker in Congress is to listen to constituents and grassroots advocacy groups and gather the facts to make informed decisions, including addressing gaps in cancer care. As a farm state lawmaker, I bring unique perspective to the policymaking tables to advocate on behalf of families and healthcare providers living and working in rural communities. For example, I’ve prioritized keeping the doors of hometown hospitals, clinics and pharmacies open through flexible federal funding measures, such as the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration and Rural Emergency Hospital programs, as well as enabling local pharmacists to be reimbursed for providing healthcare services. I’m also working to address the gap in how patients access and navigate cancer screening recommendations. Too often screening guidance is difficult to understand, changes over time, and is not readily integrated into the technology that patients and providers use every day. This can result in missed opportunities for early detection and treatment, particularly in rural communities where cancer mortality rates remain higher. By making screening information more accessible, timely, and patient-centered, the federal government can help reduce barriers to early detection and improve cancer outcomes. I want to enable more apps and web tools to get cancer screening information to the patient and provider similar to the Decision Precision+ and Cancer Screen Iowa tools. Q: Why does cancer research and survivorship remain truly non-partisan? A: Cancer impacts American families across the country, regardless of one’s political ideology. That means lawmakers from both sides of the aisle represent Americans battling a cancer diagnosis. As a member of the Congressional Biomedical Research Caucus and the Congressional Caucus on the Deadliest Cancers, I leverage my committee assignments in the U.S. Senate to raise public awareness and conduct oversight on federal investments in cancer research to help save lives. Through my policymaking and legislative work, I am committed to building bipartisan coalitions that push for robust research, prevention and treatment therapies to help cancer patients survive, thrive and lead healthy, high-quality lives. That includes reducing barriers to care, lowering costs to life-saving drugs, improving the pharmaceutical supply chain by boosting transparency and holding Pharmacy Benefit Managers accountable, expanding access to experimental treatments (such as those helping my former colleague Sen. Ben Sasse) and Right to Try laws, protecting the integrity of medical research and treating side effects of chemotherapy, such as my bipartisan success to enact the Lymphedema Treatment Act. I’m also a champion for expanding access to cancer care in rural America, including my home state of Iowa that ranks second highest in the United States for new cancer cases. From expanding telehealth services to addressing provider shortages and securing the largest investment in rural health in history with passage of the Rural Health Transformation Fund, my advocacy for cancer prevention, treatment and cures will continue. Q: How have you worked to serve the cancer community? A: Since my first term in the U.S. Senate, my committee assignments have enabled me to roll up my sleeves at the policymaking table and shape federal policies on behalf of American families to improve delivery of care and health outcomes, from the “Katie Beckett waiver” to the Family Opportunity Act to the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act. My work on behalf of cancer patients includes raising public awareness and expanding access to early screening and detection. My wife Barbara is a 39-year breast cancer survivor and attributes early detection and surgery with saving her life. I’m glad the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act was signed into law in February. It will help clear the way to revolutionize cancer detection and expand coverage for Medicare patients for lifesaving cancer screenings. Thanks to remarkable strides in research, therapeutics and oncology treatments, a cancer diagnosis is no longer considered a death sentence. Just consider the recent promising breakthrough therapy for pancreatic cancer, for example. Through congressional oversight, I’m committed to ensuring public health care programs and federal agencies are efficiently and effectively serving the American people. That includes my efforts to improve care and outcomes for pediatric cancer patients. With the support of grassroots-led advocacy organizations, I spearheaded the bipartisan Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act (AKACA) through the Senate to help kids kick cancer to the curb and live long, healthy lives. Representative government is a two-way street. I listened to the issues brought to my attention from families, patient advocates and providers who explained how red tape got in the way for kids with complex medical needs to receive timely care or participate in a clinical trial out of state. More than half of this pediatric population is covered by Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program that restricted care provided outside the child’s home state. State lines shouldn’t dictate if a child in the U.S. receives timely, lifesaving care. Having the AKACA on the books paves the way for specialty pediatric providers to enroll in multiple state Medicaid programs and gives families much-needed peace of mind. Moms and Dads have enough on their plate to manage without dealing with cumbersome, bureaucratic red tape that’s delaying care for their sick child. I’ll continue my oversight work to ensure these laws work as Congress intended.",1,2026-09-22T09:42:49Z,2026-09-22T09:44:35Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-hassan-legislation-to-support-victims-of-identity-theft-heads-to-president-trumps-desk,Grassley-Hassan Legislation to Support Victims of Identity Theft Heads to President Trump’s Desk,2026-09-18,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – The Improving Social Security’s Service to Victims of Identity Theft Act authored by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), a fellow Finance Committee member, is heading to President Donald Trump’s desk after the Senate unanimously approved the legislation on Thursday. The bipartisan legislation supports victims by strengthening and streamlining the process for Americans whose Social Security numbers have been stolen. “Millions of Americans suffer from identity theft each year, and Social Security numbers are a top target. Unfortunately, when an identity theft victim calls up the Social Security Administration, they can be jerked around from one contact to another, having to reexplain the situation each time. By providing victims a single point of contact at the agency, our bill will help ease this frustrating and stressful process and make life easier for Iowans who may find themselves in this unfortunate situation. I want to thank my colleagues for their overwhelming support to get this legislation over the finish line,” Grassley said. “Too often, victims of identity theft are forced to navigate a long, confusing process to get support from the Social Security Administration. This process is frustrating to victims and unnecessarily drains the agency’s resources. My bipartisan bill will help streamline support from SSA for so that victims of identity theft can get the help that they need more quickly. I worked with colleagues across the aisle to pass this commonsense legislation, and I look forward to seeing it being signed into law. I will continue pushing to make the government work more efficiently for victims of theft, fraud, and scams,” Hassan said. Background: The Grassley-Hassan Improving Social Security’s Service to Victims of Identity Theft Act provides a single, focal point of contact at the Social Security Administration to more efficiently resolve an identity-theft victim’s issues. The legislation is endorsed by numerous groups, including AARP, Social Security Works, the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM), Justice in Aging, and the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives (NOSSCR).",1,2026-09-19T09:11:33Z,2026-09-19T09:12:45Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/qanda-keeping-america-safe,Q&A: Keeping America Safe,2026-09-18,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Q: What’s driving lower crime rates across the country? A: In the first two years of the second Trump administration, promising new data show a historic decline in violent crime, particularly in urban areas. The downward trend is boosted by key policy victories to secure the border, lower taxes that strengthened small businesses and family take-home pay and deliver much-needed support for law enforcement. The Biden administration’s disastrous open border policies gave criminal networks a green light to push their illicit drug and human trafficking operations into communities across the country. Turning the page on that chaotic chapter has restored U.S. sovereignty and returned law and order to America’s streets to improve public safety across the country. According to the FBI, the historic drop marked the largest year-to-year decline in a century, delivering double-digit declines in violent crime across America. From 2024 to 2025, murder was down 18.1%; robbery lowered 18.5%, aggravated assault declined 7.2%; property crime fell 12.4% and motor vehicle theft dropped 22.7%. The downward crime trend is welcome news to families and businesses who benefit when law and order deliver safer streets. The surge in crime sprees and lawlessness during the previous administration was fueled by radical efforts to defund the police. As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I’ve worked to help fix the mess and advance President Trump’s law-and-order judicial nominees at the fastest pace since the Reagan administration. Americans deserve common sense crime-fighting laws and a justice system that enforces the law, investigates crimes and prosecutes offenders. That’s why I take a hands-on approach with my congressional oversight responsibilities to keep check on the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to ensure they are doing their jobs, not weaponizing the government to go after political enemies. Q: What progress has been made to ensure the safety of children? A: When the FBI Director testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee for an annual oversight hearing, I applauded his leadership for restoring the core mission of the nation’s premiere law enforcement agency. During his two-year tenure, all ten of the FBI’s Top 10 fugitives have been captured. What’s more, the FBI has targeted child exploitation predators and helped to locate and identify more than 11,000 children who were victims of crime. That’s up 21% from the previous 18 months. The FBI also has been involved in the arrest of more than 5,000 child predators and human traffickers. The men and women who helped bring online predators, sex traffickers, kidnappers and abusers to justice are bringing peace of mind to moms and dads across the country. From the helm of the Judiciary Committee, I led an investigation into eight major tech companies regarding their alleged failure to sufficiently report online child sexual exploitation. I’m glad to learn from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that my inquiries led to a significant improvement of their reporting to the CyberTipline. All electronic service providers (ESPs) are required by law to report suspected cases of online child sexual exploitation to NCMEC’s CyberTipline. These reports are critical for law enforcement to investigate and prosecute suspected predators.",1,2026-09-19T09:11:33Z,2026-09-19T09:12:45Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-hinson-lead-bipartisan-push-for-stillbirth-prevention-and-awareness,"Grassley, Hinson Lead Bipartisan Push for Stillbirth Prevention and Awareness",2026-09-17,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Download audio HERE. WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) joined Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), along with Rep. Alma Adams, (D-N.C.) and others, to introduce a bipartisan, bicameral resolution recognizing September 19, 2026, as National Stillbirth Prevention and Awareness Day. In 2024, the bipartisan Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act, supported by Grassley and Hinson, was signed into law to help save the lives of mothers and babies across America. With almost one-fourth of stillbirths being potentially preventable, this resolution stresses the importance of advancing evidence-based stillbirth prevention efforts in the United States. “No family should have to endure the heartbreak of a stillbirth. While states like Iowa have made progress at reducing stillbirths, there’s still much more to be done to strengthen maternal healthcare, especially in rural areas, to help prevent these tragedies. Our bipartisan resolution raises awareness and promotes research to help target contributing factors and save babies’ lives,” Grassley said. “Improving prenatal education and access to maternal care—especially in rural areas where women may travel over an hour to see a provider—is critical to protecting babies and reducing maternal deaths. Getting my Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act signed into law was a major step, but more must be done to support expecting moms and prevent stillbirths. I’m proud to reintroduce this resolution recognizing September 19th as National Stillbirth Prevention and Awareness Day and will continue working across the aisle to end the tragedy of stillbirth,” Hinson said. In addition to Grassley, Hinson, Merkley, Booker and Adams, the resolution is cosponsored by Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Angus King (I-Maine), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore) and by Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.). The bipartisan, bicameral resolution is supported by 46 organizations, including Healthy Birth Day, Inc. Full text of the resolution can be found HERE. Download audio from the senator HERE. Background: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every 183 births—more than 20,000 per year—tragically results in a stillbirth, which is more stillbirths annually than the number of babies who pass away during their first year of life. Parents who experience stillbirth are also at an increased risk for severe maternal morbidity, depression and mortality.",1,2026-09-18T09:27:43Z,2026-09-18T09:29:09Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-recognized-as-champion-for-biofuels,Grassley Recognized as Champion for Biofuels,2026-09-17,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong family farmer and member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, accepted Growth Energy’s 2026 “Fueling Growth Award” for his leadership on biofuels and his ongoing support for America’s family farmers and biofuel producers. “As a lifelong Iowa corn and soybean farmer, I know firsthand how important our homegrown biofuels are for our national security, our pocketbooks and our environment. Biofuels are good, good, good. That’s why I’m continuing to fight tirelessly to get year-round, nationwide E15 over the finish line,” Grassley said. “I’m proud to be a strong voice for Iowa biofuels at the policymaking tables in Washington.” Senator Grassley accepts the 2026 ""Fueling Growth Award"" from members of Growth Energy, including Iowa family farmer and biofuels advocate Bill Couser. Download photo HERE. Background: Grassley helped establish the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, and conducts oversight to ensure the executive branch appropriately implements the program. Grassley also met with the National Oilseed Association yesterday to discuss the RFS. The group presented Grassley with an award recognizing him as a Champion of Agriculture. Grassley has championed E15 in the Senate for over 15 years: April 2026: Spoke on the Senate floor to support Iowa’s Members of Congress for fighting for family farmers on E15 and the Farm Bill. March 2026: Spoke at an Agriculture Committee hearing in strong support of E15. January 2026: Wrote an op-ed praising President Trump’s support for legislation allowing for the year-round, nationwide sale of E15. September 2025: Received Growth Energy’s 2025 “Fueling Growth Award” for his efforts to support biofuel production. October 2025: Called for any legislation that includes ad hoc payments to farmers to also include E15. August 2025: Introduced the bipartisan Ethanol for America Act to make it easier for Americans to fuel their vehicles with homegrown E15. April 2025: Joined a bipartisan letter urging President Trump to permit the nationwide sale of E15 fuel through the 2025 summer driving season and beyond. February 2025: Reintroduced the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act with Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a congressional proposal to allow for E15 sales year-round and nationwide. April 2024: Welcomed the EPA’s emergency fuel waiver permitting nationwide E15 sales for the summer 2024 driving season. February 2024: Applauded the EPA’s decision to approve a petition from eight Midwestern governors to permanently authorize year-round E-15 sales in their states. December 2023: Pushed the EPA to quickly finalize a summertime waiver, helping retailers prepare for summer 2024 sales. April 2023: Issued a statement on the EPA’s decision to permit nationwide E15 sales for the summer 2023 driving season. April 2023: Sent a letter urging President Joe Biden to issue an emergency waiver allowing for the summertime sale of E15. March 2023: Reintroduced the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act with Fischer and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). November 2022: Introduced legislation to expand the year-round sale of E15 nationwide, extending the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) volatility waiver to ethanol blends above 10%. March 2022: Sent a letter urging President Biden to permit the year-round sale of E15 fuel to restore American energy independence. April 2021: Introduced the Renewable Fuel Infrastructure Investment and Market Expansion Act requiring the EPA to finalize its proposed rule removing certain barriers to expanded sales of E15. July 2021: Reintroduced the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act with Fischer and Klobuchar. May 2019: Led the effort to encourage the first Trump administration to approve year-round E15. March 2019: Praised the EPA’s proposed rule allowing the year-round sale of E15. February 2019: Reintroduced the Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act. January 2019: Received the E15 award from the Iowa Corn Growers Association. Alongside Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) for championing year-round sales of E15. October 2018: Released a video statement in support of the EPA beginning the process of allowing year-round use of E15 gasoline. March 2017: Introduced the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act. October 2018: Authored an op-ed with Ernst in support of year-round E15. March 2015: Introduced the Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act to remove the EPA’s impediments to market competition and innovation in the transportation fuel market. January 2011: Praised EPA’s decision to expand eligibility for its E15 waiver. October 2010: Welcomed the EPA’s decision first authorizing E15 usage. -30-",1,2026-09-18T09:27:43Z,2026-09-18T09:29:09Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-earns-award-for-championing-iowa-pork-producers,Ernst Earns Award for Championing Iowa Pork Producers,2026-09-16,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, received the National Pork Producers Council’s (NPPC) inaugural “Bringing Home the Bacon” Congressional Award in recognition of her work supporting America’s 60,000-plus pork producers. Senator Ernst receives the inaugural “Bringing Home the Bacon” award from NPPC President and Iowa pork producer Rob Brenneman Download more photos of Senator Ernst here. “Growing up feeding hogs and walking beans on my family farm in southwest Iowa, I learned early that agriculture is not just an industry in Iowa—it is our way of life,” said Ernst. “It has been the honor of a lifetime to fight for our pork producers, and I’m grateful to be earning this award for my work. I will keep fighting to bring home the bacon by standing up to California’s Proposition 12, protecting our herds from foreign animal disease, and opening new markets for Iowa farmers and producers.” “Pork producers—both in and outside Iowa—benefit from Senator Ernst’s pure grit and willingness to never back down from the good fight,” said NPPC President Rob Brenneman, a pork producer from Washington County, Iowa. “Senator Ernst always takes the time to hear our concerns and, most importantly, find solutions to help our industry thrive. We sincerely thank her for her years of service in the United States Senate.” ###",1,2026-09-17T09:52:05Z,2026-09-17T09:53:00Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-miller-meeks-applaud-house-passage-of-bipartisan-bill-to-expose-boondoggles,"Ernst, Miller-Meeks Applaud House Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Expose Boondoggles",2026-09-16,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) applauded the U.S. House of Representatives’ unanimous passage of their bipartisan Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act. This legislation requires taxpayer-funded projects that are more than $1 billion over budget or more than five years behind schedule to be made public. The bill now heads to the president’s desk, and it is expected to become law. “Going a billion dollars over budget isn’t a rounding error—it’s a financial trainwreck at taxpayers’ expense,” said Sen. Ernst. “Taxpayers deserve transparency, and this legislation will shine a light on these boondoggles and hold Washington accountable for its out-of-control spending.” “Iowans work hard for their money, and they expect Washington to be a good steward of every taxpayer dollar,” said Rep. Miller-Meeks. “When billion-dollar projects go years over schedule and billions over budget, taxpayers deserve answers and accountability. The Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act will shine a light on these financial train wrecks and make sure Congress and the American people know where their money is going. I’m proud to see this bill pass Congress and head to the president’s desk, and I thank Senator Ernst for her partnership in getting this important legislation across the finish line.” Following a report released by Ernst that exposed more than a dozen projects that collectively experienced $162 billion in cost overruns, Ernst and Miller-Meeks have worked hand in hand to lead the fight to pass this bill to require the Office of Management and Budget to compile and publicly report information on federally funded projects that are over budget and behind schedule. Read the bill here. Background Ernst has spent years working to expose and eliminate wasteful government spending, including successfully advocating for the defunding of California’s high-speed rail project, which she has highlighted as an example of a major government project plagued by cost overruns and delays. In 2022, Ernst secured a provision in the Inflation Reduction Act requiring the Department of Transportation to track taxpayer-funded projects that were significantly over budget or behind schedule. She continued pushing for greater transparency through the introduction of the Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act in 2023 to shine a light on costly and delayed federal projects. In December 2025, Ernst successfully led the U.S. Senate to pass her bipartisan Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act. Earlier this year, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform passed the bill out of committee. With the national debt now exceeding $40 trillion, the boondoggle report will give Congress a list of failed projects to fix or cancel to save taxpayers billions of dollars every single year. ###",1,2026-09-17T09:52:05Z,2026-09-17T09:53:00Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-welcomes-farm-bill-progress-more-work-needed,"Ernst Welcomes Farm Bill Progress, More Work Needed",2026-09-16,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) released the following statement after the Senate Agriculture Committee successfully advanced the Farm Bill in a 12-11 vote: “Today’s vote moves the