Grassley Direct
On my weekly "Capitol Hill Report," I spoke with Nikki Thunder of KCHE in Cherokee and Dale Wegner of the Sac Sun about the economy, USMCA and the Army Corps of Engineers.
Q&A: National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
Q. Why are suicide rates increasing in the United States?
Q. What legislative initiatives have you led in Congress for suicide prevention and outreach?
Quick Links
I've been working with Senator Ernst to tackle student loan debt by introducing three bills aimed at empowering students and their families with better information about the costs of college. The Net Price Calculator Improvement Act would help students understand how much their education will ultimately cost when shopping for colleges and would require academic institutions to place net price calculators on their site to ensure that students are easily able to calculate the cost. The True Cost of College Act would establish a universal, uniform financial aid offer that clearly provides information on the cost of the college, the amount of grant money the student would receive and the amount the student would ultimately be responsible for paying, including loans. Lastly is the Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act, which would improve the student loan counseling process by asking students annually how much they need to borrow rather than defaulting to the maximum amount. These bills will help take the mystery out of college costs and ensure that students know what they’re getting themselves into before they get in over their heads.
At almost every county meeting I hold, I hear from Iowans concerned about the high costs of prescription drugs. The Trump administration issued a roadmap last summer to bring down drug prices. As chairman of the Senate Finance committee, my colleagues and I have rolled up our sleeves to identify what's not working to help fix what's broken. Our bipartisan bill, which would save $20 billion in out-of-pocket costs, increases financial security for our seniors so they can afford the prescription drugs they need. It's time to put an end to sticker shock and bring meaningful price transparency to the prescription drug market. It's time to deliver real savings to Americans at the pharmacy counter. Read more in my op-ed here.
I recently sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) asking it to explain why the department hasn’t adopted recommendations to improve accountability of grants awarded through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). In the letter, I cited a recent report by the U.S. Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center, which indicated that nearly half of the perpetrators of mass attacks in the last two years had been diagnosed or treated with mental illness prior to the attack. Last year alone, 67 percent of all perpetrators of mass attacks exhibited mental health symptoms prior to the attack. While the vast majority of people who have mental illness are not violent, it is critical to ensure that limited federal resources are targeted to the most effective behavioral health services.
Post of the Week
It was my honor to present military medals to veterans & their families at a ceremony in Urbandale. Their service & sacrifice for our country should never be forgotten
|
