Following is Senator Grassley’s schedule this week in Washington, D.C.  The Senate is in session.   

• Grassley will meet in Washington with Iowans from the American Trucking Association, the Appraisal Institute, Boys Nation/Girls Nation, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, the Iowa FFA, the Iowa Turkey Federation, Land O’Lakes, Missouri River Emergency Services, the Presidential Academy for the Teaching of American History and Civics, and the Professional Landcare Network.

Grassley will also meet with Iowans from Ankeny, Des Moines, Dike, Grimes, Grinnell, Indianola, Lawton, Marion, Mason City, North Liberty, Polk City, Robins, Van Meter, and West Des Moines.

Grassley will meet with a young Iowan from Gladbrook who is interning for the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service.  Grassley will also meet with Luther College students.

• On Tuesday, July 26, at 9:00 a.m. (CT), Grassley will attend a Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration hearing entitled “The Economic Imperative for Enacting Immigration Reform.”  Grassley will discuss the impact that fraud and abuse in the H-1B and L-1 visa programs have on Americans seeking employment.

• On Wednesday, July 27, at 9:00 a.m. (CT), Grassley will attend a Judiciary Committee hearing entitled, “Fulfilling our Treaty Obligations and Protecting Americans Abroad.”

• On Wednesday, July 27, at 9:00 a.m. (CT), there is a Finance Committee hearing entitled, “CEO Perspectives on How the Tax Code Affects Hiring, Businesses and Economic Growth.” 

• On Thursday, July 28, at 9:00 a.m. (CT), Grassley will attend a Judiciary Committee executive business meeting.  Grassley’s legislation to ban the chemicals used to make K2, permanently and nationwide, is expected to be considered.  The legislation is called the David Mitchell Rozga Act, named after a young Iowan who lost his life last summer after using K2 purchased at a shopping mall in Des Moines.

• On Thursday, July 28, at 9:00 a.m. (CT), there is a Finance Committee hearing on the nominations of: Janice Eberly, of Washington, DC, to be Assistant Secretary of Treasury; and Juan F. Vasquez, of Texas, to be Judge of the United States Tax Court for a term of fifteen years.

• On Thursday, July 28, at 1:15 p.m. (CT), Grassley will meet with Gen. McMahon of the Army Corps of Engineers Northwestern Division to continue discussing the Missouri River floods and ways to improve the Missouri River Master Manual.

-30-

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today made the following comment on the Internal Revenue Service’s announcement that it has eliminated the two-year limit for filing innocent spouse claims.  The innocent spouse provision helps to protect the spouses of tax evaders who didn’t join in or didn’t know about the tax cheating.  Grassley is a senior member and former ranking member and chairman of the Finance Committee, with jurisdiction over tax policy.  Grassley was a member of the National Commission on Restructuring the IRS, which laid the groundwork for the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998.

“Those of us behind the IRS overhaul enacted in 1998 never intended to put a deadline on innocent spouses.  We were trying to help innocent spouses as a matter of fairness.  These taxpayers never should have been put in the position they were put in by the IRS.  It’s very good news that the agency has seen the light regarding congressional intent and innocent spouses deserving relief.”

Davenport, IA /July 25, 2011 – Living Lands and Waters (LL&W) is in the process of building a new floating classroom and they need some help to finish their work on this project in time for the upcoming school year.  So, on Wednesday, August 3^rd they’ll be shipping out of Alton, IL in order to get to the Quad Cities in time for the upcoming Annual Barge Party on Thursday, August 11^th.  During this voyage, they’d like to bring any skilled carpenters, plumbers, HVAC, electricians to help with the final pieces of this build out.  Volunteers on this trip will be provided with lodging, food and transportation and the chance to experience the Mississippi from a truly unique vantage point.  “We really appreciate all the help we’ve gotten to this point and felt we could give our volunteers a unique and fun experience by joining our crew for a week on our trip north,” said LL&W founder Chad Pregracke.      

Several area union carpenters and skilled tradesmen are currently volunteering their time around the clock to get this classroom barge to the point where it is now.  There’s just a tremendous amount of work to make this dream a reality.  The 150-foot long barge will feature a handicapped-accessible classroom, which can host up to 60 students at a time, as well as sleeping quarters for an 8 person Living Lands and Waters crew.  Carpenters District Council of St. Louis and Local Electric Union 57, Local Union 4 Quad City area carpenters have already donated well over $100,000 in lab or to this project.” “It’s a good project. It’s a unique project with a lot of educational potential that will hopefully live on forever.  It’s great that they’re using so many recycled materials where ever possible.  The handrails are skeletal plates from John Deere, reused barge joints have been reconfigured for this project and the pine ceiling is from reclaimed wood that otherwise would have been destroyed”, says Roger Mouser, project manager and part of the Carpenter’s Union out of St. Louis.   

If you’re interested in volunteering for this project, please contact Ashley at our office at (309) 496-9848 or email her at Ashley@livinglandsandwaters.org.  “We are excited to bring students out here and physically show them how much trash there really is and also teach them about the many job opp or tunities that most people aren’t aware of on the river”, says Ashley Stover, LL&W Crew Member and Programs Coordinator.

Teachers interested in exploring a workshop for their students should contact Tammy Becker at LL&W:   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 309-496-9848. “We have had over 1,600 teachers in our Educational Workshops dating back to 2003.  This will create an opportunity for thousands of students to experience the river first hand” said LL&W founder Chad Pregracke.   The floating classroom was made possible by the generous support of five of LL&W’s long-term partners:  Cargill, ADM, Caterpillar, AEP River Operations and Ingram Barge Company.  

Chad Pregracke started Living Lands & Waters in 1998 as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the beautification and restoration of America’s major rivers and to the education of people about environmental issues. From his single boat beginning, LL&W has grown to an internationally known organization with a fleet of barges and workboats.  LL&W engages thousands of volunteers each year in river cleanups, hands-on environmental education workshops, the Great Mississippi River Cleanup, Adopt-a- River-Mile programs and the Million Trees Project. 

###

Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Bruce Braley (IA-01) released the following statement on the passing of Chuck Manatt:

“Chuck Manatt was a great man, a great Iowan and a great American. Today, my thoughts are with his family and the many friends he leaves behind. His imprint on American politics and the lives of everyone he touched will never be forgotten.”

###