Farm Bill process forward and brings us closer to delivering certainty for Iowa farmers and rural communities. The bill includes important priorities I have fought for, from expanding access to year-round E15 and protecting American farmland from China to supporting farmer mental health,” said Senator Ernst. “There is still work ahead to build the bipartisan support needed to get a strong five-year Farm Bill across the finish line. I am ready to work with my colleagues across the aisle on a fair path forward for SNAP that strengthens accountability and treats states equally. The final Farm Bill must also include a long-term solution to Proposition 12 that protects livestock producers from a costly future patchwork of conflicting state mandates. I will keep working to deliver a Farm Bill into law that meets the needs of Iowa agriculture.” Watch Senator Ernst’s remarks here. ###",1,2026-09-17T09:52:05Z,2026-09-17T09:53:00Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/video-grassley-votes-to-advance-the-senate-farm-bill,VIDEO: Grassley Votes to Advance the Senate Farm Bill,2026-09-16,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Click HERE for broadcast quality video. WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong family farmer, today voted to advance the Farm Bill in the Senate Agriculture Committee. The bill was favorably reported by a vote of 12-11, with all committee Democrats voting against the Farm Bill. The Farm Bill builds on the Working Families Tax Cuts Act Republicans passed last summer by strengthening the farm safety net, investing in rural communities and boosting America’s long-term competitiveness. The legislation will invest in Rural America and provide needed certainty for the ag economy. Importantly, the bill advanced by the committee today also authorizes the permanent, year-round sale of E15. Video and a transcript of Grassley’s remarks are below. Broadcast quality video can be found HERE. VIDEO I’m pleased to report the Senate Agriculture Committee has advanced a new five-year Farm Bill. Republicans made a number of updates to strengthen the farm safety net in last year’s Working Families Tax Cuts Act. The Farm Bill provides greater certainty for family farmers and would finally deliver year-round, nationwide E15, which lowers gas prices for consumers and increases domestic corn demand and would put $14 billion more into the corn economy. Every Democrat on the Ag Committee voted against the Farm Bill, and every Republican voted for it. I’ll be pushing Leader Thune to get the Farm Bill passed as soon as possible. Iowans know that I’ve fought hard for E15 and a new five-year Farm Bill, and I’m not done working toward that goal.",1,2026-09-17T09:52:05Z,2026-09-17T09:53:00Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/washingtons-secret-spending-stops-today,Washington’s Secret Spending Stops Today!,2026-09-15,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – After years of fighting to increase transparency around Washington spending, President Donald Trump signed U.S. Senator Joni Ernst’s (R-Iowa) bipartisan bill, the Stop Secret Spending Act, into law to require public disclosure of previously hidden government expenditures. Current law requires most federal spending to be publicly reported on USAspending.gov, allowing taxpayers to see who receives federal funds and details about how, where, and why the money is spent. However, a loophole has allowed agencies to withhold thousands of spending arrangements known as Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) from public disclosure – the Stop Secret Spending Act closes that loophole. The law also requires the federal government to publish a summary of any spending that remains exempt from public disclosure, including the total amount withheld and the justification for doing so, increasing transparency and accountability across the federal government. Because bureaucrats couldn’t be trusted to fully enact the original law, the Stop Secret Spending Act includes several safeguards to guarantee full transparency: Over the next decade, the Inspectors General of government agencies and departments are required to conduct regular reviews to ensure spending information is being provided to taxpayers in a timely, complete, and accurate manner; The Government Accountability Office will also conduct a review and make recommendations for improvements; and The Treasury Department must issue an annual report providing the total amount spent on grants, contracts, and other awards not included in USAspending.gov along with the reason that data is not posted for the public. “Taxpayers deserve the receipts. For years, I’ve fought to drag Washington’s secret spending into the sunlight, and I’m grateful President Trump signed my bill into law,” said Sen. Ernst. “Now, bureaucrats won’t be able to spend Americans’ hard-earned money in the dark.” “Americans deserve to know how their hard-earned tax dollars are being used. Right now, federal agencies are able to hide billions of dollars in spending from public view through agreements that are not subject to normal government spending disclosure requirements,” said Sen. Hassan. “I’m pleased to see this bipartisan bill to bring more transparency to government spending become law.” “Waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer resources by the federal government remains a concern for all Americans,” said Sen. Peters. “This commonsense legislation will let Americans see how their hard-earned dollars are used, so I’m quite glad that this critical, bipartisan bill has become law.” “For too long, billions of dollars in federal spending have gone unreported due to a loophole in the disclosure of other transaction agreements,” said Rep. Panetta. “I’m proud that our bipartisan, bicameral Stop Secret Spending Act has been signed into law, closing that gap by ensuring these expenditures are accounted for on USAspending.gov. This is a commonsense step toward strengthening public trust, improving fiscal accountability, and ensuring responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.” “Washington has spent far too long operating behind closed doors, and the American people deserve better. That is why I introduced the Stop Secret Spending Act, and I am proud to see President Trump sign it into law,” said Rep. Moore. “I am grateful to Senator Joni Ernst and Congressman Jimmy Panetta for standing with me in this fight to bring greater transparency and accountability to federal spending. This law closes a loophole that allowed billions of taxpayer dollars to escape public scrutiny and makes clear that American taxpayers have a right to know how their money is being spent. This is an important step toward changing the way Washington does business and putting taxpayers first.” Background: Senator Ernst has long advocated for greater transparency in federal spending. She first introduced the bipartisan Stop Secret Spending Act after raising concerns about billions of dollars in undisclosed federal spending through Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) and has repeatedly pushed the legislation forward. Over the past five fiscal years (October 1, 2021, through September 14, 2026): The Department of War has obligated $85 billion for thousands of OTAs, through over 30,000 hard-to-track contracts, of which 1,898 are unclassified contracts of $10-million-or-more (438 $10mil+ contracts in just this fiscal year alone). The Department of Homeland Security has obligated $52.2 million for over 700 OTAs; and The Department of the Interior has obligated $858.8 million for over 220 OTAs, with many of these actually paid out for the Department of Health and Human Services’ ARPA-H biomedical research contracts. In August, the Stop Secret Spending Act passed the U.S. Senate unanimously and was sent to the president’s desk. Ernst has continued working across the aisle to advance the legislation and ensure taxpayers have greater visibility into how their hard-earned dollars are spent. ###",1,2026-09-16T09:43:13Z,2026-09-16T09:44:22Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/capitol-hill-report-09-15-26,"Capitol Hill Report, 09-15-26",2026-09-15,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Audio from this afternoon’s call is available HERE. Topics include: the Senate Judiciary Committee’s FBI oversight hearing, diesel prices, Iran, whistleblower advocacy and the 2026 midterm elections.",1,2026-09-16T09:43:13Z,2026-09-16T09:44:22Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-questions-director-patel-at-senate-judiciary-committee-oversight-hearing,Grassley Questions Director Patel at Senate Judiciary Committee Oversight Hearing,2026-09-15,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) questioned Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel at today’s FBI oversight hearing. Grassley pressed Patel on the FBI’s work to root out suspected Afghan terrorists that entered the country through the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome program and the FBI’s expansion of counter drone capabilities, as well as the FBI’s efforts to combat whistleblower retaliation and shine light on Operation Round River and the Crossfire Hurricane investigation. Patel thanked Grassley for his Big Tech oversight, which the director confirmed has resulted in “significantly improved” child safety reporting. Video and a transcript of Grassley and Patel’s exchange follow. VIDEO Protecting Kids Online GRASSLEY: “In April 2026, I wrote to eight major internet companies to ensure NCMEC received enough data to hold online child predators accountable. NCMEC informed me last month that several companies have ‘significantly improved’ their child safety reporting. The FBI has assigned personnel to NCMEC to review online reports. “What improvements can these companies make so that the FBI can more effectively turn the tables and hunt these predators down?” PATEL: “These companies… [have] allowed us to gain access to their intelligence and their databases for the first time ever, in a secure fashion, specifically for the role of man-hunting child predators and finding missing and exploited children. “As I stated in my opening, we have found and located over 11,000 children – that's up 20%. That's never happened before. So, thank you for that jolt in the arm that was needed in the private sector. We're going to continue to expand those engagements and work with Congress...so that this continuous flow of data can come in legally and lawfully, and that law enforcement can use it.” Oversight of the Afghan Parole Program GRASSLEY: “The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has produced to my office letters of recommendation for two Afghan evacuees placed in the United States during the Biden administration. Department of Homeland Security has confirmed in writing that the government official who signed the letters was Morgan Killington. According to State Department emails, Killington is not a real person. “The Afghan evacuee charged with shooting two West Virginia National Guardsmen and the Afghan evacuee charged with funding ISIS-K received those letters of recommendation. Clearly, this is a sign of failed vetting. “Is the FBI performing ongoing reviews to ensure known or suspected terrorists didn’t slip into the country or otherwise should’ve been barred from entry? What has the FBI found to date?” PATEL: “We are working with our partners at DHS who lead this mission… the number of known or suspected terrorists encountered at the northern and southern border have dropped, thanks to the [security] of the southern border and thanks to the presence of law enforcement and DHS on the northern border “We're going to continue to work with our intel partners to reach back through and analyze Operation Allies Welcome after the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, and we’ll continue to vet those individuals to make sure we never have an event, a tragic terrorist attack, like we witnessed here in the heart of Washington, D.C., last year in Thanksgiving.” Uncovering Prohibited Access Files and Operation Round River GRASSLEY: “At last year’s oversight hearing, I raised concerns about FBI files being hidden in Prohibited Access and Restricted Access cases. You noted last year that you’d produce records found in these types of cases, which you’ve done a good job of. “Please update the committee on the steps you’ve taken to ensure these types of records are discoverable and that records can’t be hidden from Congress, the courts and the American people.” PATEL: “The prohibitive cases, Mr. Chairman, were created just for that purpose – to evade transparency [and] to evade promulgation of FBI records that should be made available under FOIA and constitutional oversight. So, we simply did the following: I eliminated prohibited cases… we will work with your committee to continue producing records for what used to be called prohibitive cases.” GRASSLEY: “As I noted in my opening statement, I have concerns about how Round River records were stored, managed and classified. Round River was the operation that shut down certain government sources regarding the Biden family with apparently no justification. For example, some records include banner markings with ‘Round River’ as a classification code. This is highly unusual, if not outright improper. “What steps have you taken to investigate any improper classification of Round River records and hold people accountable?” PATEL: “Thanks to your referral, Mr. Chairman, and shedding light on this, we looked at the classification processes surrounding this ‘creation’ of a [classification] called Round River. We discovered that there was no FBI policy to substantiate such a classification, and that it was basically made up. “So now, working with you and your staff, we are committed to continue to produce [records], on top of the nearly 2,000 pages of documents on Round River that we've already produced… We are conducting an internal investigation through the Inspection Division on the individuals who launched and codified this false and fake [classification].” Combating Whistleblower Retaliation GRASSLEY: “According to an August 2026 Justice Department Inspector General report, FBI officials during [former FBI Director] Wray's tenure retaliated against an FBI employee named Jacob Mercer. These FBI officials are still employed. “At your nomination hearing, you committed to ensuring whistleblowers are protected from retaliation. What steps has the FBI taken to hold the retaliators accountable for their violation of law, and if nothing's been done, will you commit to updating the committee on accountability measures?” PATEL: “That is in the middle of an internal investigation. As soon as I'm able to update the committee, after working with our Department of Justice partners, I will do so.” Expanding FBI’s Counter Drone Capacity GRASSLEY: “The Safer Skies Act granted long overdue authority to state and local law enforcement agencies to protect their communities from malicious drones. As of July 1st, the FBI had certified 46 eligible agencies to conduct drone mitigation, training a maximum of 16 officers per month. We can’t get our law enforcement agencies certified to use these authorities fast enough. “What’s the FBI doing to expand and expedite its counter drone training capacity for eligible state and local law enforcement agencies?” PATEL: “The FBI, under my leadership, stood up the first ever counter-UAS school, called NCUTC, down at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, where we've trained hundreds of law enforcement officers… “What we've asked Congress for is increased funding so that we can triple the size of that school, allowing more state and local officers to come in and work with us, and deploy them like we did during the World Cup on our ground intercept teams to cover 11 separate venues and take down 750 drones. We need more equipment, more tech and more bodies trained.” Exposing the Weaponized Crossfire Hurricane Investigation GRASSLEY: “For almost a decade, I’ve exposed political weaponization during Crossfire Hurricane and so have you. President Trump issued an Executive Order in each of his administrations mandating declassification of Crossfire Hurricane records. “Please describe the steps you’ve taken to ensure full declassification and whether other agencies, like the CIA, have created roadblocks to declassifying all records.” PATEL: “The Crossfire Hurricane declassification at the FBI, at least what's under my control, Mr. Chairman, has been fully declassified. There is some information in there that I do not control because we do not own it, and we have vigorously worked with our intelligence community partners to declassify that. We've produced the largest amount of Crossfire Hurricane documentation to the Congress ever, and we're going to continue.”",1,2026-09-16T09:43:13Z,2026-09-16T09:44:22Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-names-small-business-of-the-week-five-sons-landscaping-and-design,"Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, Five Sons Landscaping & Design",2026-09-14,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"Throughout this Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties. RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: Five Sons Landscape & Design of Madison County. Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in each of Iowa's 99 counties. “Five Sons Landscape & Design has laid the groundwork for success through hard work, family values, and a commitment to serving their fellow Iowans,” said Chair Ernst. “From a humble background, Brady started with a wheelbarrow and borrowed tools to build a full-service landscaping company alongside his family. Five Sons has continued to grow deep roots in the Winterset community through their dedication to their customers, conservation, veterans, and the next generation.” Founded on a dream between father and son, Eric and Brady Pugh, Five Sons Landscaping began in 2013 after both returned from a military deployment to Afghanistan. Brady built the business from the ground up and named the company in honor of his family – Eric and Monica’s five sons. Today, the Winterset-based company remains family-owned and operated and offers a variety of landscaping services, including paver patios and sidewalks, retaining walls, boulder walls, plantings, and property maintenance. Stay tuned as Chair Ernst continues to recognize outstanding Iowa small businesses with her Small Business of the Week award. ###",1,2026-09-15T09:50:21Z,2026-09-15T09:52:05Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/during-national-truck-driver-appreciation-week-grassley-celebrates-efforts-to-deliver-safer-roads-for-families-and-industry,"During National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, Grassley Celebrates Efforts to Deliver Safer Roads for Families and Industry",2026-09-14,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is welcoming improvements to roadway safety amid National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (September 13-19). In a response to a Grassley oversight letter, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) touted their recent actions to prevent drivers from violating Department of Transportation (DOT) and FMCSA regulations. Additionally, the Trump administration recently announced a historic crackdown on fraud in the trucking industry, including stronger enforcement of English language proficiency requirements. The announcement comes after Grassley and other elected officials pressed for action. “Truck drivers put in the miles to keep our economy moving and bring Iowa’s world-class goods to market. I appreciate the Trump administration taking this issue seriously and responding to my oversight letters. By cracking down on fraudsters trying to game the system, this administration is standing with our truckers and working to keep America’s roads safe,” Grassley said. “The state of Iowa is proud to support the truck drivers and motor carriers who build our economy,” said Scott Marler, Director of the Iowa Department of Transportation. “Our commercial driver licensing programs, truck parking facilities, and highway improvements provide an environment where truckers can deliver for Iowans and across the nation.” Helping drivers get safely back on the road: In April, Grassley pressed FMCSA regarding allegations that a network of scammers was abusing the Return-to-Duty (RTD) program to circumvent FMCSA’s legally mandated recovery process and to fraudulently collect fees from truck drivers. In its response to Grassley, FMCSA reported its recent actions to protect the integrity of the RTD program and hold fraudsters accountable for violating DOT and FMCSA regulations. This includes new identity verification requirements and plans to discontinue the self-certification process later this year. Curbing CDL fraud: Grassley and others pressed the Trump administration to prevent illegal immigrants and fraudsters from obtaining commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) and ensure CDL holders meet English language proficiency requirements. Numerous news reports have shown dangerous illegal immigrant drivers causing serious accidents that leave Americans severely injured or killed. In August, DOT Secretary Sean Duffy and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin joined other federal partners to announce a historic interagency effort to crack down on fraud in the trucking industry. The coalition is launching a nationwide audit of CDL testing and is removing over 110 CDL schools associated with thousands of drivers who failed English proficiency tests. Combating organized retail crime: Grassley and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) are leading the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act to crack down on cargo theft and intricate retail theft schemes. Their bipartisan legislation strengthens the federal response to organized retail crime and establishes new tools to recover stolen goods and illicit proceeds. It’s estimated that approximately $35 billion is lost to cargo theft each year.",1,2026-09-15T09:50:21Z,2026-09-15T09:52:05Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-marks-25-years-since-september-11-freedom-is-never-free,Ernst Marks 25 Years Since September 11: Freedom Is Never Free,2026-09-11,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a combat veteran of the Global War on Terrorism, issued the following statement to reflect on the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001: “Twenty-five years ago, America’s strength was tested. September 11th changed our nation forever, but it also showed the world the resilience, courage, and unity of the American people,” said Ernst. “A quarter-century later, we remember the innocent lives taken from us and honor the extraordinary Americans who came together in the face of unimaginable tragedy to help our nation heal and rebuild. We must never forget that freedom is never free—it is defended every day by the brave men and women who answer the call to serve. Today, we renew our promise to Never Forget and remain steadfast in protecting the freedoms that keep America a beacon of hope and liberty around the world.”",1,2026-09-12T09:02:30Z,2026-09-12T09:03:27Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/qanda-upholding-public-trust-in-government,Q&A: Upholding Public Trust in Government,2026-09-11,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Q: What motivates you to hold meetings in every county across Iowa every year? A: When the Senate’s not in session, I’m home meeting with Iowans. Having dialogue with my constituents is the essence of representative government. As your senator, I bring your ideas and concerns back to Washington, D.C., to solve problems that are making it harder to get ahead and stay ahead. This year I completed my 99 county meetings for the 46th year in a row with more than 100 workers at Sub-Zero in Cedar Rapids. Holding Q&As at hospitals, manufacturing facilities and on the factory floor provides an additional benefit to keep on top of the challenges facing employers and the workforce, as well as learning about our high-quality products and services here in Iowa. I also make it a priority to foster civic engagement with younger generations and enjoy answering questions from students at schools across Iowa. I’m often asked why I started my annual 99 county meetings. Before I was elected to the U.S. Senate, I was at a local restaurant and overheard someone say that “it must be election time” because politicians were in town. That remark stuck with me. That’s when I decided to hold a meeting in every county, at least once, every year – not every six years. I’m glad my approach to representative government has influenced presidential candidates and other elected officials to hold themselves accountable to the people with face-to-face meetings. Obviously, it’s not possible to meet in person with more than three million Iowans, so I encourage people to share their opinions and concerns by calling my office or sending me an email at https://www.grassley.senate.gov/. Whether I interact in person at a county meeting, by email or in my office on Capitol Hill, feedback from Iowans informs my work at the policymaking tables. For example, when Iowans told me about a steep price increase for their child’s EpiPen that’s used for emergency treatment for life-threatening allergic reactions, I investigated the situation that led to bipartisan legislation to fix the problem. More recently, I’ve led efforts to fix California’s Prop 12 that’s added a costly burden to Iowa pig farmers’ operations and adversely impacts Iowa’s economy, the number one pork producing state in the nation. I’m also leading a bipartisan push for much-needed reforms in the pharmaceutical industry that’s making it harder for rural pharmacies to keep their doors open. Based on feedback from local employers across Iowa, I supported tax relief to boost the engine of the U.S. economy in the Working Families Tax Cuts Actthat enable small businesses to invest in their operations, create new jobs, raise wages and boost benefits for their employees. As your senator, I remind Iowans that my door is always open. Q: Why did you cosponsor the Stop Insider Trading Act? A: My annual 99 county meetings keep my finger on the pulse of Iowans as I work to strengthen public confidence in government. Years ago, Iowans often would ask why Congress doesn’t have to follow the same laws it applies to American society. Prior to 1995, Congress was exempt from a dozen workplace laws. My bipartisan Congressional Accountability Act delivered a reality check to the people who write the laws of the land so that lawmakers walk in the shoes of our constituents. There’s also growing concern among Americans that elected officeholders enrich themselves while serving in office. Under no circumstances should members of Congress profit from insider information while shaping public policy. Public service is a privilege, not a stepping stone to a fat bank account. Among my efforts to restore public trust in government, I led efforts to improve the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act enacted during the Obama administration to prohibit members of Congress and federal employees from profiting from nonpublic, insider information. Since its passage, I’ve worked to close loopholes in the law. Most recently, I’ve cosponsored the Stop Insider Trading Act. This legislation would prohibit members of Congress, their spouses and dependent children from purchasing publicly traded stocks. Moreover, members would be required to file a seven-day public notice prior to the sale of any stock they presently own. Violations of the bill’s requirements would result in stiff penalties and the forfeiture of any gain realized from the transaction. With the support of Iowa Reps. Ashley Hinson, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Zach Nunn and Randy Feenstra, the House of Representatives passed the bill in July. Voters place their trust in elected representatives to do what’s right and this bill establishes guardrails to do just that. After 46 years of holding Q&As in every county, every year across the state, it’s an honor and a privilege to listen, learn and advocate on behalf of my fellow Iowans. Without a doubt, common sense runs rampant in Iowa and I’m working as hard as ever to uphold the public trust in government by displacing Washington nonsense with Iowa common sense.",1,2026-09-12T09:02:30Z,2026-09-12T09:03:27Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-names-small-business-of-the-week-pipers-grocery-and-homemade-candies,"Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, Piper’s Grocery and Homemade Candies",2026-09-08,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"RED OAK, IOWA – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: Piper’s Grocery and Homemade Candies of Lucas County. Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in each of Iowa's 99 counties. “Piper’s Grocery and Homemade Candies has sweetened the Chariton community for more than 120 years, preserving generations of tradition that make Iowans keep coming back,” said Chair Ernst. “From handmade candies crafted with time-tested recipes to locally made products that support surrounding shops, Jill and her team have maintained a business that is truly a treat for Chariton.” Piper’s first opened in downtown Chariton in 1905 when Joe L. Piper began serving the community with fresh meats, bread, and everyday essentials. His son, Bob, later took over the business and introduced homemade candies using recipes and techniques that are still used today. After longtime employees Anne and Jim Kerns purchased Piper’s in the 1980s, their daughter, Jill Kerns, took ownership in 1988. Today, Jill and her team continue making Piper’s famous candies in small batches while offering deli meats and cheeses, fresh sandwiches, groceries, Iowa-made foods, and locally crafted products. Stay tuned as Chair Ernst continues to recognize outstanding Iowa small businesses with her Small Business of the Week award. ###",1,2026-09-09T09:27:09Z,2026-09-09T09:29:04Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-shaheen-self-issue-statement-ahead-of-the-funeral-of-ratko-mladic,"Grassley, Shaheen, Self Issue Statement Ahead of the Funeral of Ratko Mladic",2026-09-06,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and U.S. Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, to issue the following statement ahead of Ratko Mladic's funeral. “Ratko Mladic was a war criminal and the architect of the Srebrenica genocide, in which more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were murdered. His forces were also responsible for the nearly four-year siege of Sarajevo, one of the longest in modern history. Together, his actions constitute some of the most inhumane atrocities committed on European soil since World War II. “It is a desecration—to the memory of his victims and to a region still living with the consequences of his campaign of ethnic cleansing—for any government to memorialize or glorify his death. It is already deeply troubling that Serbia has announced Mladic will be buried with state and military honors and that Milorad Dodik hailed Mladic as ‘a fighter for Serbian freedom.’ “Ahead of Monday’s funeral, we call on the Government of Serbia and the Government of Republika Srpska to refrain from any association with the planned ceremonies and to ensure that no public statement or official act memorializes Mladic as anything other than what he was: a convicted architect of genocide. “The coming days will be a test of whether Serbia and Republika Srpska are prepared to break from the past and advance toward EU accession and Euro-Atlantic integration—or whether they will allow that past to once again stand in the way of a better future for their people.”",1,2026-09-09T09:27:09Z,2026-09-09T09:29:04Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/09/04/2026/grassley-announces-staff-traveling-office-hours-across-iowa,Grassley Announces Staff Traveling Office Hours Across Iowa,2026-09-04,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley’s (R-Iowa) staff will hold traveling office hours in 48 counties from Monday, September 14, to Thursday, September 24. Iowans seeking assistance with a federal agency or wishing to share their views may stop by during the scheduled hours listed below. NOTE: Senator Grassley will not be in attendance. He will be represented by his Deputy State Director Penny Vacek and Regional Directors, Rochelle Fuller, Jonathan Bladt, Noah Schrad, Jacob Bossman and Clayton Brown. “As I always say, dialogue is the essence of representative government. I make an effort to meet with as many Iowans as I can face-to-face each year to hear what’s on their minds. While I can’t meet personally with all three million Iowans, my staff holds traveling office hours as an additional way to ensure Iowans’ voices are heard and their issues are addressed,” Grassley said. “I encourage Iowans needing assistance to stop by during these upcoming traveling office hours to meet with my staff, or contact me anytime at grassley.senate.gov.” Last month Grassley completed his annual 99 county meetings for the 46th year in a row, and will continue to hold question-and-answer sessions with Iowans throughout the remainder of the year. The schedule for Grassley’s staff traveling office hours is as follows: Monday, September 14 Hancock County 9 – 10 a.m. Garner Chamber 483 State Street Garner Regional Director Clayton Brown Washington County 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Wellman City Hall 316 8th Avenue Wellman Regional Director Rochelle Fuller Jefferson County 10 – 11 a.m. Fairfield City Hall Council Chambers 118 South Main Street Fairfield Deputy State Director Penny Vacek Winnebago County 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Lake Mills Truman Helgeson Community Center 227 West Main Street Lake Mills Regional Director Clayton Brown Worth County 12 – 1 p.m. Worth County Supervisors Room 1000 Central Avenue Northwood Regional Director Clayton Brown Wapello County 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Ottumwa City Hall Council Chambers 105 East 3rd Street Ottumwa Deputy State Director Penny Vacek Johnson County 1 – 2 p.m. Johnson County Extension Office 3109 Old Highway 218 South Iowa City Regional Director Rochelle Fuller Mills County 1:30 – 2 p.m. Southwest Iowa Technical Career Hub 58962 380th Street Hastings Regional Director Jonathan Bladt Cerro Gordo County 2 – 3 p.m. Mason City Chamber Conference Room 9 North Federal Avenue Mason City Regional Director Clayton Brown Davis County 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. Bloomfield Public Library Small Meeting Room 107 North Columbia Street Bloomfield Deputy State Director Penny Vacek Montgomery County 3:30 – 4 p.m. Montgomery County Economic Development Office 307 East Reed Street Red Oak Regional Director Jonathan Bladt Tuesday, September 15 Floyd County 9 – 10 a.m. Nora Springs City Hall 45 North Hawkeye Avenue Nora Springs Regional Director Clayton Brown Marion County 10 – 11 a.m. Knoxville Public Library Meeting Room 213 East Montgomery Street Knoxville Regional Director Noah Schrad Taylor County 10 – 11 a.m. Taylor County Farm Bureau Office 607 Pollock Boulevard Bedford Regional Director Jonathan Bladt Allamakee County 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library 515 Main Street Lansing Regional Director Rochelle Fuller Franklin County 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Sheffield Public Library 123 South 3rd Street Sheffield Regional Director Clayton Brown Page County 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Lied Public Library 100 East Garfield Street Clarinda Regional Director Jonathan Bladt Warren County 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Indianola Public Library Meeting Room 207 North B Street Indianola Regional Director Noah Schrad Wright County 1 – 2 p.m. Belmond City Hall Community Room 112 2nd Avenue Northeast Belmond Regional Director Clayton Brown Adams County 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. Adams County Economic Development Office 710 Davis Avenue Corning Regional Director Jonathan Bladt Madison County 3 – 4 p.m. Winterset Public Library Public Meeting Room 123 North 2nd Street Winterset Regional Director Noah Schrad Wednesday, September 16 Bremer County 9 – 10 a.m. Tripoli City Hall Council Chambers 303 South Main Street Tripoli Regional Director Clayton Brown Boone County 9 – 10 a.m. Ericson Public Library 2nd Floor Library Meeting Room 702 Greene Street Boone Regional Director Noah Schrad O’Brien County 9:15 – 10:15 a.m. O’Brien County Courthouse 1st Floor Assembly Room 155 South Hayes Avenue Primghar Regional Director Jacob Bossman Adams County 10 – 11 a.m. Audubon County Economic Development Office 800 Market Street Audubon Regional Director Jonathan Bladt Plymouth County 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Remsen City Hall Council Chambers 008 West 2nd Street Remsen Regional Director Jacob Bossman Greene County 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Greene County Community Center North Room 204 West Harrison Street Jefferson Regional Director Noah Schrad Shelby County 12 – 1 p.m. Shelby County Economic Development Office Suite 101 1901 Hawkeye Avenue Harlan Regional Director Jonathan Bladt Guthrie County 2 – 3 p.m. Mary J. Barnett Memorial Library Small Meeting Room 400 Grand Street Guthrie Center Regional Director Noah Schrad Thursday, September 17 Sac County 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Schaller City Building Fire Department Meeting Room 101 East 1st Street Schaller Regional Director Jacob Bossman Delaware County 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Greeley City Hall 214 East 2nd Street Greeley Regional Director Rochelle Fuller Buena Vista County 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Storm Lake City Hall Conference Room 620 Erie Street Storm Lake Regional Director Jacob Bossman Dubuque County 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Sherrill City Office Sherrill City Park 5098 Sherrill Road Sherrill Regional Director Rochelle Fuller Monday, September 21 Hamilton County 10 – 11 a.m. Hamilton County Courthouse Basement Conference Room 2300 Superior Street Webster City Regional Director Noah Schrad Story County 1 – 2 p.m. Ames Regional Economic Alliance Main Floor Boardroom 304 Main Street Ames Regional Director Noah Schrad Marshall County 3 – 4 p.m. Marshalltown Public Library Brucklacher Conference Room 105 West Boone Street Marshalltown Regional Director Noah Schrad Wednesday, September 23 Calhoun County 9:45 – 10:45 a.m. Rockwell City City Hall 335 Main Street Rockwell City Regional Director Jacob Bossman Jasper County 10 – 11 a.m. Newton Public Library Meeting Room 100 North 3rd Avenue West Newton Regional Director Noah Schrad Scott County 10 – 11 a.m. Buffalo City Hall Council Chambers 329 Dodge Street Buffalo Deputy State Director Penny Vacek Webster County 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Badger Community Center 211 1st Avenue SE Badger Regional Director Jacob Bossman Humboldt County 1 – 2 p.m. Humboldt County Courthouse Board of Supervisors Room 203 Main Street Dakota City Regional Director Jacob Bossman Polk County 1 – 2 p.m. Altoona Public Library Meeting Room B 700 8th Street Southwest Altoona Regional Director Noah Schrad Dallas County 3 – 4 p.m. Waukee Public Library Manders Meeting Room 950 South Warrior Lane Waukee Regional Director Noah Schrad Pocahontas County 3 – 4 p.m. Laurens Public Library 273 North 3rd Street Laurens Regional Director Jacob Bossman Thursday, September 24 Henry County 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Mount Pleasant City Hall 307 East Monroe Street Mount Pleasant Deputy State Director Penny Vacek Osceola County 10 – 11 a.m. Sibley Public Library Meeting Room 406 9th Street Sibley Regional Director Jacob Bossman Lee County 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Fort Madison City Hall Council Chambers 811 Avenue E Fort Madison Deputy State Director Penny Vacek Van Buren County 1 – 2 p.m. Bonaparte Community Improvement Association Building (BCIA) Cafeteria 602 8th Street Bonaparte Deputy State Director Penny Vacek",1,2026-09-05T08:49:07Z,2026-09-05T08:50:44Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-welcomes-trump-administration-actions-to-support-american-beef-producers,Grassley Welcomes Trump Administration Actions to Support American Beef Producers,2026-09-04,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong family farmer and member of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee, welcomed new actions from the Trump administration to stand with family farmers and deliver relief to beef producers across Rural America. The executive orders signed by President Trump today build on longstanding Grassley priorities, including robust enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act, more options for shipping inspected meat across state lines and a renewed focus on mandatory country-of-origin labeling. “Iowa family farmers are in need of some good news, and today the Trump administration delivered just that. For years, I’ve sounded the alarm about anticompetitive practices in the meatpacking industry and the need to support domestic producers’ cattle markets. It’s good to see President Trump acting on policies that will directly benefit Iowans,” Grassley said. Background: Grassley introduced the Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act to strengthen enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act in the meatpacking industry by adding a team of investigators with subpoena power within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Grassley is a cosponsor of the bipartisan New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act to allow meat and poultry products inspected by state Meat and Poultry Inspection programs to be sold across state lines.",1,2026-09-05T08:49:07Z,2026-09-05T08:50:44Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/qanda-beef_biofuels,Q&A: Beef & Biofuels,2026-09-04,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"UPDATE: Grassley welcomes Trump administration actions to support American beef producers Learn more HERE. Q: What can be done to help cattle producers grow their herds? A: Americans consume approximately 59 pounds of beef per person each year, a testament to this high-quality source of iron-and-protein-rich food known for its mouth-watering, nutritional value. In 2024, U.S. cattle production represented about 22 percent of the $515 billion in total cash receipts for agricultural commodities. During my annual county meetings, I’ve discussed the hardship cattle farmers are facing to build back their herds and get a fair shake in the marketplace. I’m glad U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche accepted my invitation to come to the Iowa State Fair and hear directly from Iowa farmers – who are among the two percent of the population raising food for the other 98 percent of the U.S. population – and feeling squeezed out of their livelihoods from anticompetitive practices of the Big Four meatpackers. During his confirmation hearing in July, I called upon the Attorney General to commit to enforcing federal competition laws with particular attention to the cattle markets. America’s cattle herd is at its lowest in about 75 years and still contracting after producers culled cow-calf operations due to natural disasters and other market conditions, including restrictions to mitigate the spread of New World Screwworm in the United States. It takes time to rebuild the cattle herd. I’m working to ensure supply meets demand by supporting our domestic cattle markets and pushing the Trump administration to put America’s cattle farmers and ranchers first. For example, I’m sponsoring bipartisan legislation to look into the economic impact of livestock market consolidation on cattle producers and consumers. Cattle farmers sometimes earn pennies on the dollar in a marketplace where just four companies control 85% of the market. Farmers get less, and families pay more at the grocery store. That’s why I’m also sponsoring a bill to beef up enforcement of anticompetitive practices in the consolidated meatpacking industry. Most recently, I joined a letter calling upon the USDA and U.S. Department of Interior to keep working to expand grazing access for livestock producers and strengthen risk management tools that protect cattle producers from market volatility. I also joined a bicameral letter with more than 50 farm state lawmakers urging President Trump to build on his administration’s successes with Australia and the United Kingdom to expand market access for high-quality, American-grown beef. Such trade agreements drive confidence in the market, giving cattle producers more certainty to expand and invest in rebuilding their herds. Q: How are you working to strengthen Iowa biofuels?",1,2026-09-05T08:49:07Z,2026-09-05T08:50:44Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-joins-moran-smith-50-colleagues-to-urge-expanded-markets-for-us-cattle-producers,"Grassley Joins Moran, Smith, 50 Colleagues to Urge Expanded Markets for U.S. Cattle Producers",2026-09-03,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong family farmer and member of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee, joined U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) and 50 of their colleagues in a letter urging President Trump to prioritize policies that expand trade market access and provide certainty for American cattle producers. Members of Iowa’s congressional delegation also joined the letter, including U.S. Reps. