Grassley Direct
On my weekly "Capitol Hill Report," I spoke with Dennis Morrice of KLEM in Le Mars and Ty Rushing of the N'West Iowa Review in Sheldon about ethanol and the USMCA.
Q&A: Medicare Fraud Evolves
Q. How big of a bite does waste, fraud and abuse take out of Medicare?
Q. What kinds of Medicare fraud have you sunk your teeth into most recently?
Quick Links
The recent announcement of a formal impeachment inquiry into President Trump means that issue will likely dominate discussion in Washington for months. That’s a shame, because there are so many pressing matters for Congress that are much more consequential to the everyday lives of Americans. One of the most urgent is the modernized trade agreement with our neighbors to the north and the south, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. But the window of opportunity hasn’t closed yet. Democrats must act now on upgrading the North American Free Trade Agreement or risk putting politics before policy. Read more in my op-ed with Congressman Brady here.
One year after the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, I led a group of senators in seeking updates from the Justice Department on the status of criminal referrals made by the committee relating the last year’s confirmation process. In the process of evaluating claims against the then-nominee, committee investigators collected 25 written statements and spoke with 45 individuals. Those investigations culminated in the nominee’s confirmation and the release of a 414-page committee report concluding that there was no credible evidence to support any of the allegations. Last year, in my role as chairman of the committee, I referred to the Justice Department four individuals for investigation for providing false information to the committee, which is a crime.
Today, the World Trade Organization (WTO) is where nations negotiate the rules for international trade and resolve disputes that arise when a trading partner believes the rules aren't being followed. This trading system has been critical to helping reduce global poverty rates, which have shrunk even while the global population has expanded. Although the WTO was intended to be a forum for multilateral trade negotiations, it has proven difficult to come to agreements that give a fair shot to all nations, not just wealthier countries that can subsidize their industries. The United States, Japan and the European Union have been discussing WTO reforms. Partnerships like this are essential to showing member states who consistently break the rules that their actions won't be tolerated. Read more in my op-ed with Senator Wyden here.
Every year, I select 10 young Iowans to nominate to each of the U.S. service academies. The academies offer some of the best options for higher education as well as an outstanding way to serve our country. It’s a tremendous opportunity for young Iowans. The deadline for students to complete and submit their application for a nomination is October 16, 2019. To seek a nomination, Iowa applicants must download and complete an application.
Post of the Week
Happy to have former First Lady Laura Bush at my alma mater UNI in Cedar Falls. She’s speaking tonight as part of the Joy Cole Corning distinguished leadership lecture series
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