Grassley Direct
On my weekly "Capitol Hill Report," I spoke with Dennis Morrice of KLEM in Le Mars and Jacob Hall of the Iowa Standard in Sioux City about ethanol, USMCA and the electoral college.
Q&A: Back to School
Q. What’s your back to school message for the new school year?
Q. How have Iowa institutions led the way to advance STEM education?
Quick Links
This week, I completed my annual 99 County Meetings. This marks my 39th consecutive year of holding at least one question-and-answer session with Iowans in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties at least once annually. I began doing this when I was first elected to the Senate in 1980. I appreciate the opportunity to hold these meetings, answer questions and listen to comments on any subject from Iowans. The cross-section of people I get to meet with during town meetings and in their workplaces, offices and factory floors, in schools and at service organizations, helps me keep in touch and take the common sense of Iowans from all perspectives to work in the nation’s capital. To view my photos and tweets from the meetings, search #99CountyMeetings on Twitter and Instagram.
Along with Senator Ernst, I sent a letter pressing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to follow through on its commitment to rebuild a levee near Hamburg, following the devastating floods earlier this year. After the previous floods in 2011, the Corps mandated that the “Ditch 6 Levee” be lowered 8 feet. That levee was then overrun earlier this year. The Corps committed to rebuilding the levee to its original height, but has not yet made good on that promise. In addition to this letter, Senator Ernst and I have worked extensively to address communications shortcomings by the Corps regarding flooding and have cosponsored two bills to further address flooding along the Missouri River.
I participated in a tour and Q&A with U.S. Drug Czar Jim Carroll this week at the Cedar Rapids Area Substance Abuse Council (ASAC) to discuss meth and drug related issues in Iowa communities. As a current member and former co-chairman of the Senate Drug Caucus, I've worked over the years to address the widespread addiction crisis. Most recently, I joined Senator Ernst in sending a letter to the Department of Homeland Security and Office of National Drug Control Policy to address the increased volume of methamphetamine being smuggled from Mexico into the United States.
President Trump recently signed two of my bills into law to help Americans when they fall on hard times. The Small Business Reorganization Act works to reduce debt reorganization burdens for small businesses and the Family Farmer Relief Act expands access to debt reorganization procedures designed specifically to address the unique needs of family farmers. Mom and pop shops and family farms shouldn’t face the same debt reorganization challenges as major companies with armies of accountants. By signing this bill, President Trump is again making good on his promise to promote American small businesses and family farmers.
Post of the Week
Congratulations to U of Iowa physicist Dr. Craig Kletzing & his team for receiving $115M from NASA to study interactions btwn magnetic fields of the sun & Earth. that’s the largest research award in U of Iowa + state history
|