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) and Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa). “American ranchers work diligently to do more with less, weather volatile markets, and provide a safe food supply,” the lawmakers wrote. “Cattle markets are cyclical, and ranchers use the upswings to prepare for the inevitable downturn. Any intervention in the natural system, especially at a time when producers are making marketing decisions, threatens to pick winners and losers and undermine the long-term viability of family-owned cattle operations throughout the supply chain.” The letter follows President Trump’s recent proclamation to increase the “other countries” quota for lean beef trimmings by 300,000 metric tons for 90 days beginning on September 1, 2026, and indicated such imports will be sold at 25% below market price. “As you consider policy changes which could impact American livestock producers, we urge you to prioritize proposals which deliver long-term market stability and confidence while consulting closely with impacted stakeholders,” the lawmakers concluded. “We are eager to work together to deliver certainty for American cattle producers while continuing to deliver safe, affordable, and high-quality American beef.” A full list of cosigners can be found HERE. Full text of the letter can be found HERE and below. September 2, 2026 The Honorable Donald J. Trump President of the United States The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. Washington, D.C. 20500 President Trump, We appreciate your attention to the issues impacting American consumers, farmers, and ranchers. A strong American agriculture industry leads to greater efficiency, availability, affordability, and security in our food supply chain. American farmers and ranchers face significant headwinds, including years of prolonged drought, devastating natural disasters, animal disease and pest threats, market swings, and burdensome regulations. As you know, the cattle industry is facing 75-year low inventory yet continues to efficiently raise cattle and produce beef that is unmatched in quality anywhere in the world. This does not happen by accident. American ranchers work diligently to do more with less, weather volatile markets, and provide a safe food supply. Cattle markets are cyclical, and ranchers use the upswings to prepare for the inevitable downturn. Any intervention in the natural system, especially at a time when producers are making marketing decisions, threatens to pick winners and losers and undermine the long-term viability of family-owned cattle operations throughout the supply chain. Long term certainty can be delivered by fostering existing domestic demand and continuing efforts to expand overseas markets for American beef products, building on the successful trade deals you have already secured. As proven through the deals you struck with the United Kingdom and Australia, there is significant opportunity for advancing market access for American beef around the world. These trade deals, coupled with the significant benefits of the Working Families Tax Cuts, will drive long-term confidence in the market and create a natural incentive for ranchers to rebuild and expand their herds. Additionally, your support for a modernized Farm Bill would strengthen access to capital and expand flexibility within grazing and conservation programs, providing producers with the tools they need to strengthen and expand the cattle herd. As you consider policy changes which could impact American livestock producers, we urge you to prioritize proposals which deliver long-term market stability and confidence while consulting closely with impacted stakeholders. We are eager to work together to deliver certainty for American cattle producers while continuing to deliver safe, affordable, and high-quality American beef.",1,2026-09-04T09:19:37Z,2026-09-04T09:20:58Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-to-host-seventh-federal-judiciary-youth-summit-in-des-moines-for-high-school-students,Grassley to Host Seventh Federal Judiciary Youth Summit in Des Moines for High School Students,2026-09-03,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) will host his seventh Federal Judiciary Youth Summit on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at the U.S. District Courthouse in Des Moines. “While the executive and legislative branches spend more time in the limelight, the federal judiciary’s actions can impact decades, even centuries, of American life,” Grassley said. “I’m pleased to announce my seventh Federal Judiciary Youth Summit, which will provide Iowa high school students a behind-the-scenes look at the federal judiciary and a unique opportunity to speak with a U.S. district judge and a U.S. attorney about their work to uphold Americans’ constitutional freedoms. I look forward to our discussion this fall.” The summit will feature speakers from both sides of the Southern District of Iowa’s courtroom: U.S. District Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger and U.S. Attorney David Waterman. Grassley recommended both Ebinger and Waterman to their roles and helped secure their confirmations as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. The event will start with a welcome reception followed by a question-and-answer session. Invitations have been sent to 78 area high schools. Each school is allowed to bring four juniors or seniors, accompanied by one teacher. Background: Grassley has served on the Judiciary Committee since he was first elected to the U.S. Senate. He continually advocates for civic engagement and appreciation of the nation’s system of checks and balances. Under Grassley’s leadership in the 119th Congress, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced 141 of President Trump’s nominees, including 11 circuit judges, 46 district judges, one Court of International Trade judge, 48 U.S. attorneys and 12 U.S. marshals. Among these 141 nominees, four are Iowans. Learn more about Grassley’s role and responsibilities as Judiciary Chairman HERE.",1,2026-09-04T09:19:37Z,2026-09-04T09:20:58Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-applauds-5-million-in-disaster-relief-for-iowa-communities,Ernst Applauds $5 Million in Disaster Relief for Iowa Communities,2026-09-02,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) applauded President Trump for delivering $5 million in federal disaster relief funding following severe weather and heavy rainfall that impacted Iowa between July 1 and July 4. Ernst joined U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and the entire Iowa delegation in urging the administration to expedite disaster assistance for Iowa communities affected by the storms, which caused significant damage to public infrastructure and private property. “I am grateful for President Trump’s steadfast support and leadership in quickly answering our call for expedited disaster relief following the devastating storms that struck communities across Iowa,” said Ernst. “This critical funding will be a lifeline for Iowans working to rebuild their homes and vital infrastructure. I will continue fighting to ensure our communities have the resources they need to recover and come back stronger.” In addition to requesting statewide hazard mitigation assistance, Governor Reynolds requested funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance Program to help repair damaged public infrastructure and facilities, as well as reimburse eligible emergency response and debris removal costs. The FEMA Public Assistance request includes the following counties: Jasper County Polk County Story County Warren County Read the Iowa delegation’s full letter to the president HERE. Background: On July 24, 2026, Governor Reynolds announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration approved her request to provide disaster assistance to eight counties impacted by the severe storms: Boone, Dallas, Jasper, Madison, Marion, Polk, Story, and Warren counties. Read more HERE. Disaster loan applications can be submitted online at lending.sba.gov or in person at designated disaster assistance centers. Iowans impacted by the severe storms who need assistance navigating available federal resources are encouraged to contact Senator Ernst’s office or visit ernst.senate.gov. ###",1,2026-09-03T09:29:33Z,2026-09-03T09:31:32Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-marshall-barrasso-call-for-expanded-grazing-access-for-american-cattle-producers,"Grassley, Marshall, Barrasso Call for Expanded Grazing Access for American Cattle Producers",2026-09-02,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong family farmer and a member of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee, joined U.S. Sens. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) in a letter calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of the Interior to keep working to expand grazing access for livestock producers and strengthen risk management tools that protect cattle producers from market volatility. America’s cattle herd is currently at its lowest level in roughly 75 years. “The United States’ beef industry is the greatest in the world and one of the brightest spots of American agriculture, making up nearly a quarter of U.S. agriculture receipts. The federal government must remain laser-focused on partnering with the industry and state efforts for ranchers, expand grazing on public and private lands, and improve protein processing capacity,” the senators wrote. The senators are urging USDA and the Interior Department to prioritize the production of American beef through several mechanisms, including finalizing the Bureau of Land Management’s grazing rule and reevaluating federal programs that limit grazing capacity. They are also pressing the agencies to strengthen livestock risk management tools and improve meat processing capacity. “Recent legislation such as the Working Families Tax Cuts Act has strengthened American agriculture and the producers who sustain it. We stand ready to build on that record through the 2026 Farm Bill and other upcoming legislation to support our ranchers and keep beef an affordable, nutritious choice for American families. Through regulatory and statutory reforms, together we can help to rebuild the herd,” the senators continued. Full text of the letter can be found HERE. Background: Grassley has worked to support American cattle producers through efforts to bolster market transparency and take on market consolidation in the meatpacking industry. In March, Grassley and U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced the bipartisan Livestock Consolidation Research Act to support research into the economic impact of livestock market consolidation on farmers, ranchers and consumers. A similar provision was included in the U.S. Senate version of the Farm Bill. Last year, he sponsored the Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act to support cattle producers by beefing up enforcement of anticompetitive practices in the consolidated meatpacking industry.",1,2026-09-03T09:29:33Z,2026-09-03T09:31:32Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/capitol-hill-report-09-01-26,"Capitol Hill Report, 09-01-26",2026-09-01,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Audio from this morning’s call is available HERE. Topics include: Defense spending, Sen. Grassley’s recent meeting in Aplington, Venezuelan oil, protecting small businesses, government funding and Grassley’s completion of his 46th year of 99 county meetings.",1,2026-09-02T09:19:58Z,2026-09-02T09:20:51Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-applauds-eleventh-circuit-ruling-upholding-whistleblowers-ability-to-help-fight-government-fraud,Grassley Applauds Eleventh Circuit Ruling Upholding Whistleblowers’ Ability to Help Fight Government Fraud,2026-09-01,2026,2026-09,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and author of the legislation that strengthened the False Claims Act, welcomed today’s ruling from the United States Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals upholding the constitutionality of the law’s qui tam provision, which allows whistleblowers to bring lawsuits against fraudsters on behalf of the federal government and share in any recoveries. Grassley submitted an amicus brief to the Eleventh Circuit last year backing the qui tam provision. “The Eleventh Circuit just delivered a major win for whistleblowers and taxpayers alike. The False Claims Act is the government’s greatest fraud-fighting tool, and patriotic whistleblowers who use the qui tam provision often contribute to the lion’s share of recoveries. It’s not an exaggeration to say this court decision saves billions of taxpayer dollars from being lost to fraud and deters would-be fraudsters from wasting even more.” Background: Grassley in 1986 updated the False Claims Act, the law enabling the government to recover taxpayer dollars from entities that defrauded federal agencies. A key provision in that update, qui tam, allows whistleblowers to sue alleged fraudsters on behalf of the government and share in the recoveries. Since Grassley’s 1986 updates, the False Claims Act has recovered approximately $85 billion in taxpayer dollars. Fiscal year 2025 (FY2025) marked the largest single-year recovery in the history of the False Claims Act, with the government recouping over $6.8 billion in fraudulent payments. Whistleblowers helped recover over $5.3 billion of that sum. Whistleblowers filed 1,297 qui tam lawsuits in FY2025, the highest number in a single year.",1,2026-09-02T09:19:58Z,2026-09-02T09:20:51Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-names-small-business-of-the-week-the-bread-board,"Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, The Bread Board",2026-08-31,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: The Bread Board of Marion County. Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in each of Iowa's 99 counties. “The Bread Board has risen to the occasion, growing from Heidi’s passion for baking into a thriving Pella bakery that brings people together,” said Chair Ernst. “From serving fresh sourdough and homemade meals to supporting local businesses, schools, and community events, Heidi and her team have proven they have the perfect recipe for success.” Heidi Rozenboom grew up baking fresh bread alongside her grandmother, always using the same bread board that would eventually inspire her business’ name. Years later, Heidi started selling fresh bread to local coffee shops and cafes. As demand grew, she opened her storefront in downtown Pella in 2021 and named her bakery the Bread Board. Today, the Bread Board serves fresh sourdough bread, pastries, homemade meals, and other baked goods. Stay tuned as Chair Ernst continues to recognize outstanding Iowa small businesses with her Small Business of the Week award. ###",1,2026-09-01T09:48:49Z,2026-09-01T09:49:51Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-statement-on-small-refinery-exemptions-and-biofuels-reallocation,Grassley Statement on Small Refinery Exemptions and Biofuels Reallocation,2026-08-31,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) released the following statement regarding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement on Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs). “Today’s announcement by President Trump is a significant improvement from what was originally rumored and recognizes the importance of biofuels production. I appreciate President Trump and his policy advisors working closely with me and many other leaders from ag states, particularly Iowa, to ensure any small refinery exemption announcement did not undercut family farmers and the ag economy. “The Trump administration and future administrations ought to follow today’s precedent for full reallocation for 2026 and 2027. You can expect I will work to hold the White House to its commitment of full reallocation. President Trump’s successful efforts to work with ag and biofuel leaders on this issue shows his ongoing commitment to America’s farmers, rural communities and biofuels production and his continued focus on our fuel supply as Americans fill up their tanks.” Per the EPA, the agency “is exempting 1.76 billion [Renewable Fuel Standard] compliance credits, known as Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs), for 29 small refineries. EPA will propose to reallocate 100 percent of the difference between projected and actual exempted volumes for 2025 SREs into the 2026 and 2027 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) before the end of October 2026.”",1,2026-09-01T09:48:49Z,2026-09-01T09:49:51Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/icymi-grassley-op-ed-republicans-are-leading-a-public-safety-revival-americans-are-better-off-because-of-it,ICYMI: Grassley Op-Ed: Republicans are leading a public safety revival. Americans are better off because of it.,2026-08-31,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – Amid a historic drop in violent crime, U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) authored an op-ed in Fox News highlighting Republicans’ successful efforts to safeguard American communities, as well as his public safety priorities for the remainder of the 119th Congress. “Republicans’ renewed focus on fighting crime, championing law enforcement and protecting American families has coincided with the largest drop in violent crime ever recorded in the United States,” Grassley wrote. “America is the safest it’s been in a century.” Read the full op-ed HERE and below. Republicans are making America safer by restoring law and order By U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) Monday, August 31, 2026 Fox News The 119th Congress will be remembered as a decisive turning point for American safety and security. By electing Republicans to the majority in 2024, voters rejected the leftist ideals of defunding the police, abolishing prisons and supporting violent criminals over victims. In turn, Republicans have led a resurgence in commonsense crime-fighting legislation, supported by the historic confirmation pace of judicial and executive nominees who interpret and enforce the law. National security is the No. 1 responsibility of the federal government. The previous administration abdicated this duty by promoting soft-on-crime policies that left the American people with emboldened criminals, struggling police departments and Soros-backed district attorneys who refused to prosecute murderers, rapists and child abusers. But where Democratic leadership failed, Republicans in the 119th Congress have delivered. Republicans’ renewed focus on fighting crime, championing law enforcement and protecting American families has coincided with the largest drop in violent crime ever recorded in the United States. Murder and robbery declined approximately 20% from 2024 to 2025. And according to the Council on Criminal Justice’s midyear report, 2026 is on track to meet, if not exceed, 2025’s historic drop in crime. America is the safest it’s been in a century. This Congress, the Senate Judiciary Committee has been at the epicenter of Republicans’ crime-fighting agenda. As chairman, I’m proud to have ushered major pieces of public safety legislation through the committee, including the passage of my HALT Fentanyl Act to crack down on deadly fentanyl knockoffs, the Secure America Act to fund law enforcement and border security measures, and numerous bills that back the blue. I’ve also led the confirmation of key Department of Justice leaders who have refocused federal efforts on protecting Americans, including Attorney General Todd Blanche. At the same time, I’ve processed and advanced President Donald Trump’s law-and-order judicial nominees at the fastest pace since the Reagan administration. With less than six months left in the 119th Congress, my work as Judiciary Committee chairman is moving full steam ahead. I’m keeping my nose to the grindstone to continue confirming Trump’s nominees to keep our streets safe. I’m also pushing a landmark nationwide crime package to protect children from online exploitation, crack down on organized retail crime, combat the spread of illicit xylazine and stem the flow of contraband in federal prisons. This bipartisan legislation has garnered widespread support from major child safety, law enforcement and technology groups, as well as the Trump administration. It’s imperative that this package is signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. I’ve approached my responsibilities this Congress as a husband, father and grandparent who wants every American family to be safe from crime. I’ve worked hard to do just that, and I’m proud of Republicans’ achievements in delivering lasting security for generations to come.",1,2026-09-01T09:48:49Z,2026-09-01T09:49:51Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-welcomes-grant-to-expand-iowa-veterans-cemetery,Grassley Welcomes Grant to Expand Iowa Veterans Cemetery,2026-08-28,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) welcomed an announcement that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Cemetery Administration (NCA) has awarded $1,358,525 in grant funding to the state of Iowa to expand the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in rural Dallas County. The grant will fund 2,160 columbarium niches and landscaping. Grassley attended the cemetery’s dedication on July 3, 2008. “We owe a deep debt of gratitude to our veterans, who sacrificed so much to protect our freedoms and liberties. The Iowa Veterans Cemetery provides a peaceful and meaningful resting place for those who have served our country in uniform. This new funding will ensure the cemetery can continue its mission to honor these heroes and their families,” Grassley said. Background: Since 1980, the VA Veterans Cemetery Grants Program has awarded 525 grants totaling over $1.187 billion to establish, expand, improve, operate or maintain 125 veterans cemeteries. In 2025, VA grant-funded cemeteries interred 44,705 veterans and eligible family members, which is approximately 25% of the total annual interments in all national, state, tribal and territory cemeteries (174,398).",1,2026-08-28T17:11:49Z,2026-08-28T17:13:14Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-completes-46th-annual-99-county-meetings,Grassley Completes 46th Annual 99 County Meetings,2026-08-28,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"LINN COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) concluded his 46th annual 99 county meetings across Iowa with a question-and-answer session with employees at Sub-Zero in Cedar Rapids. Earlier in the day, Grassley held a meeting with factory workers in Monticello. Grassley takes questions on any subject, and Iowans set the agenda. “Meeting with Iowans face-to-face gives me the chance to meet with a cross section of people, which informs my work in Washington. Representative government is a two-way street, and having dialogue with constituents is what guides my policy priorities. Even though I’d like to, I can’t meet face-to-face with all three million Iowans. So, I always encourage people to get in touch with me by writing a letter, sending an email, or by calling or stopping by one of my offices,” Grassley said. “My work to reach across the aisle in Washington, pass a five-year Farm Bill, make life more affordable for families and promote transparency and accountability in government are based on input I hear from my constituents in Iowa,” Grassley continued. “I look forward to many more question-and-answer sessions yet this year.” Iowans who attended this year’s meetings raised comments on a variety of issues including pharmaceutical benefit managers, Social Security, foreign policy, election integrity, rural healthcare and the Farm Bill. They also shared support for bipartisanship in Washington, year-round E15 and the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. For a full list of Grassley’s county meetings this year, visit his website. To view his photos and posts from the meetings, search #99CountyMeetings on X and Instagram. Grassley also posts meeting recaps on Facebook. Background: Grassley has held his annual county meetings since 1981, when he was first elected to the U.S. Senate. For the past 46 years, he has held at least one question-and-answer session in each of Iowa’s 99 counties every year and invites local media to attend his meetings and ask questions. Grassley’s 99 county meetings consist of town halls, meetings with small businesses, farmers, students, healthcare professionals, factory workers, service clubs and more. Through this process, he hears from a wide range of Iowans, including those who are unable to take time off from work to attend his town meetings. Grassley’s tireless efforts to meet Iowans where they work, study and live continues to set the standard for representative government.",1,2026-08-29T11:31:28Z,2026-08-29T11:32:37Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-joins-iowa-law-enforcement-officers-for-roundtable-discussion,Grassley Joins Iowa Law Enforcement Officers for Roundtable Discussion,2026-08-28,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined local and tribal law enforcement leaders from Poweshiek, Jasper, Iowa and Tama counties yesterday for a roundtable discussion in Toledo as part of Grassley’s 99 county meetings. The group discussed community mental health resources, federal public safety investments, no tax on overtime and more. “Iowa’s brave law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to protect our communities. All Iowans, including myself, owe them a great debt of gratitude,” Grassley said. “I was honored to meet with local law enforcement leaders yesterday to discuss their successes, learn about challenges in their communities and answer their questions. I look forward to bringing these insights back to the policymaking tables in Washington.” Download photos HERE. Supporting law enforcement is one of Grassley’s top priorities as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. This Congress, Grassley has advanced several bipartisan bills to back the blue, including legislation to improve officers’ access to mental health resources, speed up critical benefits determinations and stem the flow of contraband in federal prisons. He also spearheaded large sections of Republicans’ Working Family Tax Cuts, which eliminated tax on overtime and provided major investments for local law enforcement. In Iowa specifically, Grassley has worked alongside community leaders and the U.S. Department of Justice to secure over $37.5 million in federal funds this Congress for the state’s law enforcement and public safety initiatives. Background: This is Grassley’s 46th straight year holding Q&As in each of Iowa’s 99 counties. Grassley has held at least one question-and-answer session in every county, every year since he was first elected to serve in the U.S. Senate. He takes questions on any subject; Iowans set the agenda. Links to Grassley’s social media posts from this meeting can be found HERE and HERE. Follow along using #99countymeetings.",1,2026-08-29T11:31:28Z,2026-08-29T11:32:37Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/iowa-to-receive-nearly-175-million-from-fema-to-support-critical-projects-across-the-state,Iowa to Receive Nearly $17.5 Million from FEMA to Support Critical Projects Across the State,2026-08-28,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) welcomed an announcement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that dozens of projects in communities across Iowa will receive nearly $17.5 million in combined funding in response to severe storms in 2020, 2024 and 2025. The funding will benefit Iowans in the following counties: Cherokee, Clay, Jasper, Lyon, Monona, Polk, Poweshiek, Pottawattamie, Sioux, Story and Woodbury. “Following multiple severe storms, the Hawkeye State has shown great resilience as Iowans continue to rebuild,” Grassley said. “I'm glad to see FEMA move these funds out the door and into Iowa communities where they can be put to good use. In Washington, I’ll keep fighting to ensure our state gets the resources we need for continued recovery.” The FEMA awards are: Grinnell Regional Medical Center: $260,042.06 to fund repairs or replacements to building exteriors, building interiors and other related components as a result of severe storms. City of Minden: $227,978.25 to fund building repairs or replacements as a result of severe storms. City of Slater: $239,655.18 to fund repairs or the replacement of the wastewater treatment plant greenhouse as a result of severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding. Polk County Conservation Board: $2,216,734.68 to fund permanent repairs as a result of severe storms, tornadoes and flooding which severely damaged the river intake pump with sediment and debris. City of Newton: $622,204.80 to fund bridge repairs or replacement as a result of severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding. Sioux County Secondary Roads: $572,625.00 to fund the repair or replacement of bridge-related components as a result of severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding. City of Cherokee: $298,009.50 to fund the repair or replacement of road surfaces, base and embankments as a result of severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds, and tornadoes. Clay County Secondary Roads: $101,250 to fund the repair or replacement of bridge approaches, decks and guard rails as a result of severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes. Lyon County Secondary Roads: $267,264.21 to fund the repair or replacement of culverts, pipes and other related components as a result of severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes. Honey Creek Drainage District #6: $418,899.03 to fund embankment repair or replacement as a result of severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes. Lyon County Secondary Roads: $809,812.50 to fund the repair or replacement of bridge-related components as a result of severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes. Lyon County Secondary Roads – Riverside 13W Bridge 231150: $1,380,497.25 to fund permanent repairs due to severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes that resulted in catastrophic damages to the bridge. As a result of high velocity flood water, the bridge superstructure and deck floated away. Lyon County Secondary Roads: $961,115.25 to fund bridge related repair or replacement as a result of severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding and tornadoes. Lyon County Secondary Roads: $870,014.25 to fund bridge-related repair or replacement as a result severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding and tornadoes. Lyon County Secondary Roads: $860,395.50 to fund bridge and other repairs or replacements as a result of severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes. Honey Creek Drainage District #6: $411,996.93 to address the water control facility levee breach with scour repair or replacement as a result of severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes. Pigeon Creek Drainage District #2: $316,766.44 to fund levee breach repairs or replacements as a result of severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes. City of Sioux City – Wastewater Treatment Plant: $1,202,643.90 to fund permanent repairs as a result of severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds, and tornadoes. As a result of flooding and increased debris intake, the equipment of the wastewater treatment plant was severely damaged. City of Rock Valley: $2,601,823.97 to cover eligible emergency response costs associated with volunteer labor and donated equipment used during the June 2024 severe storms and flooding, including sandbagging, evacuations, rescue operations and debris cleanup. Lyon County Secondary Roads: $211,903.86 to fund bridge-related repairs or replacements as a result of severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes. City of Spencer: $1,030,125 to help remove properties substantially damaged by severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes that posed a threat to public health and safety. Rock Valley Community School District: $150,746.74 to fund protective measures to lessen the threat to public health, safety and property as a result of severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes. Honey Creek Drainage District #6: $190,002.69 to fund the repair or replacement of slope scour damage and other related components as a result of severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes. Lyon County Fair Association: $515,431.57 to fund the repair or replacement of building exteriors, building interiors, contents, road surfaces and guard rails damaged by severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes. Spencer Community School District: $613,809.42 to fund costs related to the management of Public Assistance grants as a result of severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes. Monona County Secondary Roads: $143,919.32 to fund the repair or replacement of road surfaces and other related components as a result of a severe winter storm. -30-",1,2026-08-29T11:31:28Z,2026-08-29T11:32:37Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/iowa-to-receive-over-91-million-in-fema-funding-for-emergency-warning-systems-property-acquisitions,"Iowa to Receive Over $9.1 Million in FEMA Funding for Emergency Warning Systems, Property Acquisitions",2026-08-28,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) welcomed an announcement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that Iowa will receive over $9.1 million in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding to support local communities through property acquisitions, emergency warning systems and other projects. The funding will benefit Iowans in the following counties: Dallas, Emmet, Jasper, Polk, Sioux and Woodbury. “Iowans are no strangers to severe weather,” Grassley said. “This new FEMA funding will help these communities continue to recover and be better prepared for future storms. In Washington, I’ll keep fighting to ensure Iowa gets the resources needed to rebuild and recover.” The awards are: Dallas County Emergency Management Agency: $469,498.18 to fund warning and alert systems. Jasper County: $433,851.10 to fund warning and alert systems. City of Redfield: $193,800 to fund generators and emergency power. City of Urbandale: $3,354,325.16 to fund the acquisition and demolition of six residential properties damaged by flooding. City of Urbandale: $74,540.56 to fund the subrecipient management costs for the City of Urbandale to acquire and demolish six residential properties damaged by flooding. City of Grimes: $357,695.25 to fund property acquisition as a result of severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes. City of Estherville: $133,600 to fund property acquisitions, elevations, mitigation reconstruction and floodproofing. City of Correctionville: $673,784.83 to fund property acquisition, elevations, mitigation reconstruction and floodproofing. Sioux County: $1,645,275 to fund the acquisition of five residential structures that were substantially damaged by flooding. Sioux County: $36,561.70 to fund the subrecipient management costs to acquire five residential structures. Sioux County: $1,120,762.50 to fund the acquisition of two residential structures that were damaged by flooding. Sioux County: $74,717.50 to fund subrecipient management costs to acquire two residential structures damaged by flooding. Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management: $542,509.13 to fund management costs due to severe storms.",1,2026-08-29T11:31:28Z,2026-08-29T11:32:37Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/qanda-tax-law-boosts-workforce-and-small-business,Q&A: Tax Law Boosts Workforce and Small Business,2026-08-28,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Q: What is the Workforce Pell Grant? A: It’s back to school season for families, students and teachers across the state. As students return to the classroom, schedules are filling up with homework and extracurricular activities and parents are off to the races juggling jobs, car pools and meal times. Many students are starting a new chapter with post-secondary education, including four-year colleges, community colleges and vocational programs. Studies show advanced training leads to job readiness, higher earnings and more opportunities. However, too many students are pushed into burdensome debt seeking a four-year degree that doesn’t fit job market demands. For example, skilled trades are in growing demand and largely protected from artificial intelligence (AI) because the work can’t be replaced by automation. That’s where smart policymaking can help solve problems. I co-sponsored legislation to expand access to high-quality, short-term job training programs to help close the skills gap that I hear from employers at my annual 99 county meetings. During work on last year’s tax bill, I pushed successfully to include my bill called Promoting Employment and Lifelong Learning (PELL) Act in the final package. It amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for Workforce Pell Grants that allow eligible students to use Pell Grants for short-term, accredited programs that provide workforce-focused credentials that meet employer needs. I’m pleased Iowa is the very first recipient of the nation’s first Workforce Pell Grant program. Eligible students at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge can use federal Pell Grant dollars to enroll in its Emergency Medical Technician Program. The 14-week program prepares students for public safety jobs that will fill a critical need in local communities across the state. These students will start their jobs with little to no debt and have the training credentials to launch good careers, provide for their families and serve their neighbors. Q: What are you hearing from small businesses at your county meetings? A: No matter the size of the community, small businesses make up the lion’s share of employers across Iowa, and support nearly half the workforce. During my annual 99 county meetings, I regularly hold Q&As at small businesses, factories and manufacturing facilities so that I can hear directly from the workers and small business owners who can’t take time off to come to an open town meeting. I want to hear about challenges they face and learn what’s on their minds. From decades-old family-owned businesses to start-up businesses opening their doors, I’m always impressed with the entrepreneurism and hard work that Iowa workers and employers put in each and every day to climb America’s ladder of prosperity and serve their communities. I’ve also come to the conclusion that Iowans don’t brag enough about their high-quality products and services, so I’m particularly glad to get a first-hand look at these businesses. Iowans set a high benchmark for a strong work ethic and it shows with workforce productivity and state-of-the-art manufacturing and technology.",1,2026-08-29T11:31:28Z,2026-08-29T11:32:37Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassleys-big-tech-investigation-yields-child-safety-results,Grassley’s Big Tech Investigation Yields Child Safety Results,2026-08-27,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley’s (R-Iowa) investigation into eight major tech companies has prompted “significantly improved” and “more actionable” reports of online child exploitation, according to a letter from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). These improvements have allowed law enforcement to better respond to instances of child abuse. “Following your direct outreach to these platforms regarding these issues, NCMEC is pleased to share that each of the companies have constructively engaged with NCMEC to significantly improve their reporting to the CyberTipline… more actionable CyberTipline reports are being submitted, enabling law enforcement to better investigate offenders and safeguard children from sexual exploitation,” NCMEC wrote in a letter to Grassley. In April 2026, Grassley opened a congressional inquiry into Meta, TikTok, Amazon, Snapchat, Discord, X.AI, Grindr and Roblox regarding the companies’ alleged failure to sufficiently report online child sexual exploitation. In June 2026, Grassley released responses from each of the companies, which explained their efforts to improve reporting processes. In August 2026, NCMEC informed Grassley that each platform had taken “substantive measures” to address its reporting deficiencies as a direct result of Grassley’s oversight. “Protecting children online is a top legislative and oversight priority for me as Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman. I’m glad to see my investigation into child safety reporting yield real results, and I appreciate these companies for responding to my oversight. I also thank them for working with NCMEC to ensure every suspected incident of online child exploitation is detected, reported and addressed,” Grassley said. “I’ll always work to hold Big Tech accountable to the American people, and I’ll continue fighting for commonsense solutions to safeguard our nation’s children.” Read NCMEC’s latest update HERE. Grassley’s original inquiry can be found HERE, and the tech companies’ responses can be found HERE. A summary of NCMEC’s update can be found below: Meta According to NCMEC, Meta submitted nearly 11 million reports involving suspected online child exploitation to NCMEC’s CyberTipline in 2025. Following Grassley’s oversight, Meta has: Improved its reporting process to ensure reported conduct meets the legal threshold for CyberTipline reporting. Increased its use of report annotations to provide additional context for law enforcement responding to incidents of child exploitation. Resolved a technical issue that resulted in around 3,900 duplicate reports in 2025. Updated its training and escalation protocols for reports involving suicidal ideation. TikTok TikTok submitted over 2.1 million reports involving suspected online child exploitation to NCMEC’s CyberTipline from January 2025 to June 2025. Following Grassley’s oversight, TikTok has: Significantly reduced reports of non-pertinent content. Implemented biweekly discussions with NCMEC to improve reporting quality and accuracy. Amazon Amazon AI Services submitted approximately 1.1 million reports involving suspected online child exploitation to NCMEC’s CyberTipline in 2025. After human review, Amazon determined 99.6% of the reports were false positives, and 4,376 were confirmed child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Following Grassley’s oversight, Amazon has: Implemented human review of public-web detections to confirm instances of child sexual exploitation before submitting reports. Improved its CyberTipline reporting process to include source URLs, file names, reported files and additional contextual information. Conducted a comprehensive review of more than one million submitted reports and retracted false positives. Snapchat Snapchat submitted approximately 752,000 reports involving suspected online child exploitation to NCMEC’s CyberTipline in 2025. Following Grassley’s oversight, Snapchat has: Implemented new report annotations to indicate minor-to-minor interactions, sextortion and sadistic online exploitation. Expanded use of reported incident types, including “unsolicited obscene material sent to a child.” Refined reporting to provide evidence of an offender’s knowledge of a child’s age. Improved its reporting process to include additional chat history to provide greater context for law enforcement. Discord According to NCMEC, Discord submitted nearly 490,000 reports involving suspected online child exploitation to NCMEC’s CyberTipline in 2025. Following Grassley’s oversight, Discord has: Reduced reporting of non-pertinent content. Improved reporting procedures to ensure relevant user account and location information is included in CyberTipline reports or made available to law enforcement. Improved its reporting process to include port numbers. X.AI X.AI submitted over 135,000 reports involving suspected online child exploitation to NCMEC’s CyberTipline in 2025. Following Grassley’s oversight, X.AI has: Resubmitted previous CyberTipline reports with more complete user and location information. Improved its reporting process to include key subscriber information, including name, date of birth, email address, screen name, user identifier, registration or login IP address and profile URL. Improved its reporting process to ensure location information is included in the majority of reports. Improved its reporting process to include image-generation prompt information, when applicable, to provide additional investigative context. Grindr According to NCMEC, Grindr submitted over 111,000 reports involving suspected online child exploitation to NCMEC’s CyberTipline in 2025. Following Grassley’s oversight, Grindr has: Significantly improved its reporting process to more frequently include user and location information as well as key subscriber information, including display name, user identifier, login IP address, port number, device ID, estimated location and profile bio when applicable. Resubmitted approximately 7,000 reports with updated IP and location information. Committed to resubmitting approximately 54,000 reports with additional location information. Established regular engagement with NCMEC and committed to participate in the 2026 CyberTipline Roundtable. Roblox According to NCMEC, Roblox submitted over 65,000 reports involving suspected online child exploitation to NCMEC’s CyberTipline in 2025. Following Grassley’s oversight, Roblox has: Significantly improved its reporting process to better identify the child victim in incidents involving multiple children. Conducted additional training for reporting personnel. Increased its use of report annotations to provide additional context for law enforcement. Worked with NCMEC to improve identification and reporting of sadistic online exploitation.",1,2026-08-28T17:11:49Z,2026-08-28T17:13:14Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-cracks-down-on-chinese-surveillance-of-us-military-shipments,Ernst Cracks Down on Chinese Surveillance of U.S. Military Shipments,2026-08-26,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) introduced the Keeping China Off the Rails Act to strengthen national security by preventing cargo monitoring technology linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from being used to track sensitive military shipments. Rail carriers rely on Automatic Equipment Identification (AEI) tags and other cargo monitoring systems to identify and track rolling stock—including boxcars, tankers, and other rail assets—as they move throughout the rail network. The Department of Defense routinely relies on rail transportation to move heavy military equipment across the United States, making these tracking systems critical for military operational security. The Keeping China Off the Rails Act would extend prohibitions in current law for new rail cars to existing ones by requiring rail carriers certify that cargo monitoring technologies or AEI tags linked to the CCP are not being used on trains carrying Department of Defense cargo. The legislation would provide the rail industry with a four-year schedule to comply with the restriction. “No foreign adversary—especially one as hostile as Communist China—should have access to information about sensitive military shipments or activities at some of our nation’s highest-security facilities,” said Ernst. “At a time of growing national security threats, it’s essential that the United States protects critical military infrastructure and maintains our military edge. I am proud to introduce this commonsense legislation to strengthen our national security, close this vulnerability, and help ensure our critical military equipment remains protected from hostile foreign adversaries.” The legislation provides a four-year transition period to allow rail carriers time to replace covered technologies, gives the Secretary of Defense waiver authority for national emergencies, and includes exemptions for smaller Department of Defense shipments. ###",1,2026-08-27T16:10:01Z,2026-08-27T16:10:50Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-names-small-business-of-the-week-henningsens-meat-processing,"Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, Henningsen’s Meat Processing",2026-08-24,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: Henningsen’s Meat Processing of Cass County. Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in each of Iowa's 99 counties. “Henningsen’s Meat Processing has been a cut above the rest for nearly five decades, carrying on a proud family tradition of serving up high-quality, locally sourced meat to southwest Iowa,” said Chair Ernst. “Randy and his team continue to raise the steaks by serving up quality products and giving back to the community they call home. It’s clear that service is at the meat of their mission.” Henningsen’s Meat Processing began in 1978, when Randy Henningsen returned home to Atlantic to be closer to family. Randy’s father had previously owned a meat locker that tragically burned down in 1972. Six years later, Randy, his father, and his brother carried on the family tradition by opening Henningsen’s Meat Processing to provide Atlantic and the surrounding communities with high-quality, locally sourced meat. Randy later purchased his father’s and brother’s shares and continued building on the family legacy. Today, Henningsen’s specializes in custom pork and beef processing and operates a full-service meat counter serving customers throughout southwest Iowa. Beyond its wide selection of meats, customers can find everything from fish and frog legs to locally made cheeses. Nearly 50 years after opening its doors, Henningsen’s Meat Processing continues to honor its family tradition while proudly serving the community that has supported the business for generations. Stay tuned as Chair Ernst continues to recognize outstanding Iowa small businesses with her Small Business of the Week award. ###",1,2026-08-25T05:31:37Z,2026-08-25T05:33:09Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/capitol-hill-report-08-24-2026,"Capitol Hill Report, 08-24-2026",2026-08-24,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Audio from this morning’s call is available HERE. Topics include: Beef imports, the farm economy, the 2028 election cycle, the national debt, the Iowa State Fair and Iran.",1,2026-08-25T05:31:37Z,2026-08-25T05:33:09Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-grassley-announce-service-academy-virtual-informational-nights,"Ernst, Grassley Announce Service Academy Virtual Informational Nights",2026-08-21,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"RED OAK, IOWA – The offices of U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) are hosting two virtual informational events for Iowans interested in applying to U.S. Military Service Academies. Every year, Ernst and Grassley each nominate 15 students to the academies. EVENT | U.S. Military Service Academy Virtual Information Nights DATE | Monday, August 31, and Tuesday, September 1, from 6 - 8 p.m. CT Aug. 31 session will be attended by representatives from the Air Force Academy, Coast Guard Academy, and the Military Academy at West Point. Sept. 1 session will be attended by representatives from the Naval Academy and the Merchant Marine Academy. Iowans who wish to attend the virtual informational session must RSVP to receive a link to the event. To contact Senator Ernst’s office, please email Brenda_Safranski@ernst.senate.gov or academy@ernst.senate.gov or call (515) 284-4272. To contact Senator Grassley’s office, please email academy_nominations@grassley.senate.gov or call (515) 288-1145. Click here to view the academy nomination application. The application deadline is October 23, 2026. ###",1,2026-08-22T05:24:59Z,2026-08-22T05:26:16Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-ernst-announce-service-academy-virtual-informational-nights,"Grassley, Ernst Announce Service Academy Virtual Informational Nights",2026-08-21,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – The offices of U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) will host two virtual informational events for Iowa students interested in applying to U.S. Military Service Academies in the fall of 2027 or 2028. The U.S. Service Academy Virtual Informational Nights will be held on Monday, August 31, and Tuesday, September 1. Representatives from all five service academies will be available to answer questions about the application and nomination process. The Monday, August 31, session will be attended by representatives from the Air Force Academy, Coast Guard Academy and the Military Academy at West Point. The Tuesday, September 1, session will be attended by representatives from the Naval Academy and the Merchant Marine Academy. Each year, Grassley and Ernst nominate current and future Iowa high school graduates for a select few academy positions. The deadline to apply for admission to the academic year beginning in the fall of 2027 is October 23rd, 2026. WHAT: U.S. Military Service Academy Virtual Information Nights WHEN: Monday, August 31, and Tuesday, September 1, from 6 - 8 p.m. CT WHO SHOULD ATTEND: High school freshmen, sophomores and juniors who would like more information about attending a U.S. military academy. Parents, guardians and high school guidance counselors are also welcome to attend. WHO IS PRESENTING: Academy Nomination Coordinators for Grassley and Ernst, and representatives from all five U.S. Service Academies Iowans who wish to attend the virtual informational session must RSVP to receive a link to the event. Please RSVP directly to academy_nominations@grassley.senate.gov or by phone at 515-288-1145. Iowans can contact Grassley’s office at 515-288-1145 and Ernst’s office at 515-284-4272 with any questions. Click HERE to view the Academy Nomination application and learn more.",1,2026-08-22T05:24:59Z,2026-08-22T05:26:16Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-shaheen-mark-fentanyl-prevention-and-awareness-day,"Grassley, Shaheen Mark Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day",2026-08-21,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – On Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day, U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) are driving awareness of the dangers of fentanyl and continuing to educate Americans on how to best protect themselves from the deadly drug. The U.S. Senate unanimously passed the senators’ bipartisan resolution earlier this month, designating August 21, 2026, as Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day. “Far too many American families know the pain of losing a loved one to fentanyl,” Grassley said. “Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day is a solemn reminder of the lives lost and the importance of local drug awareness and prevention efforts. As Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I’ll continue working to put a stop to this public health crisis.” “I’m glad the Senate came together to unanimously pass our bipartisan resolution designating today, August 21, as National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day and memorializing those who have lost their lives to drug overdoses,” Shaheen said. “There’s always more work to be done to address the substance use disorder crisis in New Hampshire, and driving more awareness in our communities around the dangers of fentanyl use is one important way we can prevent the loss of more lives.” Read the full resolution HERE. Background: This Congress, Grassley has secured major victories in the fight against illicit fentanyl. His HALT Fentanyl Act, which permanently classified fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I, became law after passing the U.S. Senate by an overwhelming majority of 84-16. Grassley also secured additional funding for federal efforts to combat drug trafficking and precursor chemicals, chaired a hearing on the dangers of fentanyl and introduced legislation to stem drug trafficking on social media.",1,2026-08-22T05:24:59Z,2026-08-22T05:26:16Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/qanda-fraud-drives-up-healthcare-costs,Q&A: Fraud Drives Up Healthcare Costs,2026-08-21,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Q: How would your fraud prevention bill recover tax dollars and improve healthcare? A: Americans work hard for their money. As a taxpayer watchdog, I take seriously the responsibility to ensure every tax dollar collected for government services is spent as intended. From the Pentagon to public healthcare programs, I lead efforts at the policymaking tables to sharpen fraud-fighting tools and protect taxpayer money. Starting with my decades-long crusade to empower whistleblowers, my updates to the False Claims Act have recouped more than $85 billion for taxpayers and saved tens of billions more by deterring would-be fraudsters. Notably, of the $6.8 billion in settlements and judgments in just the last fiscal year, the lion’s share of the recoveries was from the healthcare industry. The Department of Justice lasered in on three areas of widespread fraud in the U.S. healthcare system: Medicare managed care, prescription drugs and medically unnecessary care. Building on this success, I recently joined forces with senators on the Senate Finance Committee to beef up resources to combat fraud, waste and abuse across federal health programs that serve families, kids and seniors. Federal healthcare spending is expected to exceed $24 trillion over the next decade. Every dollar lost to fraud, improper billing or neglect is another squandered tax dollar and one less dollar for patient care. As a former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, I’m glad the committee’s current chairman, Sen. Mike Crapo, and ranking member, Sen. Ron Wyden, teamed up with me and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto. Our bill, the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Act, would help ensure long-term, stable funding to prevent, detect and prosecute fraud and keep pace with evolving, sophisticated schemes. According to estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, our bill would save taxpayers at least $45 billion. Specifically, our bipartisan bill would improve the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control program to better scrutinize federal health programs and scrape fraud out of the taxpayer funding pipeline. Partners across multiple federal agencies will have more resources to coordinate and combat fraud in Medicaid, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act Health Insurance Marketplace, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, as well as related private insurance programs. Deploying better-equipped fraud fighters also put would-be fraudsters on notice that bilking taxpayers doesn’t pay. The bill requires timely reporting to track the fraud and abuse control program’s effectiveness and asks the Government Accountability Office to report on its performance for the first time in over a dozen years. The Trump administration has made fraud prevention, detection and prosecution a high priority, a mission I’ve pursued throughout my time in Congress on behalf of the American people. I welcome this all-hands-on-deck effort and will continue working to ensure all the anti-fraud tools in the federal arsenal are razor sharp, including civil enforcement tools, such as my False Claims Act. Q: How will Iowa benefit from a new federal grant to target fraud and financial crimes? A: During his confirmation hearing, the U.S. Assistant Attorney General for the National Fraud Enforcement Division at the Department of Justice said he is committed to “prosecute criminals who exploit the generosity of a country by stealing from taxpayer-funded programs.” That’s music to the ears of Iowans who are absolutely fed up with their hard-earned money lining the pockets of scam artists, such as the outrageous Covid-era schemes in Minnesota and elsewhere. I supported Colin McDonald to fill this new role at the Justice Department, who is leading efforts to snuff out the unacceptable and pervasive crimes of federal program fraud.",1,2026-08-22T05:24:59Z,2026-08-22T05:26:16Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-presents-squeal-award-to-the-shady-bunch-families-who-make-fraud-a-family-affair,"Ernst Presents Squeal Award to the Shady Bunch, Families Who Make Fraud a Family Affair",2026-08-20,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) announced her August Squeal Award recipient: fraudster families who make a living scamming hardworking Americans. Ernst is exposing 15 families who collectively stole $50 million taxpayer dollars and has introduced the No Cash for Cohabitating Kins of Crooks Act to prohibit government loans, contracts, grants, or other financial payments going to anyone living with a known fraudster or convicted criminal. “Committing fraud is literally all relative for these families of felons,” said Ernst. “While some families have a tradition of running 5Ks on holidays, fraud runs in these families—they’ll steal $5K or more and then make a run for it. My latest investigation found schemes sprouting from family trees across the country, with kin teaming up to rip off taxpayers to the tune of $50 million. That’s why I’m giving my August 2026 Squeal Award to the ‘Shady Bunch,’ families full of fraudsters who are chips off the old cell block. Their next scam-ily reunion will be in the slammer.” Some of the most egregious examples include: The now-infamous Mohamed family operating out of Minnesota stole more than $10 million from the Federal Child Nutrition Program. Instead of feeding hungry kids, the family of felons spent the money on themselves. One California clan of crooks made off with $18 million in COVID relief, using fake names and stolen identities to obtain taxpayer money that funded luxury homes, gold coins, diamonds, designer goods and even a Harley-Davidson. After their convictions, several family members cut off their tracking devices and fled the country before eventually being caught. Four sisters fleeced the U.S. Department of Agriculture out of more than $11.5 million by submitting nearly 200 bogus discrimination claims from fake farmers. The daughter of one sister helped the scheme by notarizing fictitious witness statements. A Florida family used a sham ministry to obtain more than $8 million in pandemic aid, then attempted to use the money to buy a multi-million-mansion at Walt Disney World Resort. When authorities closed in, the family was caught in a Mercedes SUV packed with bags of shredded documents. Read the bill here. ###",1,2026-08-21T05:30:57Z,2026-08-21T05:32:22Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-recognized-as-most-bipartisan-senate-republican,Grassley Recognized as Most Bipartisan Senate Republican,2026-08-19,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is the most bipartisan Republican in the U.S. Senate, according to an independent study by the nonpartisan project Bridge Grades. Grassley earned a score of 96.9 out of 100 in the report, ranking fourth overall among all 100 senators. “At my annual 99 county meetings, Iowans ask me why Democrats and Republicans can’t get along. I tell them bipartisanship is happening in Washington, but it doesn’t always get reported in the news media. In the U.S. Senate, most bills need 60 votes to advance, which means successful legislation must be bipartisan. I’ll work with anyone to get things done for Iowa, from lowering prescription drug costs to boosting E15. I’m honored to be recognized for building effective partnerships with my colleagues across the aisle, and you can bet I’ll keep working with any of my fellow senators to make life better and more affordable for Iowans,” Grassley said. “On behalf of constituents in Iowa who value representatives who govern with more collaboration and bipartisanship than their peers, we congratulate Sen. Grassley on being an A-rated bridge builder and encourage him to keep up the good grades,” said Brad Porteus, Founder of Bridge Grades. Background: Bridge Grades’ report uses objective third party data sources to measure whether members of Congress govern collaboratively or divisively. Grassley’s score can be found HERE, and the full U.S. Senate Bridge Grades rankings for the 119th Congress can be found HERE. In its most recent study, the nonpartisan Georgetown University’s Lugar Center ranked Grassley tenth on its Bipartisan Index of all 100 senators, making him the fourth most bipartisan Senate Republican. The Lugar Bipartisan Index also ranked Grassley as the second-most bipartisan member among long-serving senators, behind only U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). In a lifetime score of all senators spanning 1993 through 2018, Grassley was the 14th most bipartisan senator of the 250 who served over those years. Grassley also was ranked within the top ten most effective senators in the 117th Congress by the University of Virginia’s and Vanderbilt University’s Center for Effective Lawmaking. Read a review of Grassley’s bipartisan accomplishments from 2025 HERE. Click HERE for audio of Grassley discussing his 2026 Bridge Grades rating.",1,2026-08-20T05:28:41Z,2026-08-20T05:29:58Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-names-small-business-of-the-week-the-farmers-daughters,"Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, The Farmer’s Daughters",2026-08-17,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: The Farmer’s Daughters of Fremont County. Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in each of Iowa's 99 counties. “The Farmer’s Daughters has decorated southwest Iowa with success, growing from a pop-up shop into a thriving family business serving Iowans,” said Chair Ernst. “Whether helping customers find the perfect piece for their home or creating arrangements for life’s special moments, Stacy and Ron have made community service part of the perfect arrangement.” The Farmer’s Daughters began in 2014 when Stacy Burgoin-Burge started selling vintage finds and home décor through small antique pop-up shops at events including Vintage & Made Fair and Junkstock. As the business grew in popularity, Stacy opened a storefront in Sidney and expanded into floral arrangements in 2017. Stacy’s husband, Ron Burge, later joined the business full-time, and together they grew The Farmer’s Daughters to include additional locations in Glenwood and Shenandoah. Today, The Farmer’s Daughters offers carefully curated home décor, gifts, vintage items, locally made products, and personalized floral arrangements. The business also provides floral delivery and offers six- and twelve-month “Bloom of the Month” subscriptions featuring fresh flowers and custom designs. The Farmer’s Daughters gives back to southwest Iowa by supporting local fairs, youth programs, and educational initiatives. Stay tuned as Chair Ernst continues to recognize outstanding Iowa small businesses with her Small Business of the Week award. ###",1,2026-08-18T05:27:41Z,2026-08-18T05:29:06Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/capitol-hill-report-08-17-26,"Capitol Hill Report, 08-17-26",2026-08-17,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Audio from this morning’s call is available HERE. Topics include: Rural healthcare, the Farm Bill, ag and trade policy, mail-in ballots, the national debt and the Iowa State Fair.",1,2026-08-18T05:27:41Z,2026-08-18T05:29:06Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/qanda-russia-sanctions-pave-way-to-peace,Q&A: Russia Sanctions Pave Way to Peace,2026-08-14,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Q: How would the Senate-passed sanctions bill help end the war in Ukraine? A: With an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 86-11, the U.S. Senate sent a clear message to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin: stop the killing and end the largestland war since World War II. The late Sen. Lindsey Graham, the bill’s leading champion who led the congressional effort to bring peace to Ukraine, was the driving force to cut off financing of Russia’s war machine. The bipartisan legislation would impose stiff financial sanctions and put Russia’s energy sector in the crosshairs of an international dragnet by targeting countries that export or invest in Russian oil and gas. The bill would empower the president to impose 100 percent tariffs on the top five importers of Russian energy and those who enable Russian sanctions evasion. The bill also targets Russian officials, oligarchs, their family members and Russian banks and financial institutions to apply additional financial pressure to help end the war. The Senate-passed Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act takes a key step towards peace with a formidable recipe of sanctions and tariffs to leverage an end to the war that has killed hundreds of thousands of soldiers and tens of thousands of innocent civilians. As an original co-sponsor, I’ll continue pushing to get this bill to the president’s desk. History reminds us why Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine cannot be ignored. Protecting America’s national security and upholding sovereignty in Europe requires a resolute commitment to stop Putin’s effort to resurrect the Soviet empire. I’ll continue leading bipartisan efforts in the Senate to hold Russia accountable and put the brakes on Putin’s violent scheme to trample freedom, persecute Christians and usurp sovereign territory through war and aggression. From the 2008 invasion of Georgia to the 2014 annexation of Crimea and now the full-scale, four-year war in Ukraine, Putin’s diabolical obsession requires solidarity from the international community to nip it in the bud before more lives and territory are lost. Q: What is the status of your efforts to return kidnapped Ukrainian children?",1,2026-08-15T05:23:20Z,2026-08-15T05:24:50Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-whitehouse-statement-on-treasury-departments-final-rule-dismantling-key-element-of-corporate-transparency-act,"Grassley, Whitehouse Statement on Treasury Department’s Final Rule Dismantling Key Element of Corporate Transparency Act",2026-08-13,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) released the following statement on the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s (FinCEN’s) decision to permanently exempt over 99% of entities previously required to report their beneficial ownership information under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). Congress passed the CTA on a strongly bipartisan basis to clamp down on criminals and foreign enemies hiding assets from U.S. law enforcement, national security officials and tax authorities. The CTA is widely considered the most important anti-money laundering law in decades. “The Treasury Department’s final rule exempting U.S. based companies from the Corporate Transparency Act’s reporting requirements undermines the clear intent of the law. The Act gave the federal government needed tools to address criminal activity like human trafficking, terrorist financing, drug distribution, sanctions evasion and more without unduly burdening legitimate commercial entities. This decision is an unfortunate one that fails to use all available tools to protect Americans and crack down on illicit financial schemes,” the senators said. Background: The CTA was designed to play an important role in protecting national security and public safety by providing law enforcement and national security officials with the names of the true owners (“beneficial ownership information”) of U.S. corporations and other legal entities. This information facilitates the government’s efforts to combat various forms of illicit finance carried out through shell and front companies. In March 2025, the U.S. Department of Treasury announced that it would not enforce the CTA’s beneficial ownership information reporting rule when it comes to U.S. citizens or domestic reporting companies. The department also stated it would issue new proposed rulemaking that would narrow the scope of the rule to foreign reporting companies only. A few weeks later, the department published an interim final rule eliminating reporting requirements for more than 99% of corporations and LLCs that were previously required to report, as directed by Congress. This week’s final rule makes permanent the sweeping exemptions and deletes all beneficial ownership information data that domestic companies had already submitted. Grassley and Whitehouse were original sponsors of the TITLE Act, the precursor to the Corporate Transparency Act. The CTA passed as part of the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act after more than a decade of bipartisan congressional deliberation. It was supported by a wide range of government, anti-corruption groups, human rights organizations, faith communities, financial institutions and real estate organizations.",1,2026-08-14T06:13:05Z,2026-08-14T06:14:08Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/icymi-grassley-joins-the-scott-jennings-show-to-discuss-ag-blanches-confirmation-the-farm-bill-and-the-rise-of-democrat-socialism,"ICYMI: Grassley Joins The Scott Jennings Show to Discuss AG Blanche’s Confirmation, the Farm Bill and the Rise of Democrat Socialism",2026-08-12,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined “The Scott Jennings Show” this week to discuss his efforts as Judiciary Chairman to help secure Attorney General Todd Blanche’s Senate confirmation, the importance of passing a bipartisan Farm Bill and supporting Rural America, and the Democrat Party’s turn to socialism and more. Watch the full interview HERE. Excerpts follow. On Blanche’s road to confirmation: “Well, [Blanche] did an awful good job at the hearing answering questions, and he was under oath. It happens that Senator Cornyn and Senator Tillis needed some additional certainty that the president's [Anti-]Weaponization Fund was not going to ever be used, and some other questions dealing with the president's settlement on his income taxes with the IRS. And it just took forever to get those things worked out, and it shouldn't have taken forever, because I think it was kind of a very simple process... [It] took about eight days that it shouldn't [have] taken, to get everybody worked out, and I was in the middle of trying to bring the people together... [E]ventually, it got him those two votes to get out of committee. ""...[I]t got down to two [Republican] senators voting no and [the nomination] carrying 50 to 49. And it [was] just a long process to go through...but I think he's going to make a very, very good Attorney General.” On Blanche’s successful track record reducing violent crime: “I talked about [Blanche’s record] in my opening remarks in the committee, I talked about it in defending him to the journalists, and I talked about it in my closing comments on the Senate floor before he was approved... It's a very, very demanding reason why he should be...Attorney General instead of being Acting Attorney General.” On the need for Democrat support to pass the Farm Bill: “It's going to have to happen or we won't get a Farm Bill, because you’ve got to have 60 votes to move the bill through the Senate floor. “Now, just for a little bit of history. I've been a member of the Ag Committee since 1992. This is my seventh or eighth Farm Bill. This is the first one that never got out of committee with bipartisan support. The Democrats are holding it up because they don't like the reforms we made in the food stamp program. They want us to go back on some of those changes that were made. We offered them a compromise, and it wasn't enough for them. It was actually half the time that they wanted us to allow states to meet certain requirements, and they wanted two years. We have one year in it. We thought that was a reasonable compromise, but it wasn't enough to satisfy them. “So, consequently, we have to continue to work on it, and I hope we'll find a way to do it because we pass a Farm Bill every five years. The last one was 2018, so in 2023, we should have had a Farm Bill. So, effectively, by extending it for one year at a time, we have an eight-year Farm Bill now. There's a lot of changes that need to be made for the benefit of the farmers, because things have changed since 2018, and we need to update the Farm Bill and give the farmers some certainty.” On the top issues for Rural America: “...[T]he ethanol issue that we call 'E15.’ In other words, 15% ethanol mixed with your gasoline. We need a law passed to make that permanent, and that's about $14 billion of additional income to corn farmers. And that's the most important thing that I'm hearing from farmers. “The input costs are very high, so we have a fertilizer provision in this Farm Bill, if we get it passed. That should help in regard to [input costs].” On the rise of Democrat socialism: “I wonder if [the Democrats have] ever read the Constitution of the United States... “[O]ne of their platforms [is] to do away with the United States Senate. The Constitution says that — and it's called the only unamendable part of the Constitution — that, ‘No state will have its Senate seats taken away from it without its permission.’ Now, that means that, if you're going to do away with the United States Senate, you’ve got to have 50 state legislatures say, ‘We're going to give up our membership in the United States Senate.’ There's a lot of things that just don't fit. “...[I]t just seems very unrealistic. It doesn't seem like the real world. It seems like it's an almost revolutionary approach, and quite frankly, they're very open about wanting to change American society... “[Democrat socialists] think that 535 members of Congress making all these decisions, running this big country and our big economy – that they're smarter than the 330 million people that each, in an individual way, [are] making their own individual choices, making their own decisions [about] how they're going to spend their money, and inventors what they're going to invent, and everything like that. “The greatness of America comes from the fact that we have an economic system and a constitutional system that allows anybody to do anything that they want to do, as long as it's within the law. And that's what's made America great. And I don't think [Democrat socialists] realize that.” -30-",1,2026-08-13T06:17:16Z,2026-08-13T06:18:13Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/capitol-hill-report-08-11-26,"Capitol Hill Report, 08-11-26",2026-08-11,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Audio from this morning’s call is available HERE. Please see below for a transcript of the call. Topics include: the Farm Bill, vaccines, Grassley’s bill to combat counterfeit imports, Iran, Grassley’s vacuum cleaner (Beth) and health insurance.",1,2026-08-12T06:18:38Z,2026-08-12T06:20:33Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-names-small-business-of-the-week-lone-arranger,"Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, Lone Arranger",2026-08-10,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: Lone Arranger of Adams County. Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in each of Iowa's 99 counties. ""Lone Arranger has been in full bloom in Adams County for more than 28 years,” said Chair Ernst. ""One bouquet at a time, Jessica has created beautiful arrangements for countless occasions – from displays for Governors Chet Culver and Terry Branstad to serving as a longtime vendor at the Adams County Fair. Lone Arranger is beloved for its high-quality products and attentive customer service, all stemming from hard work that has not gone unnoticed."" Lone Arranger got its start as the “Flower and Garden Center” founded by Dale and Caroline Jackson out of their home. Over the years, the business passed into the hands of Larry and Sherry Archer, followed by Ros and Darlene Peterson. In 1999, Jessica Wilson purchased the shop after completing two internships there and earning a degree in floriculture from Kirkwood Community College. Today, under Jessica’s leadership, Lone Arranger has continued to grow its presence both locally and beyond. The shop contributed to the award-winning Rain Bird float featured in the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade and has provided decorations for community organizations and events, including the Adams County Chamber of Commerce. The florist is cherished by Iowans for its versatility to cater to all events, including proms, weddings, and baby showers. Jessica’s “Operation Dream Closet” helps high schoolers in need access free prom attire through donations and has made an exceptional difference in the local community. Stay tuned as Chair Ernst continues to recognize outstanding Iowa small businesses with her Small Business of the Week award. ###",1,2026-08-11T05:54:29Z,2026-08-11T05:56:25Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/senate-unanimously-passes-grassley-hassan-bill-to-combat-counterfeit-imports,Senate Unanimously Passes Grassley-Hassan Bill to Combat Counterfeit Imports,2026-08-10,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) are applauding the Senate’s unanimous passage of their legislation to detect and intercept counterfeit imports. The bipartisan bill would authorize U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to share suspected counterfeit goods’ packing and shipping information with key intellectual property (IP) rights holders, e-commerce platforms and transportation carriers. “Counterfeit goods harm American businesses, threaten our nation’s economy and put consumers at serious risk. By increasing communication between Customs and Border Protection, IP rights holders and commerce professionals, this bipartisan bill will effectively crack down on dangerous counterfeit products and prevent them from reaching our shores,” Grassley said. “I’m pleased the Senate has passed this important bill and look forward to its advancement in the U.S. House of Representatives.” “Counterfeit products brought over our borders hurt American small businesses and can put people’s safety at risk,” Hassan said. “This bipartisan bill will give law enforcement and businesses better tools to work together and intercept counterfeit products before they reach our communities. I’m glad to see it pass the Senate, and I urge my colleagues in the House to take up and pass this bill.” The Grassley-Hassan bill is supported by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies, the American Apparel & Footwear Association, the Automotive Anti-Counterfeiting Council, the Baby Safety Alliance, the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition, the International Trademark Association, the Partnership for Safe Medicines, the Pharmaceutical Security Institute and the Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade. “U.S. Customs and Border Protection is our first line of defense against counterfeit goods, but they can’t do that job alone. This legislation ensures their ability to work collaboratively with responsible stakeholders throughout the supply chain to protect American consumers, manufacturers, and retailers,” said Bob Barchiesi, President of the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition. “We applaud Senator Grassley and Senator Hassan for their leadership on this issue and look forward to working with our colleagues at CBP to put these new tools into action.” Download bill text HERE.",1,2026-08-11T05:54:29Z,2026-08-11T05:56:25Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-applauds-todd-blanches-confirmation-as-attorney-general,Grassley Applauds Todd Blanche’s Confirmation as Attorney General,2026-08-08,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) issued a statement following the Senate’s confirmation of Todd Blanche to be U.S. Attorney General, by a vote of 50-49. Grassley successfully advanced Blanche’s nomination through the Judiciary Committee earlier this week, by a vote of 12-10. “America is safer with Todd Blanche at the helm of the Justice Department. Under his leadership, the United States’ homicide rate fell to its lowest level in over 125 years. Every major violent crime category has fallen below pre-pandemic levels and violent crime arrests have increased 184%. In short, Americans are finally getting the justice they deserve. “Beyond his obvious qualifications and successful track record, Blanche has demonstrated extraordinary patience, compassion and tenacity as he’s made his way through the gauntlet of the Senate’s advice and consent process. He’s been forthcoming and responsive to my colleagues and has proven himself to be a steadfast advocate for the rule of law. Today, the United States Senate voted to confirm Todd Blanche’s nomination and advance the safety and security of Americans nationwide.” Grassley spoke on the Senate floor yesterday in support of Blanche’s nomination. Read his full remarks HERE.",1,2026-08-09T05:47:57Z,2026-08-09T05:49:40Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernsts-urbandale-zip-code-fix-heads-to-senate-floor,Ernst’s Urbandale ZIP Code Fix Heads to Senate Floor,2026-08-07,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs successfully advanced U.S. Senator Joni Ernst’s (R-Iowa) bipartisan billrequiring the U.S. Postal Service to designate a single, unique ZIP code for 83 specific communities across the country. The bill passed by a vote of 10-3 and now advances to the full Senate for consideration. Watch Senator Ernst’s remarks here. For years, Ernst has worked to deliver certainty for Urbandale residents that would end confusing mail delays and delivery issues faced by Iowans and cities throughout the nation. “This vote brings residents of Urbandale and communities across the country one step closer to ending years of delayed and misdirected mail caused by ZIP code boundary disputes,” said Senator Ernst. “All Americans deserve timely, accurate, and efficient mail service, and this bill provides a clear solution by establishing unique ZIP codes for 83 affected communities. I’m proud we advanced this commonsense legislation and look forward to getting it across the finish line in the Senate.” Read the full bill here. Background: Ernst has worked for years with Urbandale leaders to resolve the city’s ZIP code boundary dispute, which has caused misdirected mail, delivery delays, and challenges for local businesses and services. In 2025, she joined Senators Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) on bipartisan legislation directing USPS to establish unique ZIP codes for 14 communities, including Urbandale. Building on that effort and feedback from local Iowa leaders, in May 2026, Ernst introduced broader legislation establishing unique ZIP codes for Urbandale and 74 other communities nationwide. ###",1,2026-08-08T05:41:38Z,2026-08-08T05:43:24Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senate-unanimously-passes-ernsts-bipartisan-stop-secret-spending-act,Senate Unanimously Passes Ernst’s Bipartisan Stop Secret Spending Act,2026-08-07,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst’s (R-Iowa) bipartisan bill requiring public disclosure of tens of billions of secret government spending was approved by the Senate today and is headed to the president to become law. Watch Senator Ernst’s full speech here. Current law requires most federal spending to be publicly reported on USAspending.gov, allowing taxpayers to see who receives federal funds and details about how, where, and why the money is spent. However, a loophole has allowed agencies to withhold thousands of spending arrangements known as Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) from public disclosure. The Stop Secret Spending Act closes that loophole by requiring OTAs to be reported in the same manner as grants, contracts, loans, and other federal expenditures, helping ensure taxpayer dollars are fully accounted for. The bill also requires the federal government to publish a summary of any spending that remains exempt from public disclosure, including the total amount withheld and the justification for doing so, increasing transparency within Washington. ""When Iowans send their hard-earned tax dollars to Washington, they deserve to know exactly where every cent goes and why,"" said Senator Ernst. ""Bureaucrats have been playing hide and seek with tax dollars for far too long. I’m forcing them to open the books, stop the secret spending, and give taxpayers the transparency they deserve."" Background: Senator Ernst has been a longtime advocate for ending secret federal spending and increasing transparency for taxpayers. She first introduced the bipartisan Stop Secret Spending Act after raising concerns about billions of dollars in undisclosed federal spending through Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) and has repeatedly pushed the legislation. Ernst has continued working across the aisle to advance the bill, which previously passed the Senate with unanimous bipartisan support, and has consistently fought to get the legislation across the finish line to ensure taxpayers have greater visibility into how their hard-earned dollars are spent. ###",1,2026-08-08T05:41:38Z,2026-08-08T05:43:24Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-cortez-masto-crapo-wyden-introduce-legislation-to-crack-down-on-healthcare-fraud,"Grassley, Cortez Masto, Crapo, Wyden Introduce Legislation to Crack Down on Healthcare Fraud",2026-08-07,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced the bipartisan Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Act. The legislation would improve and invest in the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control (HCFAC) program, which was created to combat fraud, waste and abuse across federal health programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. Grassley and Cortez Masto are members of the Senate Finance Committee. Crapo and Wyden serve as the committee’s chairman and ranking member, respectively. “My oversight has revealed fraud, waste and abuse across our healthcare system, including Medicare, Medicaid and the Obamacare marketplace. By bolstering efforts to go after these bad actors, our bipartisan legislation will crack down on people stealing the taxpayers’ money and driving up healthcare costs for families,” Grassley said. “Medicaid and Medicare are lifelines for families. To ensure they are working as intended, we have to crack down on bad actors taking advantage of Americans,” Cortez Masto said. “Funding our national fraud and abuse investigation unit will save taxpayers billions and restore Americans’ trust that the government can target and go after real fraud and abuse.” “The best way to fight health care fraud is to fund the cops on the beat who can identify and prosecute fraudsters quickly and efficiently. This common sense approach empowers independent watchdogs in the federal government to use their know-how to recoup taxpayer dollars from these bad actors and widens the net to ensure every federal health care program has adequate protection from those seeking to bilk taxpayer dollars. I’m pleased that this approach is receiving bipartisan support and I will be working to fund these fighters quickly on a bipartisan basis,” Wyden said. “Health care programs account for the federal government’s largest source of improper payments, including through waste, fraud and abuse. This commonsense legislation equips the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Justice with the resources they need to uncover and prevent fraud, preserving federal health care programs for those who depend on them while protecting taxpayer dollars,” Crapo said. Background: Federal healthcare spending is expected to exceed $24 trillion over the next decade. As healthcare fraud schemes continue to grow in scale and complexity, the HCFAC program needs long-term, stable funding to keep pace with evolving threats and strengthen efforts to prevent, detect and prosecute fraud. This legislation would save taxpayers at least $45 billion, per estimates from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). For the first time, the bill allows HCFAC partners to use mandatory funding to combat fraud in the ACA Health Insurance Marketplace and related private insurance programs. The legislation includes additional measures giving the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) new tools to strengthen oversight and protect the integrity of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). It also requires timely reporting to track the HCFAC program’s effectiveness and asks the Government Accountability Office to report on HCFAC’s performance. In Fiscal Year 2025, the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS OIG) HCFAC activities recovered $12 for every $1 spent on Medicare program integrity efforts, resulting in $5.7 billion in expected recoveries and receivables. HHS OIG also excluded more than 2,500 individuals and entities from doing business with federal healthcare programs for fraud and patient abuse and other misconduct. That conduct includes egregious neglect of nursing home residents, improper billing practices and facilitating fraudulent providers and suppliers. Across all HCFAC partners, including HHS, CMS, HHS OIG, DOJ and the FBI, the program has had a positive return on investment since its inception, demonstrating the value of coordinated, multi-agency enforcement to fight fraud and protect taxpayer dollars. Download bill text HERE.",1,2026-08-08T05:41:38Z,2026-08-08T05:43:24Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/qanda-where-things-stand-on-the-farm-bill,Q&A: Where Things Stand on the Farm Bill,2026-08-07,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Q: What legislative priorities were you able to secure in the current Senate Farm Bill so far? A: The Senate Agriculture Committee recently met to consider the long-delayed Farm Bill. Building upon substantive reforms enacted last year to strengthen the farm safety net in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, farmers and rural communities are counting on Congress to enact a full, five-year Farm Bill to bring much-needed certainty to the struggling ag economy. As a lifelong family farmer, I understand the financial hardship farm families are facing today to keep their operations afloat. It’s costing more money to put crops in the ground than what farmers are getting when they market their crops. High input costs, low commodity prices and trade uncertainty put farmers in an unsustainable financial situation. We can’t afford to repeat the mistakes of the 1980s Farm Crisis. That’s why I keep in touch with producers, commodity groups and community bankers to stay on top of the challenges in farm country. That feedback informs my work on behalf of farm families at the policymaking table to address market uncertainty and deliver stability. During the committee’s work on the Farm Bill, a number of my legislative priorities were included to support family farmers and boost the ag economy, including: Year-Round E15, which would deliver a $14 billion boost in corn demand and lower prices at the pump by up to 40 cents per gallon. Improvements to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission whistleblower program to help uphold integrity in U.S. commodity markets that farmers use to manage risk and lock in prices for their crops. Transparency tools to help bring down fertilizer, seed and fuel costs. Q: Where does the Farm Bill stand in the Senate? A: I’m disappointed the bipartisan, regional alliance that has helped shape the nation’s Farm Bills for decades is on shaky ground. After hours of debate and a series of votes on amendments, the Senate Agriculture Committee did not advance the Farm Bill after every Democrat on the committee voted no. They chose to block the Farm Bill in protest over commonsense reforms to curb waste in the food stamp program, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Their partisan blockade puts passage of the Farm Bill in jeopardy and leaves farm families hanging in the balance. Both Sen. Joni Ernst and I voted to advance the Farm Bill. The committee recessed so debate on the Farm Bill can continue in September and hopefully prove to be more fruitful. The House of Representatives has already passed a version of the Farm Bill, backed by Iowa Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Ashley Hinson, Zach Nunn and Randy Feenstra. In the Senate, I’m going to continue fighting to get the Farm Bill to the president’s desk this year. That includes my efforts to deliver year-round E15, drive down input costs, fix Proposition 12, enact sensible farm payment reforms to reinforce the integrity of the farm safety net and sharpen tools at the USDA to stop anticompetitive practices in the meatpacking industry. Rural Americans are counting on us to get the job done.",1,2026-08-08T05:41:38Z,2026-08-08T05:43:24Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/senate-confirms-iowan-glen-smith-to-serve-as-under-secretary-of-agriculture-for-rural-development,Senate Confirms Iowan Glen Smith to Serve as Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development,2026-08-07,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) welcomed today’s Senate confirmation of Glen R. Smith of Atlantic, Iowa, to serve as Under Secretary for Rural Development at the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Smith served as Chair of the Farm Credit Administration (FCA) during the first Trump administration. “Glen Smith is a product of rural Iowa who’s spent his career serving fellow farmers. Having grown up in southwest Iowa, he understands our way of life and what it takes for family farmers to feed and fuel the world. I congratulate Under Secretary Smith on his confirmation, and I look forward to working with him to deliver for the hardworking men and women who keep food on our tables,” Grassley said.",1,2026-08-08T05:41:38Z,2026-08-08T05:43:24Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/senate-republicans-confirm-four-us-attorneys-four-us-marshals-and-doj-inspector-general,"Senate Republicans Confirm Four U.S. Attorneys, Four U.S. Marshals and DOJ Inspector General",2026-08-07,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) applauded the Senate’s confirmation of four U.S. Attorneys, four U.S. Marshals and the Inspector General for the Department of Justice (DOJ). The nominees were confirmed as part of a nominations package of 74 executive nominees, by a vote of 51-47. Under Grassley’s leadership in the 119th Congress, the Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced 141 of President Trump’s nominees, including 11 circuit judges, 46 district judges, one Court of International Trade judge, 48 U.S. attorneys and 12 U.S. marshals. The Senate has now confirmed 136 of those nominees. “U.S. Attorneys and U.S. Marshals are vital parts of our nation’s law enforcement system – responsible for prosecuting violent criminals, protecting the American public and enforcing the rule of law,” Grassley said. “As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I’ve been proud to advance and confirm President Trump’s law and order nominees to protect communities across America.” The nominees advanced by the Senate Judiciary Committee and confirmed today include: Kenneth Sorenson, to be U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii. Timothy VerHey, to be U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan. Sean Costello, to be U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama. Christopher Nassar, to be U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma. Johnson TeeHee II, to be U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. James Arnott, to be U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Missouri. Jack Chambers, to be U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of West Virginia. Jason Holt, to be U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Oklahoma. Don Berthiaume, to be Inspector General for the Department of Justice. Background: Historically, executive nominees, such as U.S. Attorneys and U.S. Marshals, were routinely confirmed on a bipartisan basis due to their non-political and non-controversial nature. That bipartisan tradition was destroyed last year when Senate Democrats placed an unprecedented blanket hold on all of President Trump’s 93 U.S. Attorneys. Senate Republicans overcame the partisan blockade in October of 2025, confirming 16 U.S. Attorneys as part of an initial nominations package of 107 executive nominees. The Senate then confirmed 14 U.S. Attorneys in December 2025, as part of a second nominations package, and 13 U.S. Attorneys and eight U.S. Marshals in May 2026, as part of a third package.",1,2026-08-08T05:41:38Z,2026-08-08T05:43:24Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-joins-iowa-delegation-in-requesting-expedited-disaster-aid-for-iowa-counties-following-severe-flooding,Ernst Joins Iowa Delegation in Requesting Expedited Disaster Aid for Iowa Counties Following Severe Flooding,2026-08-06,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), along with U.S. Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), Zach Nunn (R-Iowa), and Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), this week urged President Donald Trump to approve Governor Kim Reynolds' request for a major disaster declaration following severe weather and heavy rainfall that struck Iowa between July 1 and 4, 2026. The severe weather brought high winds, flash flooding, and widespread river flooding across Iowa's river basins, causing extensive damage to critical infrastructure and private property. In addition to requesting statewide hazard mitigation assistance, Governor Reynolds requested funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Public Assistance Program to help repair damaged public infrastructure and facilities and reimburse eligible emergency response and debris removal costs. The FEMA Public Assistance Program request includes the following counties: Jasper County Polk County Story County Warren County Read the Iowa delegation's full letter to the president HERE. Background: On July 24, 2026, Governor Reynolds announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration approved her request to provide disaster assistance to eight counties impacted by the severe storms: Boone, Dallas, Jasper, Madison, Marion, Polk, Story, and Warren counties. Read more HERE. Disaster loan applications can be submitted online at lending.sba.gov or in person at designated disaster assistance centers. Iowans impacted by the severe storms who need assistance navigating available federal resources are encouraged to contact Senator Ernst's office or visit ernst.senate.gov. ###",1,2026-08-07T06:11:19Z,2026-08-07T06:12:42Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-statement-on-advancing-a-bipartisan-farm-bill,Ernst Statement on Advancing a Bipartisan Farm Bill,2026-08-06,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) released the following statement after Senate Agriculture Committee Democrats voted against advancing the Farm Bill, delaying critical support for America’s farmers: “I’m disappointed the Democrats voted against advancing the Farm Bill today, leaving America’s farmers and rural communities waiting even longer for the certainty of a five-year Farm Bill. The Farm Bill released by Chairman Boozman includes priorities I’ve been fighting to deliver for Iowans for over a decade, from expanding access to year-round E15 and keeping our farmland out of the hands of China to supporting farmer mental health. While today’s vote is a setback, I remain committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure states are treated fairly as we strengthen accountability in SNAP, find a long-term fix to the harmful effects of Proposition 12, and build the bipartisan support needed to get a Farm Bill across the finish line and signed into law.” Watch Ernst’s remarks here. “Our states have to get to a point where they don't have this huge discrepancy with the error rates. I've worked really hard with our friends across the aisle to try and find a solution to this, because I do think that what was done in the One Big, Beautiful Bill, it did favor certain states, and it doesn't allow for some of those states to really make the corrections as necessary,” said Ernst. Download audio of Ernst here. ###",1,2026-08-07T06:11:19Z,2026-08-07T06:12:42Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-issues-statement-after-democrat-opposition-stalls-farm-bill,Grassley Issues Statement After Democrat Opposition Stalls Farm Bill,2026-08-06,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong family farmer, issued a statement after the Senate Agriculture Committee failed to advance the 2026 Farm Bill due to Democrats’ refusal to provide bipartisan support for the legislation. “I’m very disappointed Democrats blocked the Farm Bill today in protest over commonsense reforms that root out waste in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and protect the integrity of the SNAP program. Democrats’ obstruction leaves the fate of the Farm Bill in serious jeopardy at a time when farmers need our help. “I’ve fought tooth and nail for years to deliver a new, five-year Farm Bill and nationwide, year-round E15 for Iowa’s family farmers, and I’m not done working toward that goal. Rural America is counting on us. “Farmers don’t throw in the towel when the going gets tough, and Democrats shouldn’t either. It’s up to Democrats to put politics aside, engage in good faith negotiations and accept bipartisan compromise in order to get the Farm Bill passed in the Senate this year. I’m hopeful the committee can improve the bill and vote again when the Senate returns in September to achieve a more positive outcome.” A broadcast quality video statement from Grassley on the Farm Bill is available HERE.",1,2026-08-07T06:11:19Z,2026-08-07T06:12:42Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-joins-lankford-to-introduce-bill-strengthening-and-protecting-military-chaplains-ministry,Grassley Joins Lankford to Introduce Bill Strengthening and Protecting Military Chaplains’ Ministry,2026-08-06,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), to introduce the Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026 (MCMA), which would codify the purpose, role, duties and professional qualifications of military chaplains and protect chaplains from being forced to violate their sincerely held religious beliefs. The legislation is additionally cosponsored by Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.). Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) leads companion legislation in the House of Representatives, and the bill was included in the House-passed Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). “Military chaplains provide a vital service to the patriots who sacrifice for our country every day. By standardizing a chaplain’s role, this commonsense legislation clarifies their duties and protects chaplains from unfair censorship. Like all Americans, our men and women in uniform have the God-given right to observe their religious beliefs, especially as they put their own lives on the line to defend our nation. Our legislation reinforces those rights,” Grassley said. ""For our country’s 250-year history, military chaplains have walked alongside our service members through the hardest moments of their lives, offering prayer, counsel, and hope in isolated posts and combat zones alike,"" Lankford said. ""Chaplains serve because they are called to it. Congress has a responsibility to make sure they can carry out that calling faithfully, without being forced to violate the tenets of their faith and without fear of retaliation for holding to what they believe. This bill honors the men and women who minister to our heroes who defend our nation."" “Military chaplains shouldn’t have to check their faith at the door when they put on the uniform,” Cramer said. “They play a vital role in supporting the moral and spiritual well-being of our servicemembers, and their ministry and the men and women they serve are strengthened because of their faith. This legislation protects their ability to minister according to their beliefs and ensures those freedoms are always preserved.” ""Military chaplains serve a unique and important role in our armed forces, providing spiritual guidance to our men and women in uniform. That is why it is imperative that their deeply held religious beliefs must be protected throughout their time in the military. I'm proud to support this legislation and the faith leaders who serve in our Armed Forces,"" Britt said. Background: The bill is supported by the Armed Forces Chaplains Board, which provides advice and recommendations to Department of Defense officials on issues regarding the free exercise of religion The Military Chaplains Modernization Act: Codifies the purpose, role, duties and professional qualifications of chaplains across the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force. Guarantees that chaplains may conduct worship, provide counseling, teach, deliver sermons, minister and offer prayer in accordance with their sincerely held religious beliefs and the tenets of their religious-endorsing organization, free from censorship, undue restriction or fear of retribution. Prohibits any member of the armed forces from requiring or assigning a chaplain to perform any rite, ritual, ceremony, sermon, speech, task or action contrary to the chaplain's sincerely held religious beliefs. Protects chaplains from retaliation or adverse personnel actions, including denial of promotion, letters of reprimand and negative entries in the chaplain's record, for refusing to violate their beliefs. Establishes that violations are subject to prosecution under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Codifies the ranks and roles of the Chief of Chaplains and Deputy Chief of Chaplains as principal advisors to their respective service secretaries and chiefs of staff.",1,2026-08-07T06:11:19Z,2026-08-07T06:12:42Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-shaheen-colleagues-issue-statement-regarding-escalating-pressure-on-the-srebrenica-memorial-center-and-human-rights-defenders,"Grassley, Shaheen, Colleagues Issue Statement Regarding Escalating Pressure on the Srebrenica Memorial Center and Human Rights Defenders",2026-08-06,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), along with Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), as well as Reps. Bill Keating (D-Mass.) and Mike Turner (R-Ohio), to issue a joint statement after 26 current and former staff members and associates of the Srebrenica Memorial Center were summoned for police questioning by the Zvornik Police Department. “We are deeply concerned by reports that current and former employees and associates of the Srebrenica Memorial Center have been summoned for questioning by Republika Srpska authorities. The scale and timing of these actions are troubling, particularly because the work of the Memorial Center is central to preserving the truth, honoring the victims and defending human rights. We call on the relevant authorities to uphold the rule of law, respect the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s institutions and ensure the Memorial Center can carry out its essential mission free from intimidation. “The House and Senate have been unequivocal: the Srebrenica massacre was genocide. More than 30 years later, we have a solemn responsibility to remember the victims, stand with their families and ensure this tragic history is neither denied nor erased. Rewriting history for political gain deepens divisions, inflames ethnic tensions and threatens peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We call on the administration to implement the mandatory sanctions passed in the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act to hold individuals to account for destabilizing behavior and undermining democratic institutions.”",1,2026-08-08T05:41:38Z,2026-08-08T05:43:24Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/08/05/2026/ernst-padilla-celebrate-national-farmers-market-week,"Ernst, Padilla Celebrate National Farmers Market Week",2026-08-05,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) introduced a bipartisan resolution designating Aug. 2–8, 2026, as National Farmers Market Week to celebrate the hardworking farmers and ranchers who feed our families, fuel our communities, and strengthen rural America. “Agriculture is the heart of Iowa, and farmers markets make it easier for Iowans to buy fresh, locally grown food in communities across our state,” said Senator Ernst. “I’m proud to lead a bipartisan resolution designating Aug. 2-8 as National Farmers Market Week to recognize the tireless work of our farmers, ranchers, and producers who put nutritious food on Americans’ tables every day.” “California is home to more than 800 farmers markets that nourish our families, bolster the local economy, and cultivate thoughtful relationships between growers and consumers,” said Senator Padilla. “We cherish these shared spaces which are a vibrant, dependable source of nutrition for our state. I’m proud to lead this Senate resolution celebrating National Farmers Market Week to support our local farmers who feed our families and strengthen our communities.” In 2023, Senators Ernst and Padilla announced the first-ever congressional resolution to celebrate National Farmers Market Week, which was adopted unanimously by the Senate and celebrated again in 2024 and 2025. U.S. Representatives David Valadao (R-Calif.) and Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) introduced a companion resolution in the House of Representatives. “The Central Valley grows a quarter of our nation’s food on less than one percent of America’s farmland, yet too many people living in urban areas don’t realize what it takes to get food from field to table,” said Representative Valadao. “Farmers markets provide a valuable opportunity to connect people with the hardworking producers who feed our nation, and they highlight the important role agriculture plays in our communities. I’m proud to join my colleagues in recognizing National Farmers Market Week and honoring the contributions of our CA-22 producers working to support food access, bolster local economies, promote healthy living, and foster sustainable farming.” “Farmers markets have been a cherished tradition in communities across America for generations. A quarter of Maine farms sell directly to consumers, with more than 100 farmers markets currently operating in our state,” said Representative Pingree. “By connecting local growers with their communities, farmers markets not only help put healthy food on the table, but also strengthen local economies and help preserve Maine’s agricultural traditions for future generations. This bipartisan, bicameral resolution reminds us that, in red states and blue states alike, farmers markets can be a force for good—and an important part of building a stronger, more resilient food system for all Americans.” Read the resolution here. ###",1,2026-08-06T07:37:31Z,2026-08-06T07:38:34Z https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ernst-joins-vice-president-vance-white-house-task-force-to-wage-war-on-fraud,"Ernst Joins Vice President Vance, White House Task Force to Wage War on Fraud",2026-08-05,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,ernst,https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, Senate DOGE Caucus Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) joined Vice President J.D. Vance and the White House Task Force to discuss how Republicans are putting fraudsters out of business. Download more photos of Senator Ernst HERE During the roundtable, Ernst applauded Vice President Vance’s leadership and how the Task Force has successfully clawed back billions of dollars: $22 billion in suspected fraudulent pandemic-era loans $6.3 billion in suspected fraudulent government contracts $600 million in suspected fraud by 447 hospice providers and 23 home health agencies $51.6 million in suspected avoided customs duties on gold alone Ernst also highlighted her leadership of a comprehensive anti-fraud package, the Protecting American Taxpayers Act, which would return over $240 billion to taxpayers. “Bad actors have been scamming American taxpayers for far too long,” said Ernst. “From fake child care centers in Minnesota to incarcerated convicts collecting unemployment checks, fraud has become so pervasive that, if it were a government agency, the ‘Department of Fraud’ would rank as the fifth-largest federal department by spending. I’m grateful for the leadership of Vice President Vance and the Trump administration for cracking down on fraud across the country and sending scammers to the slammer. Now, Congress must pass my anti-fraud package to protect taxpayers. Every single day we delay, fraudsters steal more than $1.4 billion.” Background: Ernst has long led efforts to eliminate government waste and ensure taxpayer dollars are used responsibly. As chair of the Senate DOGE Caucus, she has continued her decades-long mission to expose waste, fraud, and abuse and advance reforms that hold Washington accountable. For over a decade, Ernst has exposed wasteful government spending through her monthly “squeal” awards, highlighting examples of taxpayer dollars being misused and pushing for accountability across the federal government. Over the past year, Ernst has heard testimony from independent investigative journalist Nick Shirley about fraudulent child care services provided by Minnesota’s Quality Learing Center and from investigative reporter Luke Rosiak about Ohio personal care companies that received financial support from the Small Business Administration. ###",1,2026-08-06T07:37:31Z,2026-08-06T07:38:34Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/capitol-hill-report-08-05-26,"Capitol Hill Report, 08-05-26",2026-08-05,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Audio from this morning’s call is available HERE. Topics include: the Farm Bill, the Sanders-Grassley Audit the Pentagon Act, Todd Blanche’s nomination to be U.S. Attorney General, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Iran and mail-in voting.",1,2026-08-06T07:37:31Z,2026-08-06T07:38:34Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-questions-witnesses-at-senate-finance-committee-hearing-on-addressing-social-security-solvency-urges-bipartisan-cooperation,"Grassley Questions Witnesses at Senate Finance Committee Hearing on Addressing Social Security Solvency, Urges Bipartisan Cooperation",2026-08-05,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, questioned witnesses about the need for bipartisan cooperation to address Social Security’s long-term solvency. During a floor speech last week, Grassley noted retirees will see a 22% cut in benefits around late 2032 unless Congress takes action. VIDEO On bipartisan cooperation and commissions: For any Social Security reform proposal to succeed, it will require the support of at least 60 senators. So, that means both parties working together to find a solution. Outside of the 1983 commission, are there examples of a commission or other special process that successfully sparked bipartisan cooperation and action? On ways to promote bipartisanship and identify solutions: I understand you both oppose any sort of commission-based process. Instead, you contend Congress should address Social Security through regular committee and floor processes. I respect that view. I'm open to any process that will facilitate the bipartisan cooperation that's necessary, with emphasis upon the word bipartisan. What are some actions your groups are taking or plan to take to help foster bipartisan cooperation and discussion of Social Security? On the importance of taking immediate action to protect Social Security’s future: I see a lot of AARP ads on television. I’ve got a little bit of advice for you. But, you're no different than a candidate Trump and a President Biden. They all ran on a platform of “We're not going to do anything about Social Security.” And your TV advertisements are saying, “We aren't going to cut Social Security.” I don't blame you for defending the program that way, but we’ve got to wake this entire nation up to the fact that there's going to be 22% cuts if we don't do something right now. And you ought to spend some of your money waking up people to the fact that there's a crisis down the line. And you say don't cut Social Security, but it's going to be cut automatically if you don’t wake the people of this country up. And, that's what I advise you to do because you’ve got a big voice.",1,2026-08-06T07:37:31Z,2026-08-06T07:38:34Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-leads-iowa-delegation-in-call-for-expedited-disaster-aid-in-four-iowa-counties-following-july-floods,Grassley Leads Iowa Delegation in Call for Expedited Disaster Aid in Four Iowa Counties Following July Floods,2026-08-04,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), along with Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) and Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) today called on President Donald Trump to approve Governor Kim Reynolds’ disaster declaration request following severe weather and heavy rainfall between July 1-4, 2026. The weather produced high winds, severe flash flooding, and massive overtopping across central Iowa’s river basin, causing significant damage to public infrastructure and private property. In addition to requesting hazard mitigation statewide, Governor Reynolds is seeking funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance program to rebuild damaged public infrastructure and public facilities and to cover costs for emergency clean-up efforts. The FEMA Public Assistance program was requested for Jasper, Polk, Story and Warren counties. Read the delegation’s full letter to the president HERE. SBA’s Disaster Loan Program: On July 24, Governor Reynolds announced the Small Business Administration granted her request to provide assistance for eight counties impacted by the severe storms: Boone, Dallas, Jasper, Madison, Marion, Polk, Story and Warren counties. Learn more HERE. Disaster loan applications can be submitted online at lending.sba.gov or in person at designated assistance centers.",1,2026-08-05T07:37:37Z,2026-08-05T07:38:44Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/senate-judiciary-committee-advances-todd-blanches-nomination-to-be-attorney-general,Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Todd Blanche’s Nomination to be Attorney General,2026-08-04,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination to be U.S. Attorney General, by a vote of 12-10. “Todd Blanche’s Justice Department has reprioritized the safety of Americans after the Biden administration opened the borders to violent criminals and turned a blind eye to the heinous crimes that were happening around the country… Today, I’m not only voting to advance Todd Blanche’s nomination. I’m voting for the safety of the American people,” Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said. Blanche’s nomination is supported by over 670,000 law enforcement officers, 300 Angel Families and more than 100 bipartisan U.S. Attorneys and DOJ officials spanning eight administrations. Under his leadership at the Department of Justice, the United States’ homicide rate has fallen to its lowest level in over 125 years, and every major violent crime category has dropped below pre-pandemic levels. Watch the executive business meeting HERE. Read Grassley’s opening statement HERE.",1,2026-08-05T07:37:37Z,2026-08-05T07:38:44Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/senate-unanimously-passes-grassley-durbin-bankruptcy-legislation-to-support-small-businesses-and-american-families,Senate Unanimously Passes Grassley-Durbin Bankruptcy Legislation to Support Small Businesses and American Families,2026-08-04,2026,2026-08,Republican,Senate,IA,Chuck Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,grassley,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) are applauding the Senate’s unanimous passage of their Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Act of 2026 to restore Americans’ access to critical bankruptcy programs by reinstating modern debt limits for Subchapter V and Chapter 13. “Our nation’s bankruptcy code should work for Americans, not against them. By eliminating barriers to reorganization and restoring modern debt limits, the bipartisan Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Act would provide American families and small businesses the tools they need to regain their financial footing in a quicker, more streamlined process,” Grassley said. “I thank my colleagues in the Senate for their unanimous support of our legislation, and I urge the House of Representatives to swiftly pass this needed legislation.” “Bankruptcy is often a painful last resort for small business owners. This bill makes permanent a quicker and cheaper pathway for entrepreneurs to settle debts, keep the lights on, and keep serving their neighbors. It also expands eligibility for Chapter 13 bankruptcy to help more families manage rising costs, stay in their homes, and get back on their feet. With unanimous passage in the Senate, I encourage the House of Representatives to quickly pass this bill—and for the President to sign it into law,” Durbin said. The bipartisan legislation is cosponsored by Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Chris Coons (D-Del.) and the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). Bill text can be found HERE. Background: The Grassley-Whitehouse Small Business Reorganization Act, signed into law in 2019, established Subchapter V within Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. Subchapter V streamlined the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process for small business owners by reducing procedural burdens and lowering filing costs. Legislation signed into law in 2020 allowed more small businesses to qualify for these streamlined procedures by increasing the upper debt limit for Subchapter V to $7.5 million. In 2022, the Grassley-Whitehouse Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment and Technical Corrections Act was signed into law, extending the $7.5 million debt limit for small businesses filing under Subchapter V and establishing a new debt limit of $2.75 million for individuals and families filing under Chapter 13. However, when the Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment and Technical Corrections Act expired in 2024, the debt thresholds for both programs reverted to lower levels. The Grassley-Durbin Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Act of 2026 would permanently restore the Subchapter V debt limit to $7.5 million and the Chapter 13 debt limit to $2.75 million.",1,2026-08-05T07:37:37Z,2026-08-05T07:38:44Z